davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29
the comfort and satisfaction Of the pa
irons Of the mems cafe.

the comfort and satisfaction Of the pa
irons Of the mems cafe.
This room is E;litabethan both ), IL! IN
The place for a visit With a friend: II
town between trains only, or for rest
a trad SUSIE busfaes afen an Is too Busy
to get away from business cares when
he ought to, to take a vacation, will
Biock for ae this nook and its opporta ans
tiles for a breathing spell now and
then at MONDAY. And SO will everyone
else who avails himself of the oppor-
tunity to use the room.
The main entrance Is from the china
department. One enters and finds him
self facing an expansive tngle-nook in
in In harmony = with the ceiling Of the
modified GOTHIC arch stretching from
beamed in black oak, which prevails IN
the finishing Of the room. At the end
to the right of the entrance is a group
81 sma glass Other wRRdows Of Ike
design are to the right and left Of the
entrance in the front wall. A door
opens directly into the cafe over the
framing openings which are ventilators
to carry off cigar smoke. The carpet
Is rich In design and make. The walls
d.
B Altogether this room is the richest
In the building and emphasizes the de-
sire of the management to leave moth
ing undone to add to the comfort OF
as well as the convenience of Its patrons
who are looked upon more as guests
than as shoppers come to buy goods.
An Art Gallery.
One OF the new features Of the store,
which will be on this floor, will be a
picture gallery adjoining the art room.
Here 1t Is intended to collect paintings
Of high quality by well-known artists,
giving to the public another center OF
attraction. s5 j 81. HI ,l 4 .
will be the mirror room a brilliantly
lighted room, with walls Of French
plate mirrors, where will be shown
bric-a -brac, cut glass and other like
wares. In. a Is. s&.I ~
These rooms all open from the china
department. with its mahogany tables
displaying the costlier products OF the
Expnndinx Mall Order Department..
TO pass from art and luxury to pure
business Is to pass from the fourth
to the fifth floor. On the fifth floor Is
the home Of the mail order department.
that efficient system by which the shop
per in North Dakota buys her dresses
Or whatsver else She wishes at the
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

stairs. Each department has a number,
ed together, so that within a few min
utes after the doors close and the
crowds are gone for the day a final pull
at the cranks Of the adding machines
is given and there, printed on slips Of
paper, are the totals Of the days sales
for each department. and for all the de-
partments combined, footed with abso-
Lutte accuracy.
With the accounting department may
be mentioned the credit system, which
simply gives 80 days to known custo-
mers in order that they may not be
compelled to carry their purses and
large sums Of money when making ex-
tensive purchases.
/ On the sixth floor, away UP where no
one ever goes but employees or officials
of the store, are more large stock
rooms and the picture framing room.
If one cared to investigate still fur
ther skyward he could enter the big
dome over the corner entrance. This is
surmounted by a cupola around which
hang arc lights to flash their powerful
rays over the city, multiple beacon to
guide people to the Glass Block
Basement Departments.
{ In the basement, aside from the
lighting and heating plants, are a large
number Of departments similar to
others on floors above but carrying
lines Of goods marked at lower prices.
They kept and directed with the
same care that characteriZeS the en-
tire establishment, and shopping there
is "Glass Block shopping" just as 1t Is
on the floors above.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

lighting plant in the midst of the inn
provements being not only not dis
turbed but extended and improved as
the other work progressed.
Above the ground the steel frame
OF the superstructure rose, apparently
slowly, but, in fact, very rapidly when
the magnitude Of the work was con-
sidered.
Thru the summer an army of work
men has been at work. Under the guild
ance Of the contractor the work has
gone on with precision, and increasing
speed as the day set for the opening
approached-the first day Of Fair Week.
AS soon as floor or a portion of a
floor was made ready the furniture was
moved In and set up and the fnishers
put to work: This was scarcely done
before the department to occupy the
space was moving in and customers of
the store were buying their goods at
new counters. Builders, furnishers,
ffnishers, department manag gers and
clerks and customers have thus rubbed
elbows in the new portion of the store,
and in the old, too, for that matter, and
that things did not get into an mex
trfcable tangle is the greatest wonder
in the world. Yet nothing Of the kind
has happened. Thru 1t all that system
which is characteristic of the Glass
Block has. been maintained as tho the
store had long ago been completed and
everything put in perfect running orr
der.
The history of the way this work
has been done is q. tribute to brains
and energy.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29
Isl HOP.

