The Portland daily press., 1883-07-30
Minneapolis.
A Flourishing and Beautiful City.

For beauty OF location and natural facili-
ties for manufactures and business Mime
apolis is without rival. But ten miles
from St. Paul, it is a city twenty five years
old, with population of $1,000; that shows
more rapid growth than any other in
the United States, and is the largest prlma-
ry wheat market in America.
Minneapolis has the advantage of st.
Paul in having the greatest utilized water
power in the country, the Falls of st. Antho-
ny, which are of 49,, 900 horse pow er at low
water--a power almost incomprehensible.
These falls have retreated up the river, inch
by inch, through the past ages, but have
been stayed by the science of modern engi-
neering. The river has been tunnelled just
abovesthem, or rather, upon their edge, and
solid bulwark of masonry and cement
has fastened the falls here so long as man
shall use them. Here the Mississippi makes
plunge of fifty feet and hurries on to join
the Minnesota few miles below. Between
the two cities is fiat, sandy prairie, which
is not very fertile, and this is true of all the
land near Minneapolis with the exception
of a narrow belt of prairie just north of st.
Paul, about two miles wide and perhaps five
miles in length, where may be found some
pheuomenally rich farms. North of the
city is Lake Calhoun, seven miles away,
where one finds fine boating and fishing;
an | about seventeen miles out is Lake Min
netopka, the Saratoga of the Northwest.
Here are large, roomy hotels, and steamers
which make the tour of the lake, trip that
takes the larger part of day. Building
lots here are very valuable-and at Lake
Calhoun four thousand dollars is not an un-
common price for desirable lots.
Shade trees grow rapidly here, but one
sees very few NAPLES or elms. They are
mostly cottonwoods and b3x-elders which
are very rapid growers and afford heavy
shade. After one gets away from the streets
adjacent to the river he will find elegant
residences in great number, each surround
ed by good-sized lawn, adorned with
plants and trees and of very home-lke, in
viting aspect These homes are the pride Of
the city, Along the river front are the mills
where the -four and lumber are manufac-
tured, and here are large factories that are
constantly turning out the products of me-
chanical skill, which find in Minneapolis
their chief distributing point. Just above
the falls is Nicollet Island, with its fine
promenade, the home of many wealthy
Minneapolitan. 1t is reached by the suspen-
| sion bridge, at the west end of which the
| foundations of large Union Depot are GO
| ing in. By this bridge East Minneapolis is
| reached, where may be found the celebrated
| Pillsbury A mill, world-famous. This para
of the city is densely populated, and here is
the State College of Minnesota. Nothing
handsomer in the line of residences can be
conceived than those on this side of the Mis-
sissippi surrounded with ample shady lawns.
Land here, between the two cities, is held
at what, to stranger, seems an extrava-
gantly high price, but the prices asked are
obtained We were told by shrewd capt.
talist that three years ago he got out of the
real estate business, but prices have gone up
constantly, and there are now no signs Of a
break. The lots are being rapidly occupied.
1881 houses were built last year and $500
will go up in 1888, costing about SO, 900, 900.
The real estate operations of 1888 will reach
S20,000,000. The West Hotel, on Hennepin
avenue, now building, will cost 81, 600, 900,
and will be ten stories high, counting the
Easements, with four hundred rooms. Min
neapolis has outgrown her hotel accomoda-
lions. One gets an idea of the commercial
importance of the city when it is known that
ten years ago her jobbing interest represent
ed trade of $4,000, and is now 0,000,-
O0O Her manufacturing interests aggregate
81, 000, 900 year. Eighteen lumber mills
here cut annually 1886 200, 900 feet of lumber
and her export trade of -four is 1900, 900
barrels per annum.
tits said that Minneapolis doubles her
population every six years. The avenues
are being furnished with broad granite flag
stones that give the streets handsome ap-
pearance. Three years ago st. Paul was
the railroad centre, bat now Minneapolis is,
twelve railroads entering there; she furnish
es more legitimate freight than any other
city north or west of Chicago. She is the
new Chicago of the West, and is already a
cosmopolitan city. More representative peo-
pie of all nations can be seen here in TWEEN
ty-four hours than in any other city of the
same size in America This is not magma
ry. Having read the interesting article up
on st. Paul and Minneapolis in the June
number of Harpers, 1 am not satisfied with
the need bestowed upon Minneapolis. 1t is
not equal TO her deserts.
While here visited the stables of Com
modore N. W. KitsoD, retired steamboat
man who counts his wealth by the millions,
and saw some fine horses famous over the
United States for their speed. The main
stable5is broad and roomy and has lofty,
dome-like interior. Each horse has wide
comfortable stall well bedded and thorough
~ fitted up with patent water and feed
boxes. Across the main avenue, down this
stable, is large canvass with the names of
the commodore's favortes and their record
pom It, Among them Little Brown jug, rec
ord 2:114; Gen. 2:16; Minnie, 2:19; So So,
Blackwood, Joe and half a dozen others
many of which had the pleasure of seeing.
From the cupola of the stable there is view
of the fine trotting park adjacent and of the
surrounding country. Lake Como, a beauti.
full sheet of water, Is not far from here
The commodore is man Of advanced years