St. Paul daily globe., 1891-03-22
SIGNS or 4 new LIFE,
Rental Agents, Overrun With
Inquiries, Predict a Big
Boom.
Eastern People Renting All
Available Houses on st.
Anthony Hill.
1obbeps Smile Over the
Healthful Change OF the
Past Six Days.
& Miseoneeption OF the Pend
ing Usury Bill Causes
Anxiety.

few months declared persistently that
st. Paul was rapidly losing III popula
ton, and that the people were leaving
the city to locate elsewhere, should take
the trouble to make few simple in
Quiries before making statements which
are calculated TO injure the standing of
the city in which they have thrived and
ia tened, though they have never done
anything whatever to increase the
financial value of property. Men who
years ago came to St. Paul and worked
with VigOr to build up the city's pros
perity are content with a comfortable
competency, finding their chief pride
in the knowledge of what they
have achieved for the public
good The croakers, on the
other hand, came into possession
of property which has increased in
value ten fold because OF the energy of
their neigbbors; yet, glutton-like, they
are now bowling because fors0oth their
gains are not as large as they were dur
ing the remarkable prosperity which
existed in st. Paul from the years 1882
10 1856. Any one who has the slightest
grain of common sense knows that the
values of property were increased i'll
remarkable manner during the boom
period, but because during the past
four years property las not kept at the
boom figures, but has assumed its nat
urai level, the crOakeTS Immediately
spread the cry far and wide that ruina-
ton stares US in the face, and that pe0-
pie are leaving st. Paul as if it was
plague spot. The blatant VerOiage of
these men can be easily contradicted,
not by counter statements, but by plain
facts gathered from authentic and
proper sources.
So far from people leaving the city,
the reverse is the case, and inquiries
made at the principal renting agencies
in the city show that there is great de-
mand for houses to rent, the ajority
being from people from the East. A
GLOBE reporter yesterday interviewed
number of gentlemen VINO are en-
gagged in the business of renting houses,
and the statements in each case showed
that there is q marked activity in house
renting, so much so that it is impossible
to meet the demands.
j. a. Owens, of Owens & Son, Union
block, in speaking of the matter, said:
There is at the present time a great de-
mand for houses to rent in st. Paul,
and the majority of the inquiries come
from people from Eastern points. The
demand is most gratifying and good
feature is that nearly I'll the leases are
made for one and half to
three years, showing that the
renters are coming here TO stay.
The bulk of the demands are
for houses on St. Anthony hill ranging
from S25 TO $50 a month. We are very
much pleased at the business we are
doing, and really find it difficult to meet
the demand. The greatest difficulty we
have to contend with is that people
want houses of seven ana eight rooms,
and it is impossible to find small house
nnieSs you 80 out on the cable or elec-
tric lines. Many people have an idea
that rentals are standing still, but it is
not so, and il they would come into our
Office we would show them III few
minutes the activity now going on in
the renting business. Property and
houses on all the electric lines are in
demand, and altogether l think that
business in this city is most prosperous.
John W. Taylor, of Taylor's Renting
agency, stated that during the last sixty
days tEere had been biz rush for
houses in the st. Anthony hill and
Woodland Park districts, the inquiries
coming mostly from Eastern parties.
The houses asked for were rented from
$25 TO S45 a month, showing that a good
class of people were coming TO the city.
Out of sixty houses rented during the
past month by Mr.. Taylor, forty-eight
were to newcomers. Mr.. Taylor, con
tinuing, said: I'VE never had so few
houses to rent as we have just now. and
all this talk of people leaving the city is
the work of crOakerS. The signs are
most encouraging, and during the last
twenty days we have had more inquir-
les for stores than we had during the
previous six months. If any one tells
You that st. Paul is dying out, Just send
them to me. and | think ! can in few
minutes show them that at the preeent
time the city is in the best state of
health city can possibly be in regard
ing its growth"
Mr.. Bateham. of James 81 Bateham,
German-American Bank building, who
dO very large business in renting
houses, said that he felt perfectly salts
fed with the business his firm was doing
at present. They had more inquiries
on their books Tor houses than they
could fill, and there was great demand
for homes on the rapid transit lines
You can say" said Mr.. Bateham,
that all this talk about people leaving
the city is absurd, for we can tell at a
glance by the demand for houses that
such is not the case. OF course in every
city there will be a certain number of
houses empty, but you will find that in
st. Paul most Of the houses which are
empty are for sale and not for rent. In
some cases owners ask oohigh a rental,
and find it difficult 10 lease, but houses
at moderate rents not too far out don't
remain vacant very long"
ID. Ii. Michaud. in the German-Amer-
lean bank building, also reported that
business was in most fiourishing con-
ditiOn and the signs were encouraging.
The above statements were indorsed by
q number of other firms engaged in the
renting business, and as no surer sign
of prosperity could be obtained than the
statements of these gentlemen, it is
about time that the croaking element
decided to retire to the dense obScurity
to which they belong.