length, and much more. for the Dutch
room and annex adjoining the tea room
add at least another forty feet to the
tea room, while to the mems cafe must
be added q large lounging or club
room The width Of both tea room and
mems cafe is sufficient to allow for
three rows Of large tables with two
wide, aisles. That the two make an
But the e Size IS notstne striking thing
about either the tea room OF the mems
cafe.
preston. Is those who are the patrons
even in the deliciousness and variety
Of the dishes served.
They are simply the aeme Of the
Addea to these two chief sources. of
delight IN such a place, Is that Of q
service Of the very Best. Here is a
combination that only an inveterate
and chronic fault finder can criticise
But 70 return to the mems cafe,
which as a new institution. is deserving
One needs snowshoes to walk on this
carpet" was the remark Of q visitor q
day or two ago. He was about right.
almost aha sar dcalt 81 to s Walk Upon t.
of d rich red, with figures in shades
of brown and dark green. It harmonizes
perfectly with the rich red Of the MAJ
| hogany wainscoting which extends well
up the walls. Above the wainscot-
ing and to ceiling arch extends a rich
tapestry paper. The ceiling Is sum
ERECT Of the whole color scheme. Yet
subdued effects can be and are obtained
! by having double windows, the inner
] sash being of loaded, translucent, but
not trarsnarant glass i Z q
At the end adjoining the serving room
is a. great sideboard in mahogany. T
stocked with plate and china, the effect
| is highly decorative and rich. Three
stalls, constructed Of mahogany, are
ranged along the outer wall at equal
distances from one another, giving six
alcoves in all for tables and certain
amount Of seclusiyeness often desired
by cafe diners.
| The elegance Of the furnishings IS
enhanced by Respondent crystal foun-
tain. made in Paris, and one Of only
Of sparkling water showing various
beautiful colors under shaded electric
lights. IS a delightsome picture. This
the center nart Of Of The The stands
quantity designed lamp with a globe
and shade Of rare beauty. Elsewhere
stang gnsrs sms s hlsd wth
novel electrollers shed light from above.
Private Dining Rooms.
At the end of the main room are
| two small dining rooms which may be
completely shut off. One Of these will
accommodate about six and the other
| ten or twelve. Or the two may be
thrown together making room for a
party of sixteen or eighteen. The deco
rations Of these rooms are In harmony
with those of the main room.
EIizabet,an>Cl Club Room.
Such q place asSthe cafe is sure to
| to the men Of tlIe city and to visitors.
But that appeal wilIbe doubled by the
| club room. ssgg 5+
Elizabethan architecture set down on
the fourth floor purely and solely for
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29
AN ARMY OF employees.
Nearly 1000 Persons Required to do
Stores Daily Work.

[R 1T TAKES all told an army of 900
liza La employees to do the things the
lH @ Glass Block has to do each day
- thru most Of the year. In the
holiday season this army has to be
augmented by, at least 500 men, MAX
ing total Of 1,400. They are courteous,
refined and contented and capable Of
most intelligent service; These en-
after with parental care by the man.
characterizes everything done In con-
nection with the business stands out
conspicuously in the consideration Of
the needs Of those who come into most
manifest in the large rest and dining
This is attractively finished and COM
fortably furnished. There the employees
tanning hot coffee or tea at moderate
price from the company. Other pro-
visions for the comfort Of the employees
are not lacking.
Delivery Service.
The delivery service employs Is
drivers, who are needed to care for the
16 large wagons necessary. Last De-
cember this force made $3.50 separate
deliveries, representing approximately
10000 packages,
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

