Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-02

ing St. Paul.
In the spring of 1870 Commodore VIM. F.
Davidson, who had for many years prior
thereto been identified with the city of St.
Paul, removed from here to st. Louis. His
large interests IL steamboats, and river trans.
portation seemed to demand the change, so
that he might be at the initial point OF the
upper Mississippi river business. At that
time it will be remembered there was war of
company, the Northern Line Packet
company, and the North Western
Union Packet company, of which the commo-
dore was the president and largest stakeholder.
That war ragged until the close of The season OF
navigation for 1872, ana resulted in the organ
ization of the Keokuk Northern Line Packet
company, OF which he became president. We
do not propose now 10 review the liti CATION
which thereafter grew out of the jealousy of
some minority stock holders and which finally
destroyed the credit and business OF the old
company. 1t is sufficient to state that with
the opening of the season of navigation
for 1881 new and magnificent line Of pas
senger packets under the control and man.
agement of Commodore Davidson came upon
the upper river. 1t was headed by the peer.
less "Gem City," as the flag ship OF the fleet,
and the entire season was one continuous ova-
ton. Toward the close of the season the
"War Eagle" came into the trade and this sea-
son the Centennial has been added with q
large number OF side wheel packets remodeled
and refurnished, making the most complete
line ever used on the upper Mississippi.
1t has been known for long time by Com.
modOre Davidson's intimate friends that he
purposed returning to ST. Paul to make this
his home and business headquarters as soon
as he could do so consistent with his river
interests. He has so often expressed this
determination and it hiss been SO long de.
ferred, that but few even of his business as.
sOciates felt certain that he would ultimately
return to this city. He has, however, broken
up his home In st. Louis and has brought his
family with him, and will from this
time on be citizen of this grow
ing metropolis. He and his family
are temporarily CHARTERED at the Metropolitan
hotel and Will spend the summer about the
lakes and not resume housekeeping until next
fall or winter.
This removal to st. Paul means great deal
for the interests OF this city. AS all who
know him are aware he is a great worker,
and with his indomitable pluck and perseyer-
ance he can do and ,val do vast amount to-
wards building up st. Paul. In 1876 when
everything was dead and when the most
daring fnanciers among our own residents
would not spend dollar in improvements he
erected the Davidson block, corner Of Fourth
and jackson streets. In 1879 he built his
pressed brick front block on Jackson street,
between Sixth and Seventh streets, using the
first st. Louis pressed brick ever brought to
St. Paul for building purposes.
The block corner Fourth and Jackson hay-
to- - L. -
rebuilt it and changed it from house for
wholesale business to an Office block and it
has proved splendid success. He owns g
very large amount of the best business prop
erty in the city and WILL as rapidly as possible,
improve that which will pay the best in rentals.
Within five years next ensuing We venture the
prediction that he will do more to build up
and improve st. Paul than any other one
citizen. He is having elaborate plans drawn
planning other buildings, notably block SO
x65 feet and five stories high squarely in
front of the old court house on the south side
of Fourth, and in rear of the building now
occupied by the American Express com pany,
also five story block on the corner of Cedar
and Fourth streets, next east of the
court house. Col. James H. Davidson,
who owns 50x150 next east of the corner, has
agreed to join him in building, and the two
buildings together will make very hand
some block 100 feet front on Fourth, and FIVE
stories high. These are probably all that will
be commenced by him the present year, and
these buildings we'll under way will incite
others to build on Fourth street.
Preparatory to all this his ground on Jack
son street, just beyond Cooks new barn, will
be enclosed to use for storing lumber and
building materials and a large shop for the
use of his mechanics and for winter work will
be erected. When this is once in order and
his working force organized, we shall expect
to see him push building and Improvement of
his property with as much vim and yigor as
he has all through life shown in the various
enterprises with which he has been connected.
BE has taken ground floor office in his
dates his resumption of business in st. Paul
from July LIST.
He is non-cOmmittal as to how much he ex.
poets to accomplish in the way of building
before winter, but as he has employed an eX-
psrienced builder by the yecr to take charge
OF his building enterprises and oct as foreman
and overseer Of the work it is entirely clear
that he ''means BUSINESS aud from the way
they are sketching and figuring, the
"dirt will fy'' soon and the chips will follow.
With such immense property interests at
stake IL mas always been u marvel how he
could manage it and live hundreds of miles
away.
He owns the water power at Sank Rapids,
next in importance and value to the water
power at st. Anthony Falls. He owns over
$4,000 acres of the best farming lands in Min.
nesota, located in Redwood county, and with
a considerable acreage of it under cultivation,
is rapidly converting it into productive prop
erty. Laying aside his steamboat interests
and his other investments, such as stocks oil
various kinds Insurance, steam
I pat and railroad) he has
q very large and valuable list of inside prop
erty in this city and his taxes and assessments
are always paid promptly. HIS faith has
never Wavered in st. Paul, and he believes now
that it ia destined to become one of the great
cities of the continent. II other large proper.
ty holders would do as much toward building
and improving as Commodore Davidson hal
heretofore done, and as he is planning to do In
future, this city would take stride forward
that would simply amaze the outside world.
But few Of our citizens appreciate the bene
Ninneeota by hi tnerculean efforts to maintar
steamboat and barge lines to this city against
the competition Of railroad lines, disputine
with them every foot Of river territory a
ruinously low rates. It Is undoubtedly true
that he would have been far better on finan
cially II he had given up his river interests
and spent the money in improving
his st. Paul real estate, which he has lavished
in steamboat wars and railroad com petition,
but our city and state would have LOST
heavily thereby.
There Is something, too, in the way OF
s'carrying ones p0lnt," and as long as there
was q bitter fight personal against him in
St. Louis he remained there, and never left
He has lived to own and control. withou,
Dis eoutipo af0ck holders the JarUeat hest