The Minneapolis journal., 1902-11-08
THE END OF THE EXPO
All Hope Of the City Buying the
Property Is Given
Over.
Owners of the Building Expect to
Raze It and Sell the
Material,

Unless heroic measures are adopted be-
tween now and Tuesday for preserving
the exposition building "for the public
good,' that famous structure Is doomed
to speedy destruction for the benefit of
the present owners who have kept the
property Intact for years so that the city
might acquire the title If it was desired.
The Commercial clubs option expires
next Monday. After that there will be no
lace G. Nye Of the Commercial club pub
lie affairs committee, which urged bust
ness men to subscribe enough to- secure
possession, has given up hope. The pres
ent owners say there is not even a remote
possibility of anything being done, and
it is practically decided that the building
will be wrecked next year. The last big
public gathering to be held in the building
will be the Wennerberg singing festival
the evening Of Nov. IA. The building will
be leased for no more meetings or en-
tertainments after that. The work of re-
moving the interior fixtures will com
mence Immediately after the festival.
The stockholders expect to place all port
able property on the market within thirty
days. The property which will be thus
disposed of consists of boilers, engines
elevators, vaults, chairs, stage parapher-
nalia office fixtures and a vast amount
of material yet to. be inventoried, the ac-
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the buildings erection.
With the new convention hall move
ment yet in embryo, 1t Is generally con-
ceded that the tearing down of the expo
sition building or it's possible conversion
to such purposes as will do away with the
big auditorium will be serious blow to
Minneapolis interests as convention
city. 1t is a fact. however. that the very
men who refuse to subscribe to the ex-
position purchase fund are those who
profess to be most willing to donate lib
orally for the erection of large hall on
the West Side.
Historic Associations.
The passing, of the historic structure
which has sheltered SO many conventions
of national, of world wide. Importance,
must necessarily be viewed with emotion
by those who were chiefly interested in
it's inception. In the great hall which
will soon be but a memory have appeared
at different times most of the famous
men of the United States. The greatest
gathering. at which was assembled the
most distinguished men Of the country,
was the republican national convention of
1892, which, through it's nomination of
Benjamin Harrison for president, predes-
tinated the party to defeat In the follow
ing November.
Here also William Mckinley was first
prominently mentioned for the presidency,
crowded the vast hall to its utmost ca
pacity, he made the famous speech which
put him conspicuously before the people
as a candidate for the highest honor IN
the gift Of the republic. The rafters
which will soon be leveled with the dust
have rung, with the rare eioquence OF
BRYAN in several Of the most notable or
his addresses in two campaigns. Presi-
dent and Mrs Cleveland were there In
1883. It was in the Exposition building
that President Mckinley greeted the
home coming Thirteenth Minnesota volun-
teers in 1899. The occasion will long be
remembered as the last Minneapolis visit
of the martyred president The building
also can lay claim to Thespian greatness,
for it has afforded opportunity for the
exploitation Of everything. In stase-land
from the grand opera Of Melba ana her
compeers to comic opera, farce comedy
and vaudeville The first great conven-
tion in Exposition hall was the Christian
Endeayor meeting in 1891: The last con-
vention Of national importance to meet
there was the employer and employe con-
vention in September.
Monument OF Enterprise.
The Exposition building was the most
remarkable offspring Of that remarkable
era, in the history Of Minneapolis common
ly known as the "boom days. 1t was
built literally on the spur OF the moment
with the characteristic push and energy
of men who contributed to Minneapolis
ereatness at the climax Of Its phenom-
enal period of growth. Having tr1pled
itself in point Of population in five years,
on the fiood-ti tide of prosperity IN the nusn
times Of wonderful development, the Guy
had reached a degree Of opulence "hlcn
looked upon the speedy construction oi
such a mammoth building, with the at
tending outlay of s250,O00, as matter OF
small consequence, SO long as there was
some fixed purpose to gain thereby.
The building was put UP in the night, SO
to sneak as the direct result OF ra1lroad
discrimination against Minneapolis IN
favor of St. Paul during state fair time.
The discrimination became so marked that
+he fair became largely a st. Paul institu-
tfon.. 1t was to offset any resulting dis
advantage to Minneapolis that the leading
business men determined. Immediately
after the close of the fair in September,
1885, to put on "big show OF their own
and to call it the Minneapolis Industrial
Exposition. William Regan Is said to nave
been the first to propose the establishment
of an annual exposition. He was closely
seconded by w. H. Eustis. 8. E. Olson, A.
T. Rlethen and George A. Bracket
1t is a. striking demonstration OF the way
they "did things in those days to re-
fleet that in one evening seVenty-nVe OF
the leading business and professional men
of Minneapolis VINO met IN the Eastman
block, put on foot and practically financed
the exposition project. They pledged
themselves by individual subscription to
raise most Of the $3.50. 900 needed and Sc
cured the rest by subsequent public ap-
peals, to which there was generous
| response.
| An Aladdin Proposition.
| The building was completed and ady
| for the great exposition Of northwestern
industrial resources within ninety days
The first board of directors consisted OF
George HUM, H. G.. Harrison, w. D
| washburn, S. G.. Gale, E. A. Merrill. A. B
Barton, Joseph Dean, T. B. Janney, w. e
Steele A. c. I1augen, D. M. Gilmore. w. S
King Anthony, Kelly, c. M. Palmer, Lewis
B. Hibbard, w. G. Byron. Rev. James Nc
| Golrick, A. J. Blethen, o. A. Pray, B. F
| Nelson, W. M. Regan, NJ. w. Glenn. G. B
| Heffelinger, George A. Bracket, W. J
Dean.
| The exposition was opened in September
| 1886, and the last exposition was that o
| 1893. It made money every year unit
bursements. The largest loss was in tn
bursements. The largest loss was in thu
last year of the show. when the expend
itures were $4,000 greater than the re
ceipts. .... o..
| The eight consecutive expositions wer,
| conceded to be the best Of the kind eve
attempted in the United States. far ex
ceeding like enterprises In Chicago, Mil
waukee and other cities. The greatest at
| fractions which money could obtain wer
put on and the exhibits were as elaborate
| in many instances as one might expect t
see at a worlds fair. The greatest band