t. Just above the book department,
IN a spacious balcony, soft to the feet
With thick carpets, are comfortable
hairs and settees. There one may pom
Ter over the problems of her purchases.
he difficulty of making her husbands
salary do all the things she is tempted
o try to make it, or there one may
est while she congratulates herself on
having got down town early In time
20 get FIRST pick" as the little folk
say, at the mornings bargain sale. Or
Il she have letters to write and be
not ready to go home, there are tables
with supplies of writing materials Of
the very best Yes, and there are short
ana long distance telephones, Western
Onion and North American telegraph
offices and United States postoff1ce
What more could one wish for2 Why
with the conveniences there at hand
one could transact business with agents
In China and do 1T all as comfortably
as tho in the parlor at home and far
more effectively. ....
Sitting In the balcony, one has a
fine BIRDS eye view of the main floor.
He who loves to watch a crowd can
crafty his passion here at any time,
and that, too, from a box seat.
Rapid Cash System.
/ Interesting to watch from the balcony
ARE the cash carriers, those little cable
cars which run hither and thither all
thru the, building, stopping at 800 sta
'tions all told. This is the second larg-
est cash carrier system In the world
THE only larger one is in Brooklyn. A
Al-I.
lis a drop station, the first of Its kind
I'm practical operation in the world. 1t
makes 1t possible to put the car tracks
up near the ceiling, If desirable. In the
new portion Of the building, however,
the tracks have been placed upon the
itops of the shelves and not over the
counters. The tracks in the old system
Twill be changed to correspond before
long and the nervous customer will
no more be worried by the moving cord
overhead. The unusual number Of the
,stations insures great rapidity In max
ing change, the greatest any system can
offer. a- .r.. ~
Departments That Draw. .5-t.
Il Having rested and watched the crowd,
one, on a tour Of inspection. passes to
the second floor, leaving behind the
noise and the rush below. Here bust
ness Is done as In a parlor, even by the
smen customers, for on this floor are the
bmen's and boys clothing departments
mems and boys shoes, also furs, wo-
mems and misses cloaks and suits, mil
zEflinery, muslin underwear and ladies'
retiring and resting rooms. Despite the
rpresence of so many important depart
iments on this floor everything moves
quietly. Carpets on the floors and rich
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

charge,-the Glass Blocks own carpet
department, it IS needless to say. The
carpet is a Royal Wilton of great
weight and richness, in dark green
shades. It was made to order from
especially prepared designs. And this
is what the patrons of William Donald
son and companys clothing and shoe
departments will walk upon.
New Dress-Maling Parlors.
Another flight roofward in one of
the stores six fast elevators, and one
lands in elaborate and extensive dress
making parlors, q heavily stocked car
pet department or a drapery depart
ment offering endless attractions, ac
cording to the direction he takes on
leaving the elevator. These are depart
ments that appeal especially to women
In any case, but the same thoughtful
considerateness that has marked the
plans thruout are found to prevail
here, making these three departments
simply perfection from the shoppers
standpoint again. Eso @ 4
Fourth Floor Temptations.
Temptations Turk on the fourth floor.
Just how it has come about, ph1loso-
pliers do not say, but 1t is a fact that
in the buying Of works of art, china,
cut glass and fine furniture the heads
of family usually shop together. Per-
haps it is because 1t is felt that two
heads are better than one" or perhaps
1t is because the mater familias does
not like to incur the heavier expenses
without approval on the part of the
! lord and master of the household, and,
generally speaking, the chancellor Of
the household exchequer. Be that as
! it may, these departments have been
grouped on the fourth floor and with
them something else for which many
a woman, doubtless, has felt thankful
to the management-that is a magnif1-
cent tea room and mems cafe.
| Mary, say, has learned that the old
is thru his stomach" is pregnant with
wisdom She has set her heart on
luxurious davenport at the Glass
Block; it will just fit nook in the
back par1or of their new home But
there's the rub" the home is new and
John feels poor; can she persuade him
to buy the davenport and '1et her save
| it out of the household expenses" Mary
is deep, ana Win the d1Q OF the
grouping of the departments on the
fourth floor of the Glass Block she goes
about solving her problem thus:
| They are at breakfast. "John," she
says, I'm going down town this morn
| ing; let's meet and take luncheon at
| the tea ROOM"
| John assents. t.. .
They meet as planned.
They take luncheon together accord
| ing to their plan: John has satisfied the
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

