The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-17
TO KEEP THE AUDITORIUM
STANDING.
CAPT. M'CARDY HAS A PLAN
ICAL COMMITTEES AND THE
HOTELS
Annually to Defray the Expenses of
Keeping Up the Big Rendezvous
of Conventions.

LIE Late Oh the AUDITORIUM hangs III
the balance. A movement was in
augurated yesterday afternoon look
ing towards it's maintenance, and upon
the success of this will be determined
whether the structure will be sold at
auction and torn down for the lumber
in it, or whether it will be continued
as public institution.
The Auditorium was erected early in
1898 by a company-the Auditorium
company-incorporated for that pur-
pose and composed Of philosophical
citizens, who recognized the urgent
need of such building. It was es-
timated to cost $4,000, but il really
did cost $4,000, Of which 81 1000 was
for lumber. The work on it was hur-
r1ed along to complete it for the Mills
revival meetings. 1t was never in
tended as a money-making investment.
and at no period since it was built has
1t been self-sustaining. The original
company afterwards went into the
hands of a receiver, and last Septem-
Der the building was sold TO the local
posts of the G. A. R., the Grand Army
encampment committee being the trus-
tees. The price was $1,000, which sum
was on hand remaining from the ell
campment fund. The purchasers did
not buy it as an investment, but mere
ly for the purpose of maintaining the
building, and Immediately leased it to
the Commercial club for one year for
the legal consideration of 81.
rms lease expires Sept 49, and the
club has decided that it is unable to
Keep 1t up at steady loss, and mott
ned the owners to that effect. In or
DER to discuss the situation and deter
mine upon what support can be Sc
cured, Gen. e. c. Mason, chairman
OF the encampment committee, called
JOINT meeting at the Commercial
club rooms yesterday afternoon, with
the representatives of the chamber OF
commerce and iobbers' union. The
following were present: Gen. E. c. Ma
sno, A. S. Tallmadge, Capt J. j. Nc
Gardy, Jesse A. Gregg, E. S. Chitten-
zen, Judge Lewis, Mayor Doran, c. r.
Smith, E. o. Zimmerman, F. J. Whit
ney, b. c. Hine and C. F. Noyes.
capt McCardy briefly outlined the
situation. 1t was very desirable that
the building be kept up as a public in
st1tution, but it would cost about
$1,000 year to do this, including the
services of a janitor, taxes, insurance,
etc 1t is on land controlled by E. S.
Ch1ttenden and D. r. Noyes, but this
is secured for an indefinite term by
the. mere payment of the taxes, about
$3.50 year. While it is highly essen
tial that it be maintained, as it is the
only place in the city where public
meetings and conventions can be held.
yet the Grand Army cannot do this
at IT'S own expense, and he submitted
a plan for raising the money by con-
tributions, $500 from the city, 5000
from the Democratic and a like sum
from the Republican city committees
on condition that they each have the
use of the Auditorium for three meet
ings year; $500 from each of the
three leading hotels, and $100 each
from the Commercial club, Jobbers'
union and chamber of commerce.
E. c. Hine created a little diversion
by asking which of the Democratic
city committees he would call on for
the 5000, but Capt. McCardy quickly
retorted: Either. one that has the
$500"
Mr. Hine reported that last year the
Commercial club received S40925 from
the rental of the building and the eX-
pense of maintaining it was $762. 48-a
loss of $353.23.
A communication was received from
F. S. Bryant, chairman of the Repub-
lican county committee saying that it
would be a great loss to the city if
the building was torn down, but the
great drawback to it is that it has no
heating facilities.
Jesse A. Gregg spoke of the great
value the building was to the city.
When the Minneapolis exposition
building was in danger of being torn
down the citizens of the Mill City rail-
lied to it's support on the grounds that
st. Paul had an auditorium and would
get all the conventions. Mr.. Gregg
proposed that guaranty fund of
$1,000 be raised by subscriptions of
not less than $40 each by business
men, He himself would subscribe $50.
This fund would serve to make good
any shortage or deficiency in the re-
ceipts.
c. P Moves expressed a desire that
something be done to keep up such
worthy institution.
After some further discussion the
chairman was instructed to appoint a
committee to work out on the lines
of Capt McCardy's plan, and to see
if the support could be secured. The
following were named as the commit
tee, to report at an adjourned meet
ing next Thursday: F. S. Whitney, A.
S. Tallmadge, Mayor Doran, j. j. NC
Cardy, c. R. Smith, ]. A. Gregg and
C. P Noyes.