St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-03
DONALDsON's OPENING.
1t Surpasses Anything He Has
Ever Shown Before.

Open house was kept at Donaldson's Glass
Block store all day yesterday. The rush of
the friends of the store to see what new won
ders the proprietors had prepared for this
year began in the afternoon, and was con-
unued without diminution of volume until
we'll on toward IL o'clock Last evening the
crush was appalling. An admission fee Of 10
cents was charged last evening. 1t is ex-
pected that the admissions will net a hand
some sum for the following charities, among
which The receipts will be divided Home for
children and aged women, House of the Good
Shepherd, Catholic orphan asylum. North
western hospital, Homeopathic hospital. as
sociated charities. Maternity hospital, Shell
tering Arms, Humane society and Bethany
home.
There was a concert in the store all the aft
ernoon by RingwallS orchestra, and in the
evening the efforts of the orchestra were sup
plemented by the Glass Block chorus, made
up Of young people in the employ of the
store. Donaldson had programme pre-
pared for his patrons yesterday showing
them Just 10 look for the sights On the
first page of the programme was little in
scription that shows how this great house has
grown with the city, even beyond the city.
IL read: Glass block sales, 1883. Si25.00
1891, 81. 0,000 Mr.. Donaldson feels salts
fed that this year will eclipse the record Of
last.
The mammoth store was in holiday attire
yesterday. Everything within lis walls was
on dress parade No sales were made; the
public was just given chance to see what
Donaldsod had for sale. And the exhibition
was bewildering. Ii baffled description. 1t
would require the pen of poet,
swayed by the mind of an artist
TO paint the glories of that store.
Piles of fabrics from the loom, heaped to the
lofty ceilings, exhibiting all the colors ever
revealed by the spectroscope and those col
ors massed in seeming confusion, but har-
monious withal met the eye of the observer
on every hand. There the sheen of the silk
ana the satin shone respondent, their i'll
toXlcatlng masses of colors toned down by
the softer shades of the woolens that exer-
cised a subduing influence on the whole.
Then came the soft, clingIng laces that added
an air Of refinement to the more brilliant
materials.
But all those form but the beginning of
the immense stock. A complete catalogue
would include every article that might be
needed in any household, from that of the
poor iaborer to the palace OF the multl-mlll-
ionaire. Articles of luxury were so arranged
that it seemed almost PROCLAMATION to even
think that they could ever be put to use.
Then there were articles of utility that had
been put into such form by the decorators
OF the store that they seemed fit for nothing
but the homes of the gods
DonaldsOns stock does not stop at articles
that are meant for the material use of men.
II includes those that appeal to the finer
sensibilites-the mind, the eye. the artistic
senses. The big establishment carries a
larger stock of excellent literature than can
be found III MANY pretentlOuS book store.
Ana when one come to speak of pictures
uDon which the eye delights to dwell, it
might be said that a superb art gallery has
been opened in the center of busy mercan-
tile house. The pictures are not cheap litho-
graphs in gaudy frames, but handsome, ar
tstc engravings and etchings and prints
that would delight the soul of a connoisseur.
The little people have not been forgotten.
A special dispatch from Kris Kringle land
says that Santa Claus Will make his head
quarters at Donaldson's Glass Block store
from now until after the holidays, and that
he will fill his sleigh on the night of Dec. n
from the assortment found there.
AS usual. the windows of the Glass Block
present a handsomer appearance than can
be seen anywhere this side of New York.
They are filed with everything-pieces of
furniture, books. pictures Christmas novel
ties, dress goods, articles of fnery, aud last
but not least representation of the arrival
of Santa Claus and mis- friends on toboggan
slide that is always full of merry coasters.
Mr.. DonaldsOns artistic decorators have
arranged some allegorical displays inside the
store that should be seen. One represents
royalty robed maiden. who feeds flock of
pigeons, while some of the tanner birds CO.
quette with the fair provder. Another is an
allegorical display of the commerce of the
whole ountry, from the gulf to the queens
dominions, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
All in all, ii is the most magnificent holiday
opening with which this great establishment
has yet favored the people of Minneapolis.