The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-29
FUNDS FOR THE EXPO.
secy. Wallace g. Nye Is Authorized
to Receive subscriptions for Pur-
chasing the Property.
The Committee Has Decided That
the Expo Auditorium Should
Be Preserved.

Commercial club has authorized Wallace
G. Nye, secretary Of the committee, to re-
ceive subscriptions at his office. 533 An
drus building, up to and including Nov.
6, for the Exposition purchase fund. Upon
receipt Of pledges to a sufficient amount
to secure the property, the public affairs
committee will arrange to take the title
in such manner as amply to secure the
subscribers for any amounts so invested.
Following is the report of the special
committee of the Commercial club which
has recommended the partition of the Elk
position building for manufacturing pur-
poses In addition to preserving the audi
torium:
Zone year ago when your committee
secured an option on the Exposition build
ing it was done not only for the purpose OF
retaining the auditorium for the use of
conventions which had been secured for
the city but with the larger purpose In
view Of retaining it for the future and re-
modelling the building so that it would an
swer all the requirements Of the city in the
way Of a public building.
with this larger purpose in view, this
committee has considered the matter thor
oughly, has compared the possibility Of
carrying out such. project with that of
constructing new auditorium upon some
other site and Is Of the opinion that the
purchase of the Exposition property and
Gus requirements is the most practical
manner in which permanent auditorium
can be secured.
1.-THE following are few reasons for our
conclusions:
1.-The building and five acres of ground
can be purchased under our option for not
more, than $4,000, whereas an accessible
site in any other suitable locality Of bare
ly sufficient size to accommodate such a
building a
about double such sum.
The location is slightly and more CEN
trail than are similar structures in other
cities.
THE building can be remodeled in the
opinion Of competent architects and build
ers whom the committee has consulted, at
an expense Of not more than $4,000 so as
to provide:
AN auditorium practically fire proof
and on the ground floor with a seating a
pacity of 5000 to 10000.
"A music hall with seating capacity Of
1900.
AN assembly hall for small conventions
Of 200 to 500 people.
IAN ample floor space for flower shows
horse shows, exhibits of dairy products or
Of manufactured goods.
I'm short, the space within its walls,
$50 by 2S0 feet, can be so arranged as to
serve a larger number of purposes than
we could hope to provide under one roof
! upon a new site unles it was located much
farther from the center Of ten city.
I'm point of accessibility your commit
tee has been unable to find any site SO
| well located as the exposition property.
| Many of the main lines of street railway
now pas it and it would not be difficult
to partly encircle the grounds with tracks
for use on occasions Of large gatherings
1T has been and now is the opinion of
| the committee that this property should be
secured before the expiration of our option
Nov. 10. 49,.
with the property secured, your COM
mittee is of the opinion that the title
| should be taken by the city at about the
purchase price named above and that the
tract surrounding the building and ex-
tending to the river bank should be i'm
proved and maintained as public park.
| This done, a corporation should be formed
without stock. liability to remodel and
control the building.
dictated, the grounds improved and en-
|belished, objectionable surroundings re-
moved, and later a bridge constructed
across the river at Third avenue s, as
must be done some time soon to relieve
the steel arch bridge, our city would have
ditorium.
I'm the consideration of this matter,
your committee has considered other sites
and had plans sketched for building,
but has found that the purchase of a suit
able site other than the exposition prop
erty, and the construction of a suitable
building thereon, will cost over 100000.
"Possibly one-t1ird Of this would not be
required if q site should be leased, al
though Of the opinion that the
leasing of site would be poor economy
and would endanger the permanet use OF
the building as an auditorium.
Your committee feels that if the op-
portunity now had of securing this prop
erty be allowed to pass and the building
be wrecked. it will be felt for long
time to come as a serious loss to our peo'
pie. At the same time your committee
bis obliged to report that, so far, it has
a received but little encouragement from
business men of the city in the PROPOSE
ton to purchase this property.
"In conclusion, your committee begs tt
repeat that the purchase of this property
is the most practical way Of securing VIVA
this city needs and what it must have
for the accomm odation Of large local gath
erings, as we'll as large national conven
lions, and as a preliminary to the center.
ing here of the growing dairy interests O.
the northwest"
PRACTICAL BOTANICAL WORK
Professor Freeman's Original Research
May Help Solve the Problem