Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-05-16
COL. ALLEN TO THE FRONT,
HE PURCHASES THE HERCHANTS
HOTEL FOR $915,OOO.
The Largest Real Estate Transaction of
the Year-A Popular Landlord Taking a
Long Stride FOrward-Immed iate Addi-
tiOns to be Made to the Building,

One of the largest and most important
Transfers of real property of this year of
large transactions, was consummated yes
terday, by the purchase of the Merchants
hotel property by Col. A. Allen, the popu-
lar and successful manager of the house
for the past ten years, from Capt. NJ. l..
Potter, of Brooklyn, n. Y. The property
transferred comprises the five-story struc-
ture, corner of Third and jackson streets,
known as the Merchants hotel, occupying
ground space of eighty-fve feet on Third
street, with wing of 220 feet on the alley
back of the Gilillan block, and 185 feet On
Jackson street, the consideration being
$4,000.
The history and fame of the Merchants
hotel is closely allied with that of the rise
and progress of the city. Many
of the residents of to-day can recolleet 1t
as two story log structure, occupying but
small portion of the space now covered
by it. The transformation from the small
log structure with its low ceilings, few and
cramped rooms, and plain but substantial
fare, to its present grand proportions,
large and richly furnished apartm ents
and popular and princely manage
ment, is but an index, guide post as it
were, of the progress of the city from the
small hamlet to its present metropolitan
proportions, and to detail its history
would nearly approach detailed history
of st. Paul.
Col. Allen, who has now become the
owner of this magnificent property, came
| to Minnesota in its territorial DAYS as a
manager and moving spirit
of the old stage lines, the pioneers of the
present comprehensive railroad system.
which has and is playing SO prominent a
part in the development of Minnesota and
| the Northwest.
Ten years ago, in 1873, Col. Allen leased
the house, then, comparatively speaking.
a modest sized hostelry, of Hon. g. D. Gil
fillan and Capt. Potter. A few years later
Capt. Potter became the sole proprietor by
purchase. In the ten years which Col.
| Allen has managed the house, its accom-
modations have been more than doubled
by extending the Jackson street front, add
| ing an additional story to the main build
! ing as he found it, by billiard room with
| dining room above, 100 by 25C
feet, and by the erection of a
four-story building in the rear
connected with the main structure but cut
off from it by fire proof walls, for the
| kitchen and accommodation of the help.
The present capacity of the house is $50
rooms, and rumor says that the transfer
grew out of request of Col. Aliens upon
| Capt. Potter for the erection of an addi-
ton to the present structure, to enable him
to meet the pressing demands upon him
for accemn odations, and great want of
the city for more hotel room. Whether
| this be true or not, certain
| it is that Col. Allen has his architect already
engaged upon plans fer five story add
| ton in the rear of the Jackson street front.
| which will give him fifty additional rooms,
en- sui e, which will be completed Just as
| soon asst can possibly be done. the colonels
intention being to have it ready for occu-
pancy in the next sixty or seventy days
A large, light and airy reading
room will be added by the occupancy of
| the room on Jackson street, now occupied
as merchant tailoring establi shment, the
colonel having purchased the lease. With
these additions Col. Allen thinks he can
fairly meet the hotel wants of the city in
| cident upon the growth of the city and the
country to the Northwest, but, to be sure.
menced as soon as the addition above
designated upon still another addition.
which will add sixty more rooms. These
two additions will consume the ground
space included in Col. Aliens purchase,
but there still remains added stories, for
which the superstructure was planned, and
| such additional stories will be made as the
business shall seem to demand. In brief.
Col. Allen proposes to do his part toward
maintaining the reputation he has been
largely instrumental in securing for st.
Paul, of being the best hotel resort in the
Northwest. Personally experimenting the
details of its management, always atten-
tive and especially tenacious that guests
should receive the fullest returns possible
for their expenditures, courteous and &C.
commodating, with a joviality that is sure
death to blues and inconsistencies, Col
Allen has given to the Merchants a reputa-
ton that has extended all over the country,
north, south, east and west, and that has
gone far towards establishing the rep
utation accorded to st. Paul everywhere, of
being one of the most hespitable cities in
the Union. That Col. Allen may long be
spared to conduct the Merchants, and. by
additions from time to time, to keep it at
the front in the growth of the city and the
development oil the Northwest, is most de-
VOutly to be desired.