St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-14
Real Property in st. Paul Continues Its
Weekly Advance in Value
and Demand.
Higher Prices Looked for and Everybody
Anxious to Get Hold of
Property.
The Increase of the Wholesale Trade
of the City--Its Future
Prospects.
The Sales in West ST. Paul--A Nota-
BILE Auction Yesterday--City
improvements.
The Review.

property, especially Tor residences. II
seems as though everybody in the world
was determined to have home in st. Paul.
The opinion prevails quite generally that IN
the vicinity of the Minnesota transfer
great wholesale district is to be built up
there in the near future, and
it is reported that number
of big lumber firms are to go in there.
There is Il good deal of concealment about
these matters and desperate effort seems
to be made to keep the transactions all in
the dark There can be no doubt, however,
that the district referred to will soon be
transformed into one of the most active
points about the city.
OF all the streets in the city, Seventh
shows the most activity. The erection of
large and costly stores all along the whole
length of that thoroughfare is noticeable.
There is not jot of abatement III the value
of property there. On the contrary, it is
greater than ever and business seems to be
coming to that avenue in a natural and ire
sistible manner, and all along the street
business houses are continually springing
ND. Capital is seeking Investment there
and the business transacted is getting to be
of more comprehensive character than has
been transacted there before. The smaller
dealers are either disappearing altogether
or are charging their business to keep
along with the times and meet the require
mentS of the changing nature Of the bust
ness.
OUR WHOLESALE TRADE.
The magnitude of ST. Paufs wholesale
and iobbing trade establishes beyond ques
lion the claim of this city to the position OF
the commercial metropolis of the North
west. The largest and strongest dry goods,
grocery, drug. paper and hardware concerns
in the Mississippi valley outside of Chicago,
are permanently established i'll st. Paul;
and in the lines specified only one or two of
the great houses of Chicago OverShadow
those of this city. The general solidity
and character OF st. Paul's wholesale houses
have for many years been the quiet boast
Of citizens. yet it is only within few years
that the volume of business transacted has
attracted the special attention of the COM
mercial world. Since 1881, however, st.
Paul has more and more occupied
the Western and Northwestern field,
until now Chicago and st. Louis
no longer claim supremacy in this re-
giOn. but are content to take what they
can get in an even and well contested strug
gle 1t is generally conceded by those in
terested, that the ratio of businers increase
enioyed by St. Paul commercial houses
within the past three or four years, il con-
tinued for the next decade, will place this
city beyond possible rivalry in the vast re-
gion naturally tributary to it. The growth
of business can only be understood or APP
preciated by study of the official figures
which have been gathered every year since
1865. when there were but five or six con-
Germs that claimed to do iobbing trade.
In that year the largest amount sold by a
single firm barely reached 100000. In
1870 the total trade reached SO, S13, 900,
and these figures were standing subject
OF favorable comment and admiration. 1t
was not until the close of 1881, a however,
thatthe 1igures presented a really large
showing. resulting in total of $40, $780,
999. Then began the wonderful develop
ment, which has never been surpassed by
any American trade center, that swelled the
figures Of the wholesale trade of st. Paul to
b72, 04S, III in 1888, and $74, S29, 700 in
1884.
WHAT MAY BE EXPECTED.
ST. Paul has, then, during the past year,
in spite of the opposition of Chicago, St.
Louis and Milwaukee. distributed S74, $780,,
700 worth of goods throughout Northern
Wisconsin. Minnesota, Dakota and the far
West. vast domain on the very threshold
of development, region Of incalculable
possibilities, but as yet more in its infancy
than the territory that has made Chicago
was thirty years ago-an empire OF natural
wealth of forest, field and mine greater
than any city on this continent ever had to
its own exclusive advantage. st. Paul is
by geographical location, the one absolute
gateway to this field of future greatness in
wealth and population Northwestern trade
and commerce cannot flow around st. Paul.
The railroads have settled that point for
ever. 1t must ever concentrate at this
point. 1t is not alone the traffic of the
territory east of the Rocky mountains
that is to make this city one of
she mighty commercial centerS of
.he nation, but situate midway between the
ports of entry Oh the Pacific of the products
Of the Eastern empires of the old world,
and the ports of export on the Atlantic, st.
Paul becomes by its very position the
natural middle-man between the East and
The West. Whatever, then. the immense re-
zion embraced in Oregon, Washington ter
citory, Idaho. Wyoming, Montana, Dakota,
Minnesota, Northern Wisconsin and the
British provinces of Manitoba and the
Northwest territory, may in the future be-
come st. Paul will be its chief mart and
metropolis.
There is another important factor in the
question of st. Paul's future supremacy as
a commercial center, and that is its
position at the head of naviga-
ton on the most extended river system
of the world. If rail rates East or
South should ever become an imposition,
the products of the Northwest may easily
and quickly secure market by river to New
Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico: Louisville.
Cincinnati and Pittsburg even, are accessi-
bic by water route. This single condition
secures immunity forever to the CONNER
cial interests of ST. Paul, from any form of
freight rate eXtOrtion. But St. Paul'S posi-
ton at the head of navigation on the Mis-
gissippi has a grander purpose to serve in
the future than standing guard over ground
less fears Of extortion; for year by year, as
the great valley OF the Mississippi prospers
and becomes more and more populous, so
will the Improvement of Natures highway
be pushed forward until it shall become the
main route of commerce between the North
and South, and st. Paul will be the great
Northern depot of all river traffic.
MISCELLANEOUS.
E. L. Larpenteur is about to erect a resi-
dence on Iglehart street to cost So, 900.
-Four more frame houses are to be erected
on st. Anthony park to cost 50, 600 each.
Paul Martin has just purchased thirty
four lots in McDonnelrs addition for So
400.
The four-story brick block on Fourth
street that was partially destroyed by fire is
being rebuilt.
Thirty OF forty dwelling houses. suitable
for worlmen, are being erected out in Como
Park addition.
George II. Hazard is erecting two new
houses ON Front street, near Western ave-
nue, to cost 81, 500 each.
Mr.. Bell is putting in the foundations for
new business block ON the corner of