St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-18
The Political Significance of His Appoint
ment to Supervise the Minneapolis
Government Building.
Sad Suicide of a Young German Domestic
on Account of FaithlesS
Lover.
and More Commodious Quar-
tiers For His Office.
A Bank RemoyaI--Two Notable Ser
mons--The Amusement Bulle-
tfn--Other City Notes.
THE MINNEAPOLIS BUILDING.
Politicians Discover Meaning IN
BassfOrd's Appointment.

Politicians Discover a Meaning IN
BassfOrd's Appointment.
The waning interest of Minnesota po-
liticians in Washington affairs, occasioned
by the lack of any definite developments at
Washington the last week or more, was sud-
denly revived yesterday morning by the
news from Washington in the GLOBE, the
particular announcement which aroused at
tention being the appointment of Mr.. Il. L.
BaSSford of ST. Paul as the supervising
architect of the new public building at Mill
neapolis. This particular Office had not
been the subject of much remark owing TO
the absorbing interest in the struggle De-
tween Messrs. Kelly and Doran on the one
side and Mr.. Donnelly on the other side
over the surveyor generalship. But Satur-
days appointment was one which Indicated
that after all their seeming hesitation, the
authorities at Washington are not unmind-
full of the claims of Minnesota Democrats,
and that they are beginning to turn
their attention to this state. 1t was re-
garded by prominent Democrats as sub
stantial victory for Mr.. Kelly. Said we'll
known politician: Congressman Wash
burn, you know, is in Washington. He
went there to pursuade the postoffice au-
thorities to expedite the fast mail. Oh,
yes, that's what he went there for. But,
you know, too, that he has regarded that
Minneapolis government building as his
special property, and part of the purpose
of his visit was to secure the position OF
supervising architect for some Minneapolis
friend of his"
HE doesn't seem to have succeeded"
''WELL, NO, NOT HARDLY;
and [ am glad of it, We have had an eX-
perience in st. Paul of Minneapolis archl-
lecture on public buildings. Now that
building will be erected and completed in a
careful and thorough manner, and it wont
need any repairing the first year after it IS
put up, either"
''This. then, you regard as substantial
victory for P. II. Kelly and NJ. Doran?"
Sure! and, then, too, the ruling OF the
interior department that surveyors general
must be competent surveyors that means
that Donnelly is downed and that Col
Crooks may as well be making his prepare
tons to take that Office. Well hear more
news from Washburn in day or two.
MR.. BASSFORD SAYS.
In regard to the appointment, Mr.. E. P.
Bassford, to whom the contract was
awarded, says he knows nothing more
about it than that on Friday MI. Kelly s
secretary called upon him and showed him
telegram from Washington asking it he
would accept the contract. He says that
Mr.. Kelly is friend of his, and undoubt-
eddy took some interest in the matter and
got him the position Of supervising archi-
tect.
Mr.. Bassford is one of the best known
architects in st. Paul, having lived here
for the past eighteen years, and in that
time built about half the business blocks in
the city. Among the largest Of the build
ings he has supervised as architect are the
Gilfillan, Ryan, Neoyos, Wright, Shepherd,
Willius, Kelly, Schultz, Merriam, Boss &
Bishop, Sherman's blocks, Upham's, Nc
Quillan, Lindeke, Warner & Schumacher,
Gordon 6 Ferguson, and the Robinson &
Carey blocks. He will also have the court
house and the Oakland chapel.
Mr.. Bassford was born in Calias, Me-,
whence he went to Portland. Me-, and
served nine years at the carpenter business.
After this he went to Boston and studied
architecture under Charles Painter, the
noted architect who died at Naples, Italy,
recently. He has been very successful,
and has established reputation in st. Paul
that is hard to excel.