St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-25

light all around. The block will be five
or six stories high, and will be finished
in such manner as to render it first
class building in every respect.
If the railroads can secure the right to
lay tracks in the alleys south of Sixth
street. so as to give transportation facil-
tiles to warehouses and jObbing houses
at their side doors, it will quickly lead
to the development of a new and hereto
fore unoccupied district south of Sew
enth street and east of Broadway. 1t
would save jobbers the cost of drayage
OIL frelghts. for the reason that loaded
cars could be switched up the alleys and
left at the side entrance of business
houses to be unloaded. Ground in this
locality is we'll adapted to just such
scheme, ard it has been suggested that
all the cross streets running from Sew
enth to Fourth could be tunneled at lit
tie expense, and by the use of smoke
less and noiselesS motors for switching
cars in these al leyways, there would be
but little, If any, injury to street traffic
or abutting property.
There is wide difference of opinion
among property holders in reference to
would be great benefit to all the prop
erty. while others look upon it as very
injurious. Business is moving in the
direction of Broadway, and another
year or two will doubtless witness great
changes ON that thoroughfare. The
500 road is preparing to improve its
large purchase just south OF the North
ern Pacific building with a costly and
imnoSinp huildinp
The elements are doing great favor
to builders. So far all through the
month the weather has been delightful.
The consequence has been that up to
this time outdoor work on all buildings
in process of construction has been
pushed forward, and great deal more
work accomplished than it was expected
would be. Many of the buildings that
are being constructed have been put
under cover, while those that are not so
far along are being urged forward as
fast as possible.
The indications are that next year will
be very heavy one in st. Paul in the
building line. A number of large
structures have had the outside walls
completed and will be rooted over, so
that work can be carried on inside the
buildings all winter. Numerous founda-
lions have also been put in, but the
work on the structures that are to be
placed on them will not be commenced
till next spring. The following are
few of them:
M
For many years there has been much
surprise manifested that the picturesque
shores of Lake Elmo had never been
laid out for suburban residence park,
and thus be made to realize handsomely
for the protector of the scheme. A COM
modiouS hotel was built on the
north bank of Elmo by the Oma-
ha road as far back as 1878,
and long before Lake Minnetonka had
become of any, Importance as summer
resort for residents of st. Paul-when
to make a trip out there meant jour
ney by stage for part of the distance,
at least. 1t was then a question that
occurred many times to the mind
of the thoughtful and shrewd
investor, why this placid little body of
water, with its beautiful shore suscepti-
BILE of the highest Improvement, and
accessible to st. Paul by one of the best
known and popular railroads connect
ing st. Paul and Chicago, should be
left to ''blush unseen. and waste its
sweetness on the desert air." while
other suburban lake resorts were build
ing up, and populated by st. Paul peo-
pie at a heavy expense and much incOn-
venience to themselves in reaching them.
A few facts in connection with the plan
of Improvement above mentioned will
perhaps explain the matter.
When the hotel was built at the time
stated above, there were a large num-
Der of st. Paul people whose names
would stand at the head of the social
and commercial list of our city, who,
the beautiful surroundings
of the then new suburban resort, took
up their residences at the new hotel and
made little Lake Elmo the Newport of
the Northwest. Soon, however, an era of
enterprise, so called, took possession Of
the officials of the railroad, and then fol-
lowed succession of bathing excur-
sions. picnic excursions, and in fact any
and all forms of entertainment provided
at the lake that would attract crowds,
no matter what kind, each one
of whom must necessarily provide
himself or herself with a railroad
ticket to reach them. The consequence
was that those very people who had
SOItc luCIO IuCOt vi a priv dlO ldIllIIy
resort were overrun and driven away
by any one and every one who had the
WhereWithal to purchase a railroad
ticket. 1t was for that reason that Lake
Elmo remained practically isolated, so
far as st. Paul people were con-
cerned. for so many years, or until
the present Elmo Park company had
purchased sufficient amount of the
land adjoining the original hotel site to
enable them to practically control the
hotel and carry out the comprehensive
scheme of improvement published
OH another page of to-day's
GLOBE. That scheme has al
ready taken-and will continue to take
for some time to come "a large amount
of money, but that it will be an ulti-
mate success is beyond the shadow of
doubt. Landscape artists have visited the
lake at the expense of the company for
the sole purpose oflOffering suggestions,
and finally the whole matter was put
into the hands of Prof. II. w. S. Cleve-
land. who visited all the important
parks in the South and East with
view of incorporating any valuable sug-
gestions in the Elmo Park improvement
scheme. The plan of laying out and ar
ranging the park was to first select the
residence sites and then lay out the
walks and driveways to conform to
them, and the water and sewerage sys-
tenn has all been done under the super
vision OF Benezette Williams, the we'll
known Chicago civil engineer who
and constructed the sewerage
system Of Pullman. lii.
1t can be truthtully said that Elmo
Park will never be cosmopolitan sum-
mer resort, but will ever be quiet and