and she knows it-but it will not do to
spoil the chase by coarse" work. So
quite casually, of course, the saunters
off among the davenports, and, before
John Is aware Of 1t, Mary's particular
davenport has been ordered sent out
to the house.
Whether to meet emergencies like
the above, or purely for convenience
the tea room and mems cafe have been
placed on the floor where furniture,
china, cut glass and art works are to
be had, does not matter. The combina-
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

ooo and growing fast. It is worth
while to note by the way that the print
ing Of this catalog is done by a Mime
apolis house in line with the buy-at-
home policy mentioned above.
Why 1t Grows.
But it is no wonder that the depart
ment has grown; it serves so well the
Interests Of it's customers. These in
terests are looked after with the closest
attention by corps Of buyers, who
simply act as purchasing agents for
those who send IN orders, watching the
bargain sale advertisements so as to
give orders all the advantages that they
might have Il the buyers were right In
the city,
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

ton is one that makes the floor per-
haps the most attractive in the entire
building.
Mems Cafe Fit For Royalty.
Lavishly has money been spent in
the new mems cafe. Any attempt to
describe it must of necessity be made
quate. 1t must be seen, to be appre-
-ciated It and the tea room are parts
Of one institution. A common serving
room divides them. With this serving
room they occupy the entire Sixth street
front of the fourth floor, 232 feet in
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29
LIKE A CORONATION.
Will Be the Formal Opening Next
MOnday. -Ef.

81 n T IS to the opening of this palace
IA E of trade, with all the above fea-
Isl lures of interest and many more
~ that others might =, think OF
aldson and company have invited all
who will to come next Monday. If the
store is magnificent in its work-a-day
dress, it will be thing to go into
Thousands upon thousands Of feet. Of
southern smilax, palms well nigh with
out number, pink and white flowers by
thousands, and countless lights making
the whole store radiant, a great arbor
nearly; four hundred feet in length;
literally a mass of green and pink and
white and glowing lights, great light
we'll made into a canopy Of beauty.
These will be some Of the things to
rs delight the ear Will be an after
noon concert, opening at $3.50 o'clock,
by the Twenty-frst Infantry band, and
an evening concert, at 1880 o'clock, by
the First Regiment band.
na nRs aftegn aSeu pFegram WIN 30: 1osev
Moor and Ssgps
"Love's Old Sweet Song .............. Hoiiey
A Summer Idyl-' Hiawatha" .......... Moret
Fantastic de la Creme 5000. Tobani
Overture" Morning, Noon and Night. .supps
selection-"Prince Of Pilsen". .......... .Luders
Ws9Fzse diS SHa'awatha'' M as,S
FANTASIA MasnAa! RRatrietic Airs Of Two coatin Han
Cake sHSS Jimmie .V arasbe
Selection 1.-THE Bride Elect" ........:: sonsa
There will be a great throng there.
and the hosts, according to the tradf-
lions of their house, will see that every
guest is gratiled.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

My small portion of the water which
ONES from tito Glass Blocks artesian
yeI.JInr thee we'll discharges it's pure
yater II tho rate of ESQ gallons per
-1inute. supplying water for the entire
establishment.
Great Balcony's Conveniences.
Does the shopper wish to think it
yer" has he she business to
ransact elsewhere or something to
ook after at home. Well she need
OF go elsewhere or home to attend to
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29
IT'S. COMPLETION MARKS AN ERA
IN THE GROWTH OF MINNEAPOLIS

with goods from which supplies for the
counters and shelves below are drawn.
Then there is the receiving room,
floor by freight elevators. Every ar
ticle or package that comes into the
store has to come thru this room and
be checked in and then checked out
again to stock-room or sales Depart
ment.
In another part OF the big room is the
accounting department. Here, adding
day footing up the sales checks as they
come up from the departments down
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

