St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-01
The City of ST. Paul.


udrpcf w S6hiy.
Wonderful by reason of its rapid and solid
growth, St. Paul is among the most interest
ing of American cities, also by reason of its
picturesque situation. In rapidly taking adj
vantage of the opportunities offered by the
great Northwest to build q metropolis ct the
head of avigation of the Mississippi, the
builders of st. Paul did not forget to use 70
good advantage the charming site that nature
gave them for beautiful city; and if the
builders of the city had been consulted Ma
ture about the construction of site, it would
be difficult to imagine what improvement
they could have suggested. By the rivers
edge there is enough low land for the great
depot which the railways use in common, for
storehouses and for the handling of heavy
freight that is shipped by water or by rail.
On ledge somewhat higher is the wholesale
quarter of the city. Above this is another
plateau, which the retail merchants occupy;
and still higher up are the hotels
the substantial public buildings, federal
state, county and municipal, and the shaded
avenues of handsome residences. Seen from
any direction, the city itself affords fine
view, but from no point of observation is any
large portion of it visible The view in any
direction from many points in the city is no
1858 COutIduulUg. VUlle So cACCHCbb Il Slb0
is the gift of nature, the city has been so
built as to show uncommon appreciation of
it, and to get the advantages Of such situ-
alton. The conveyance of streets from
every direction at one point is confusing to
stranger, but the effects are both convent
ence and beauty. Within the twenty-one
square miles embraced in the city's limits are
blocks of commercial buildings, large waer-
houses, hotels and public buildings, all within
an area as small as is required for the trans
action of business, and the residences are left
to occupy the commanding elevation with
such prodigality of grounds as the owners can
afford. Convenience without crowding has
been attained in an almost ideal way.
The distinction of ST. Paul is that though it
has been quickly built, it has been built
wisely. Its Importance as a great railway
center, the vast and rich agricultural terri
tory tributary to it. the mines, the timber and
the manufacturing enterprises that have SO
rapidly given it metropolitan Importance,
caused more money to be spent there in build
iugs in 1888 than in any other American city
save only New York and Chicago; and the
81 100000 that were spent in buildings that
year did not outrun the demand, for larger
amount was spent last year. In 1888, 40
houses and liza residences. The population,
which was 10000 in 1870, became 41,473 in
1880, and the census that has been taken this
year shows the prodigious increase to 11l.3s7.
Its commercial transactions have kept pace
with this increase OF population. In 1881,
the volume Of its wholesale business
was s46,5OoO0O; in 1882, s66,500, 900;
in 1888, $4,000, 900, and in 1884,
more than Sso,000O0O. Few cities in the
world, and none except others in the West,
have had such fabulous growth; and rapidity
OF growth has not teen attained at the ex-
pense OF solidity. st. Paul has not been built
to be rebuilt, for its blocks Of commercial
buildings, many of the residences. and most
of the public buildings will not be made use
less or antiquated by many more years even
of such progress as it has made this last half
decade. Its prosperity does not depend on