St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-04
COL. ALLEN AND THE MERCHANTS
HOTEL.
Brief Sketch of the Career of tia Most
Successful Hotelkeeper in
Minnesota.
Driving Team as a Boy For $40 per Month
and Educating Himself IN
Winter.
His Arrival in Minnesota and SuDse-
queut successful Contest With
Fortune.
Biographical Record OF q Busy
Life.
Biographical Record of q Busy
Life.

and fate has constantly III SIOUX c"oN"
supply of novel agencies to administer her
3ehests. but probably nowhere IN the woila
mas the development OF peoples Destiny
been accomplished under greater
natural disadvantages in some re-
Ipects and more fortuitous circumstances in
others than right here in Minnesota. Less
Than a Quarter of century ago Minnesota
was looked upon as wilderness, now 1t IS
an empire. and Notwithstanding its natural
climatic conditions the order that has Deem
evolved out of chaos would not have ex-
sted at this time in these parts had It not
been for the stout hearts beating IN the
bosoms of as rugged lot of pioneers as
ever faced the elements determined to con-
Quer lasting civilization.
The student of contemporary progress
will readily call to mind score OF names
that arbitrarily command respect IN THIS
community for the perils their posSeSSorS
have undergone. the struggles through
which they have passed. the connlctS they
have endured that Minnesota might be
known and hOnored of all men. Ana now
natural It is that the name of Alvaren Allen
should figure conspicuously in this galaxy.
A man of the people emphatically. man
of simple tastes. of rugged integrity, of in
d0mitable perseverance. it is lifting
that he should realize i'm his declining years
the inward satisfaction of life we'll spent
that he should reap, as he does, the sub
stantiaI fruits of busy career and eXclalm
with Shakespeare, shall L not take mine
ease in mine imp"
Alvaren Allen came of sturdy stock and
received as his heritage generous supply
of common sense, strong constitution, lnteg-
rity and healthy invoice of days works.
This is sufficient for any American boy. If
he has more he is likely to go to seed. II
less he struts a very brief hour on the stage.
casts but fieeting shadow upon the times,
ghrivelS up, disappears, and leaves no trace
behind.
Col. Allen was born in Morristown. St.
Lawrence county. \. Y. Sept %. 49,
and is consequently 81 years Of age. In
1887 he accompanied his parents to Fort
Atkinson. Wis, where he worked on his
fathers farm until 1912. when he went to
BeIoit. In summer he drove team for $40
Der month, and in winter attended the high
school. and there acquired the elements or
an education which he has found sufficient
for the purposes of an active career ever
since. In l84S he went to Milwaukee and
got position in jobbing house, where he
remained until 1851, in January
of which year he was married
to Louisa Towles. at KenOsha With
an added responsibility he began to eX-
perience the promptings of a stronger
ambition, and early in 1851 he started win
his wife in search OF more EXTENDED
field of effort than his immediate surround
ings seemed at that time to promise. MT.
and Mrs. Allen went to Dubuque,
and as the whole tide of emigration
seemed setting towards Minnesota, they
concluded to continue their prospecting tour
ri N
steamer Excelsior. Capt. Ward. On the
following Sunday they drove over to st.
Anthony. Mrs Allen remarked on their
arrival at that then picturesque locality:
THIS LOOKS LIKE HOME;
suppose we make it home?" And they did.
But what to do for living? That was the
question. The very next day the problem
was solved A guest at the hotel where
the Aliens were staying desired to go to
ST. Paul. and as there was no such
thing as the short line trains.
it was either walk or hire a conveyance.
Col. Allen owned a horse and wagon, and
this he rented to the stranger for 50. Inc
next daV his conveyance was called INTO
reouisition twice. and the colonel received
$40. Wife," he said. I've struck it;
livery is our business" And he went at it.
adding thereto the delicate and mani
fold duties of a veterinarian. The
first case he got proved Tor
tunate. and he received So fee.
fhe next one seemed a hopeless one, but
'Dr." Allen brought the patient through
all right and received $50 as his fee. He
did not buv a coat-of- arms with the money
and contemplate trip to Europe, but at
tended strictly to business, and, keeping
ont of sppculations. found himself at the
end of five wears the pOSSeSSor OF htty
horses and fine business. In June, 1886
ne bought Patterson, Benson u Wards
stage line from st. Anthony to Crow
Wing. and afterwards sold half interest
to c. l.. Chase. the banker at St.
Anthony. Allen & Chase subsequently
purchased the stage line from st. Paul to
st. Anthony for S21. 600. and in 1859, in
connection with Burbank IL Blakely, OWN
ers of the Northwestern Express line. they
stocked line from st. Paul to La Crosse.
1t was during this year that Col. Allen on
one occasion overheard the plans of rival
concern TO buy all the stage routes between
St. Paul and La Crosse. lie lost no time
in reporting the scheme to his part
ners and they got in a tlant
movement on the La Crosse parties by pur-
chasing all the lines, much to their com
uetitors chagrin-sO much so, indeed, that
the La Crosse parties spent $4,000 in try
ing to run out the Minnesota company, but
finally gave up the attempt in disgust.
With the gradual completion OF the rail-
,fays. the stage line found its occupation
gone. aud we find the colonel taking al
important part in railway construction from
1896 until 1872. He bought all the per-
sonal property of the Merchants hotel in
St Paul in 1878 from j. j. Shaw, and
leased the building from the same party,
the owner. Since that time he has re-
, manned the head and front OF the Mer
chants hotel, and is to-day probably the
t1st-known living hotel man on the Amer
.han continent. for every one and his wife
comes TO St. Paul nowadays, and it is ell
I 4irplv natural that the colOnePs well-knowI
cociaI qualities should recommend him 10 {
very large proportion of his guests as maj
worth eultivating.
IT is needless to say the Merchants hOte
has prospered under Col. Allen. The steady
volume of business is ample evidence
of II, s fact and it is perhaps lot the leas
favorable symptom of the general esteem
En which Col. Allen and 1.-THE Merchants
ore held. that notwithstanding the keenes
connection. backed by unlimited capital
this honse has never surrendered the small
est percentage of its popularity. A fac
not generally known in this connection MAJ
he mentioned. From statistics before u:
I'VE learn that there is no hotel on th'
American continent to-day that has en-
loved such all uninterrupted volume o
6nsjness under one management, with the
Dossible exception of the Fifth Avenue il
New York, and the Continental
IN Philadelphia, as the Merchant
since Col. Allen became its pro
sar;etor. The average number of guests en-
tartained at the Merchants for the pas
IIl lo'A'> hean 16