draperies here and there soften the
sounds.
Costly Carpets.
The carpets Of the store worth from
$4,000 to $4,000. include one which
covers space 1o0x165 feet on this floor.
1t is the largest carpet in the west.
1t was placed only a few days ago and
the aid Of every carpet-layer in both of
the cities had to be called upon to do
the work in the time at the disposal Of
the department having the matter In
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

inner man with delicious-well 1t
isn't necessary to say what; his inner
man is satisfied; that's enough. Mary
is full of spirit, fairly bubbling over.
and she insists on paying the bill. Now
she has a powerful grip on Johns heart.
A wife who not only does not ask a
man for a check to help her complete
her shopping but who actually pays his
luncheon bill on such an occasion Is a
jewel.
She can have anything she wants
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

Furthermore, orders are filled on the
day received So perfect is the system
that at o'clock each day every order
is filled and on it's way to express Of
fee or postoflce.
Fur Manufacturing.
This floor is also where the furs
come IRON rom - fra r and f fh
equipped and like the rest Of the de-
partments, is growing with rapid
one Of the adjuncts of the fur depart
ment.
Other space on the floor is occupied
by stock-rooms, piled to the ceiling
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

Glass Block without coming nearer than
four hundred miles, or five hundred
or more IL she be that far away. Some
times the mall order department. be-
comes a telephone order department,
for telephone orders from North Da-
kota, Duluth or other distant districts
or points are not infrequently received.
5n,s Of a
that. It was but very short time ago
that the circulation of the department's
catalog to patrons was advertised with
good deal Of pride as 100000. Now
the circulation Of this big book is 2O0,-
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29
GREAT GREEN HOUSES.

They Are Covered by 10000 Square
Feet of Glass.
|@ITIE Glass Blocks extensive flower
Ri ~ department is supplied from the
IA 81 coupany's own greenhouses at
Portland avenue and Thirty fifth
street These greenhouses are the
largest in the city, requiring more than
10000 square feet of glass. In them
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29
grow vast variety Of flowers and
plants for all seasons of the year.
now ADD1r1oN WAS BUTT.

Hundreds Of Worknen About--Not a
Jar to System.
work of building the just
H. @ completed addition was begun
M last fall by the removal Of the
- old annex" This out of the
way, the work of strengthening the
foundation and putting In the steel
frame of the substructure was pushed
thru the winter, the great heating and
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-29

T1T is to the opening of this palace
IA 81 of trade, with all the above fea-
81 III lures of interest and many more
III &5l that others MIGHT think of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-28
Cordially Approved.
A COSTLY SACRIFICE.
Bonfire Made Of Valuable Trees for
Which There Was No Sale.

The Christmas tree market Of Washing
ton was considerably overstocked this year.
as Is evidenced by the great number OF
beautiful trees that are seen heaped against
the walls of numerous grocery stores and
other establishments about the city. The
center Of greatest activity in the sale of
Christmas trees during the week before
Christmas appears to have been at the
haymarket. Just south of the post office.
There intending purchasers might have
wandered through aisles between the huge
piles of Christmas greens until weary of
walking. The day after Christmas there
were great piles of trees still heaped up
there in which no one appeared to have an
interest. Some were carried away for fire.
wood, but the greater number remained.
Finally 1t was decided to destroy them on
the haymarket grounds by burning. and all
day today big bonfire has been kept go
ing, the fuel being supplied from the heaps
of Ar and pine trees. great volume OF
smoke arose from the fire and attracted
considerable crowd to the scene.
There were about two thousand trees.
ranging in value from fifty cents to five
dollars. Some were from Virginia and fur
Their south: others were from northern
states. and a great many were imported
from Canada at considerable expense, an
import duty having to be paid. Two car
loads Of sweet-scented and symmetrical
baisaIn frs. on which the duty alone was
S75 went up in the tall column of smoke
that arose from the haymarket.