The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-07
saw THINGS IN K. c.
"Nosing'' Trip of F. G. James, Les
ter B. Elwood, and E. G. Walton
DELIGHTED WITH MISSOURI CITY
They Return With VaIuabl Point
ers for Their Business Breth-
i. rem in Minneapolis.

.
F. C.. James, Lester B. Elwood and Ed
mund G. Walton, a self-constituted COM
mittee% of Minneapolis real estate men,
invited by CD. Hubbard, have just re-
turned from a "nosing'' inspection of
Kansas City,, For three days they :Wer
most Hospitality and 1avishly entertained,
they saw everything of interest and
beauty and were introduced to the eighty
members of the Kansas City board by
it's president, Colonel Phelps. =
: The trio agree that it would be good
policy, for every member of the Mime
apolis Real, Estate board and of the park
board OF visit Kansas City. Many who
think Minneapolis the only city on earth
would be 1orced to admit that there is al
least oLe ether and that one other a
leader. They. say:
kansas City felt. the impending crisis
Of 1893 earlier than Minneapolis did and
was far worse hit, its interests were more
widely spread and consequently harder to
corral, but to prove it's strength itscame
to.life earlier and for over two years has
experienced an activity in building and
improvements second to no city in the
country. r.5-T,- -: :. ....e -. : 80 =. -:
'Without parks or boulevards, thinking
only of the dollar: without shade trees or
fountains, thinking only of work, the in
ihabltants1 of this great city one morning
woke up to- the fact that they needed
beauty as we'll as factories good roads as
much as trackage.3 So they, went to work,
raised three and one half millions of
money and to-day have miles upon miles
of the most perfect roads and park boule-
wards in the world. "A large part of this
money was raised by assessing the lots
fronting the proposed bouleyards : So a
front foot, which, while sounding large,
is In reality a pittance, for land worth
$1,000 an acre, or, $3.50 lot, Immediately
bee am valuable residence property at
$4,000 an acre or $4,000 lot. The boule-
wards were not promised 'or just laid
out with few strokes of the play and
then run over with scraper, as is the
case in some northern cities, but, they
are macadamized, rolled. shaped and per-
fected, have stone walks, stone curb and
cutters, no weeds or refuse. The; names
at street corners, are cut into the side
walk, and asperfeet water and sewer -sys-
tenn has been put in. - a.. e. 49,, T..
| =. What lis Thirty second street in Kan
I sas City Is Thirty first street in Mime
'apolis-sa me distance from the retail
7 center and the; same location in every
particular. :. The one is as handsome as
Sum NIT avenue in St. Paul, the other
needs a poets ina gination to make it
beautiful. 4 ~: ~ :. -. ~: = =.
''BouIevsrds embracing the picturesque
glens and bluffs Of Kansas City have
made man ymarvelous building sites, and
added to a very superior street railway
system, have given people of art and cul-
ture a chance to show them. In conse-
quence the city possesses a great many
more beautiful homes than Minneapolis.
The spirit of; competition is aroused.
Were Lake of the Isles boulevard in Kan
| sas City every lot would built on with a
! $40 600 or 0,0d0 house and lots would
! fetch $500 a Aoot instead of only SIS. So
| it is with the ,workingman's plan. They
do: not build eleven=roonled houses on fifty
! foot. lots and expect. a $50 a month man
to support. it as. DO. we, but they build
| a four room cottage on a 25x120 foot lot
and md sell it: TO him for $500 on easy pay
nnents. ~, z .-sI - < = -:
! One firm in Armourdale, employing be-
side the three principals, about half q
/ dozen statesmen on commission, sold over
800 lots in 1901 at an average of $40 a
! foot, and state that their sales are larger
this year and the price SITTER. Here in
| Arm ourdale were built in 1899 300 houses
and this year will easily show 1000
/ On sales, most of the agents in Kansas
I City charge 5 per cent straight, a valu-
| able tip to US: It has long been recognized
that 21s per cent over $1,000 is far too
little: .s..: :, -
| Rents are much higher. than here
thus making vacant property much more
valua ble, houses are constructed lighter
| and built cheaper but rent for more
FourSroo cottages in workingmens ad-
ditions rent for Sill a month Six-room
cottages with bath and city water for
$40, and s22, Lots are. small: but the
neighborhood bright and inviting.
:. Il: The same applies to retail stores
rents are high apparently, but: so large
| ~ ~
t floating population that the business al
, lows of high rents. Office. rents are much
higher, in general about double; an Office
-14X20 feet, which in the Guaranty or New
York Life buildings in this city. rents fol
$22 month, Is scheduled in Kansas City
buildings of equal prominence at $35 {
month, while smaller rooms, fetching s1(
a month here rent for $40 a month there
This is more important than appears or
the surface, as heat and construction
cost much less than 'up ncrth."". .-s
| Three first class large hotels, much
like the West are full to the roof with
guests and. grill rooms. restaurants ant
tea ROOMS have q waiting list, at every
meal. Five theaters offer inducements tt
] the pleasure: lover to spend his: Saturda,
| night in Kansas City, causing Mr.. Travel
ingman, anywhere within hundred miles
to haste n thither for his. weekend stay
! kansas City is a. most wide awake
and enterprising city,; doing an, immense
amount OF business and showing a.. full
complement of grit and brains. Her. rea
estate men are looked. up to, as gentle
men, and are solid. conservative and
[,keen-a fine appearing set of men, eager
to learn. proud of their city, interested
in the outside world and open to sug-
gestions and new ideas Men. withou,
weeds, boulevards without weeds, truly
children of the vest but marvels. OF
greatness and prosperity 81 :,
SALES OF, HOME SITES.
Home Builders Continue, to sEuy Lot.
i - .. for Ner Ro~idauco.