Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1895-10-15

profession. G. J ..@
I. Now don't say we haven't told.
|. rood FOR THOUGHT. r.
" The following eloquent appeal
in the Penny Press graphically
illustrates one instance Of the
blighting influence of the policy
of contraction: .-:--..
"A few business men have un
dertaken to prevent that magni-
cent property known. as the
Minneapolis Industrial EXPOSE
ton from being absorbed by a
few creditors holding claims
against the Exposition Company
amounting to something less than
100000.
"When one thinks of what the
Minneapolis Industrial EXPOSE
ton has been to this city, and
the enormous amount Of time and
money which a few business men
have expended in upbuilding and
maintaining the same through all
that period intervening between
May Goth, 1886, and November
1898, it is certainly a lamentable
condition of affairs which now
makes it possible for that great
property to pass into the hands
of few creditors representing
less than one-fourth of the actual
cost and value Of that property,
as it stood on the first day of
September, 1887.
''rhe Exposition property covers
over five acres of ground in the
very heart Of the manufacturing
district of the town, upon which
is erected a building which cost
more than $300,000. If this land
was divided up into lots, six to
the acre, making thirty in all, it
ought to be worth fairly $500 per
front foot. But the'O estimate
would make the land alone worth
100000. Suppose it to be esti-
mated at 5000 a front foot the
value would still be $240, 900.
Add to this the cost of the build
ing and there is a property away
above a half million in valuation.
''And yet the property with all
it's historical connections, it's mag
nifcient features, it's splendid
drawing powers for the benefit
of the city when it Was in a dead
ly conflict with St. Paul. This
property where a national Repub-
lican convention has been held,
where religious bodies number
ing ten thousand people have
gathered together in the wor-
ship Of God for weeks at a time!
This property is to be knocked
down under the hammer and sold
like cast Of garment to liquidate:
apaltry Indebtedness of SEQ, OOO!!!!
1--WE know the country is bank
frupt! We know that the adop-
ton and maintenance of a ''gold
standard" in America has re-
duced property values from Is to
IS per cent of the value which
they bore in 1887! We know that
the money changers of the world
have grappled this nation by the
throat and propose to strangle
the life blood from it for the
benefit of the few and the i'm
poverishment Of the: many! We
know that every man with hard
ly an exception who devoted so
much time and labor to the up
building and management of this
institution is now broken in pro-
perty if not in health! We know
all this and more; and it is not to
them, or theirs, that this appeal
is made,-but to the younger
generation who are succeeding
to the glorious work which those
men performed. -.
ITO these men we appeal, and
ask if it be not possible for d new
organization, involving only
100000 capital to be created in
our midst, for the purpose of saw.
ing this magnificent old institu-
ton which has been the backbone
and the glory Of our city in the
past, from the destroying hand
of the money loaner who dwells
in Wall street or some foreign
city. ,s. :.
IF there be patriotism and
pride Of prestige and past great
ness left among the younger
business men Of Minneapolis, let
them exert them
selves to accomplish this great
result, Of saving the Minneapo-
lis Ind ustrial Exposition proper
ty from the hands of the Shylocks
who would destroy it. -s*.-: =