The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-03
Real Estate
WANTED "A CENTER n
A Cry From ST.. Paul That Empha.
5 sizes Some Needs in Min -.
neapolis.
Means of Exploiting the Flour City's
Many Attractions Are
" Suggested. .se

st. Paul is calling for a new center
for the city. The call is an expression
Of dismay at finding that Winnipeg, a
city of 10000, population, looks larger than
st. Paul, a city of 10000. No deceit is
charged against Winnipeg and the idea
that St. Paul is sailing under false colors
is not even intimated. Yet the fact re-
mains that the smaller town looks larger.
A st. Paul editor thus explains the cir
Cumstance: ~:
The impression Is wholly owing to the
breadth Of the streets and to the tact
shown In concentrating on few of these
nearly all the fine structures erected by
the, municipality, by the Dominion gov
eminent by the banks and by private en-
terprise: A dozen or more fine banking
and insurance buildings, the postoffice
and other fine structures are concen-
trated, for instance on Main street, with
in three blocks of tlee city hall. Grouped
near are the largest mercantile estab
lishments: The result, is surprising in its
impressiveness. D., -.
"The crying need Of st. Paul is just
such a city center-a center which shall
cial and financial Importance and the fit
ness Of its selection as the capital Of the
great state OF Minnesota; voicing the
citv's aspirations as does the white mar
BILE capitol the aspirations Of the state.
There is only one way in. which that need
can be adequately met. That is, to tear
a, path somewhere thru an area now clut-
tered with insignificant buildings and
create a. new, handsome, central thorofare
or 'nall,'' along which shall be erected
all future public structures, the finer
buildings in which our banks, trust COM
panies and insurance companies are one
day to house themselves, and the grander
mercantile palaces which are to succeed
some CT those Of to-day"
Situation In Minneapolis.
Possibly the wide streets in Mime.
apolis and the uniformity of ~building
heights In the center Of the city gives
the impression that the city is larger than
st. Paul FOf course 1T Is larger but
hardly enough so Ito r. create the i'm
preston gained by visitors that Mime
apoli$ is a much 5larger>ztown.e :. ~.
The question has arisen as. to whether
a suggestion similar to that offered in
the above quotation would not be bene-
fetal to the appearance Of Minneapolis
were It ca rr:ed out. - = ~~
It IS hardly possible to create here a
mall leading up to the courthouse and
lined with massive public and commercial
buildings, but some "tact' it Is sug-
gested, might be exercised as in Winnl-
peg in the location of future buildings.
Now buildings are erected where property
can be bought most cheaply In neigh
b0rhood suitable for the business which is
to occupy the building: The Minneapolis
method is t. have several centers. There
is the wholesale center, two implement
house centors, the retail center, banking
center, and for residences there are sew
eral distinct. centers, for instance Park
avenue, Lowry Hill, oKenwood, Sunnyside,
Oak Park, Columbia Heights.
A Way to Show cIty's Attractions.
Whether the town needs new center OF
| not Minneapolis has enough attractions tc
make it worth while to exploit them IN tbs
proper manner. The real estate board Is
| a suitable body. to take action. san
Francisco and Thereabout" by Charles
Keller, is distributed by banks, by com
mercial houses, and so on. 1t is book
| that no one will ever find In the waste
| basket. It Is worthy place on the library
| table simply for its artistic book effect
! The paper, the cover, the illustrations am
| the print are done exquisitely. The volume
| commands attention, and is likely to be
! read thru. 1t advertises the town with
just the persons it is profitable to reach
! But San Francisco is noted for it's disre
gard of expense Something even ap-
preaching Mr.. Keeler's display Of Sar
Francisco's charms, it is urged, would be
useful to Minneapolis.
A St. Louis Fair Exhibit. g..
It has been suggested that the board
might profitably take up the question Of
municipal exhibit at ST.. Louis next year
St. Paul has appropriated $4,000 for such
an exhibit. Minneapolis will likely Dr.
something similar The expenditure Of
this sum in such way as to do the most
good from an educational standpoint is q
problem. The real estate board should b.
at least represented on-the committee t
conduct this expenditure, If the suggestion
| is worth anything. ssss
Realty Market Is Drowsy.
| The realty market is lazy, but STEADY