St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-15


is at least 25 per cent lower than similar
| properties are held in any of the three
| larger cities visited. Minneapolis has
nearly, if not quite as many people
actually engaged in manufacturing as
| are employed in Denver. Kansas City
and Omaha combined. By the classifi-
| cation OF railroad rates favorable to Min
neapolis, to aud from different terrific
| ries, there is more productive agricult-
ural territory tributary to Minneapolis
than all the cities named in this re-
port"
Partridge on JObbfng.
George H. Partridge, of Wyman,
| Partridge u Co., followed with a report
ON The Jobbing Trade of Leading
Western Cities" He found Denver to
bing trade is represented by three
| wholesale grOcerS, two wholesale notion
Dealers one large retail dry goods dealer
| who does Il small wholesale business,
two wholesale hardware dealers and two
| wholesale boot and shoe firms. He
didn't believe Denver would ever be-
come Il jobbing center because of her
small territory. Kansas City jobbing
trade is much like that of Minneapolis,
| strongest in groceries and agricultural
implements. The jobbing houses are
| uldlllly vi luO HdI>, w IllcN
! have the best of shipping facilities.
Each jobber has one or two private rail
way tracks, thus eliminating in the
main the carting of their goods
to and from the depOts. They pay
81 car for switching privileges.
| Kansas City has z wholesale grOcerS,
| wholesale hardware firms, = wholesale
dry goods firms. Is agricultural imple-
mtnt firms, and is fairly we'll repre-
scented in other lines. The failure or
crops in Western Kansas and Nebraska
has undoubtedly hurt their business,
and they are prevented from doing
much business East on account of the
competition of st. Louis.
As to Omaha, Mr.. Partridge said:
"Relatively Omaha is strongest in the
| jobbing of boots and shoes, having five
| jObbers in this line, seven in groceries,
| two each in dry goods and drugs and
three in hardware. Her jobbers do not
| claim the outlook is very favorable for
the immediate future on account of
crop failures. The jobbing houses
are largely concentrated in one part
of the city, though not to the extent no.
| ticed in Kansas City. but far ahead of
US in this respect. Chicago is, of course,
their only competitor, although st. JO-
| seph and Kansas City divide mucn of
the territory with Omaha. and under
| present circumstances competition is
much more active and prices cut lower
than the risks and expenses of business
warrant.
''ln proportion to her size and other
| branches of business the jobbing trade
of Sioux City is in a very creditable
| condition. Their business is at present
largely local. They have four whole
sale grocery firms and one each in dry
goods, boots and shoes ana hardware. !"
In conclusion Mr.. Partridge said that
Minneapolis had not increased in job
bling trade as it should. He believed,
however, that it would yet become a
second Chicago and divide the whole
sale business with that city, because of
advantages in the way of location near
the lakes and its advantages over South
western cities in the way of railroad
rates.
Municipal Affairs.
EX-Ald. Warren couldn't be present,
so E. NJ. Johnson read his paper,
municipal Affairs" Denver's water
| supply comes from two private corpora
tions, and vegetation exists not without
irrigation. Paving is regulated very
badly. 1t is done only when all prop
erty owners petition for it and sign a
contract to pay for it. Public schools
| are dlU lil6JC are ii
| churches. A board of public works,
composed of four men, two from each
of the principal parties, appointed by
the governor, control public improve
ments.
Kansas City, with population of 131,
600. was next visited. No attempt has
been made there to cut down the hills.
The city'S water supply is poor and
| costly. 1t has an extended license Sys-
| TEN, covering real estate men and in
surance agents, the license fees from
the latter supporting a fire insurance
patrol. Kansas City is said to have the
finest street railway system in the cOun-
| try.
Omaha also buys its water from a pri-
vate corporation. The public school
system is good. and fair library but no
building. Railroads are compelled to
build all bridges and grade approaches
a distance of 800 feet. A good park SyS-
TEN has been begun. The city is as.
sessed in districts by nine assessors.
The assessed valuation is 500, 600 600, the
| limit of Indebtedness being 10 per cent
of valuation, exclusive of paving. Rates
of taxation are compared thus: Denver,
80 mills; Kansas City, 20 mills; Omaha,
20 mills; Minneapolis, 20 mills. As con-
clusion, the report said that Minneapo-
|
away ahead of most cities and below
them in rate of taxation. Minneapolis
was, however, declared deficient in pay
ing and sewers.
Bartlett on Real Estate.
J. NJ. Bartlett reported on Real
Estate" In Denver there is no retail
property as exclusively fancy, as on
NicOllet avenue between Washington
avenue and Seventh street. Retail
property ranges from $4,000 to $1,000 per
front foot, and wholesale property from
5000 to $1,000. Residence property is rs
per cent higher than in Minneapolis.
Rentals are nearly all about so per cent
higher than in Minneapolis. Denver
bonded Indebtedness is only 1,0O0, $50.
Interest rates are about 2 per cent
higher than in Minneapolis. The pre-
vailing loan there is trust deed
In Kansas City nearly all the property
is held at the old inflated valuation. At
forced sale now it would not bring over
one-half the price at which it is held.
Rentals are low, except in fancy locali-
ties, they having fallen from one-third
to one-half, and taxes are high. The
city is doing practically nothing to pro-
mote manufacturing, and there is a
marked lack of building activity. The
city has strong club which is doing
good work to promote jObbing. He
found that Kansas City was going
through period of general depression.
In Omaha real estate rules little
higher than in Minneapolis, with a
poorer market. There is no organized
effort there to promote jobbing or manu-
featuring. The city suffers from bad
assessment laws, which retard public
improvements. Mr.. Bartlett thought,
however, that the city had a bright
future.
In Sioux City the best business prop
erty is worth $1,000 to 1880 per front
foot, and best residence property 500 to
S125 per foot. Rentals are fairly high.
Mr.. Bartlett's conclusion was that
Minneapolis was away ahead of all the
| nthnr cities which Lad haan MiSitad