The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-15
BUILD TWO IN one
New Law Enables Minneapolis to
Secure an Auditorium.
ARMoRY BONDS MAY BE ISSUED
The Building Might Easily Be
Planned With Reference to
Auditorium Purposes.

Minneapolis may secure a splendid
music hall and auditorium If united eff
fort is made If the Commercial club,
the citizens interested in music and the
members of the national guard should
work together for the erection OF big
auditorium and armory it would not take
long for the movement to bear most sat
isfactory results. The plan Is feasible
under the law just passed authorizing
cities to issue bonds for armories. Major
Frank T. Corriston, who is representa-
tive guardsman and keenly interested in
any movement which will give the local
military companies proper drill hall,
thinks the movement should be under.
taken. ---....s.-..- g.. ..... -"
Just what such building will cost I
do not KNOW he said to-day, ''but there
is no question but that an armory and
auditorium in one Is perfectly feasible.
There is no more desirable place in Chi
cago, for music festivals, conventions,
sangerfests, bazars and fairs and big balls
and public meetings of all kinds than the
First regiment armory there, and every
place having an armory makes use of the
commoe@us quarters for other purposes
Minneapolis needs an armory. Not
only is the present building inadequate in
various other respects, but 1t is in the
last stage Of collapse and may be con-
demned at any time. Minneapolis likewise
needs music hall and auditorium. Why
not build the two together and save
money? #g '
ut would be perfectly feasible to erect
a substantial building for both purposes.
Two stories would be necessary, the
principal one to be devoted to an I'M
mense hall large enough for regiment
to drill in. There are already five COM
panies of the national guard in this city,
and some day probably there will be a
whole regiment. The basement should be
set apart and arranged for the battery.
On the second floor would be the company
rooms and smaller drill hall for use
when the larger one Is taken for conven-
lions, festivals or other purposes. In or
der to make such building available for
the joint purposes it ought to have a
whole half block, but a quarter Of
block might suffice if no more could be
secured.
Under the new law permitting cities
10 issue bonds for the purpose of erect
Ing armories Minneapolis could doubtless
go ahead with a proposition of this kind.
don't know just what the provisions of
the new law are, but know that St. Paul
Will take advantage of it right away. st.
Paul has been appropriating $1,000 a year
| lor the maintenance of the guard. In
twenty years this will amount to 500, OOO
! ny the issuance of bonds for the construc-
ton OF an armory the annual appropria-
ton Will not be necessary and at the end
| OF twenty years the city will have paid
Tor substantial and satisfactory build
| ing.
minneapolis pays out about $4,000 a
year for the rent and other expenses of
the present apology for an armory which
IS owned ny a private person. If this
money was turned into permanent build
ing 1t would in time pay the entire cost
OF a building such as has been suggested.
~ could not be guaranteed that such a
building would yield any great profits,
but 1t would unquestionably pay all ex-
penses and yield something above that and
the city certainly would save a sub
stantial sum annually.
The national guard has long desired
to ask the city for an armory, but has
modestly remained in the background
deeming that the city had big enough
Undertaking for the present In COM
pletfng the new city hall. However, an
armory and auditorium is fully as es-
sential to the best interests of the city
as additional paving and more parks for
and to many is considered to be more i'm
portant under the present conditions
| President Paul Interested.
| President A. c. Paul of the Commercial
| club, says that the club has been consid-
ering proposition embodying practically
the same ideas as outlined by Major Cor
| riston. -.
THE fact u.s." said Mr. Paul, that we
have received several suggestions along
that line. but have formed no definite con-
| cluslons as yet as to what would be the
best plan of procedure. Minneapolis needs
a convention hall and an armory-needs
both Of them badly and it should be one
of the chief concerns of the city from now
| on to supply these necessities of our mu
nicipal life. There may be some doubt as
| to the feasibility of combining a conven-
ton hall and armory under the same roof
but suppose the building could be so ar
ranged as to obviate any difficulty in that
regard which may now present itself The
plan has not progressed far enough now
to say just what should be done, and it
will require more extended considera-
ton before a line Of action can be
agreed upon" r..
|