The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-09
Minneapolis Business Men Strongly
on Record for fastening Pub
lice Improvements.
Present Conditions Cost City More
Than Increased Interest
on Bonds.
Additional Interest Would Mean
Little Distributed Among
So Many Taxpayers.

Yewn town business men strongly favor
the payment of per cent interest on
city bonds in order to obtain money for
much-ueeded public Improvements. They
believe the city can better afford to pay
the additional y per cent than to allow
things so they are. The latter course
would prove more costly than the former
This opinion is general
J. w. Thomas of ]. w. Thomas & Co.
expressed himself as unqualtiedly in favor
of per cent bond issue. The people,
he said want streets that they can do
business upon and are willing to bear the
additional expense which, Of course, will
be inconsiderable when distributed among
all the taxpayers.
Some of our Streets he said, ARE
in a miserable condition and to visitors
certainly give a very unfavorable opinion
of local conditions. We must have these
improvements; our reputation and our
prosperity demand 1t and our working
people likewise require it. All commodi
ties are higher now than they were some
time ago and money is higher. Merchants
must pay a higher rate of interest and
why not municipality? 1t will in no
wise effect the city's credit to sell four
per cent bonds at this time. AS far as
our firm is concerned. we will save more
than our share of the tax increase on the
wear and tear on our wagons and horses
by having the streets paved"
Present Conditions Costly.
L. S. Donaldson Of William Donaldson
& Co.. cannot how any citizen, who
Is alive to the best interests of the city
can oppose the proposition to sell munich
pal bonds at four per cent. The improve
ments, particularly street paving, are
more than desirable; they are an abso-
lutte necessity and every alderman and
city official he says. ought to get to work
at once and push the movement with all
reasonable dispatch. The bad condition
Of the streets is costing the people Of Min
neapolis money every day and in the
worst weather 1t Is almost impossible in
many places to get thru with teams. Such
conditions affect every citizen regardless
of his position.
c. F. Gordon Of the Minneapolis Dry
Goods company was free to confess that
the improvements were needed, but
doubted if any agitation at this time
would bring the relief expected. Had this
agitation come two months earlier and
the question then raised as to a per
cent bond issue he says that he would
in all likelihood have favored the issue
as the conditions were somewhat unsual
Now, however, as it required several
weeks to advertise for bids, a certain
amount Of time to arrange the formalities
, such as legal examination Of the bonds
required by all brokers, the money would
not be available before Sept /, which he
thinks entirely too late to begin work on
any extended system of improvements,
unless the material was all on hand and
there was an unlimited supply of labor so
the work could be pushed.
ayes, EmphaticalIy."
Maurice L. Rothschild of the Palace
Clothing company says: IT say yes, en-
phatically and without qualification to the
proposition to issue bonds in order to
secure funds for permanent improve
ments. 1t seems ridiculous to me that
any one would quibble over a matter of
one-half Of per cent interest in a matter
Of such public Importance. This city can't
stand still or go back, it must 60 ahead
and improvements must be kept up. A
man whose house is falling into decay
the porches, stairways in bad condition
docs rot obtain an enviable reputation
among his neigfbors, neither does a. city
with poorly kept streets and lack of mod
ern improvements. All classes want these
improvements, the laboring people, the
smaller taxpayers, are just as anxious fol-
the extension Of the sewer and water.
works systems and more paving as the
heavier taxpayers"
j. F. Evans, Of Evans, Munzer, Picker.
Ing & Co.-As a business man should not
hesitate moment to pay this additional
one-half OF one per cent interest in order
poses to issue for permanent improve
ments. The rate question is mere baga
telle IN my mind If that is all there Is
stake. Let any one sit down and figure
out how enthusiastically small that amour
will be when distributed among thousands
OF taxpayers. And don't suppose any on
will question that there is imperative neet
for considerable work on our streets.
,.. Doesn't Require Much Ponderlng.
L. Metzger, of S. Jacobs & Golf tn
improvements are necessary the questio,
of paying a little more interest ouch
not to require much considera ton. If
business man has to have money he dom
ponder long over difference of one
half Of one per cent interest and the sam
principle would apply to municipal mat
ters, I should think. .'.-.
Fred D. Young Of the Young Quinla,
Company-Certain improvements are i'm
perative it seems to me, particularly o.
the streets. It's a positive danger t
horses to drive them along certain streets
It's not for us laymen to say just hoy
these improvements should be made but
appears to me to be the duty Of the au
thorities to do something as soon as pos
sible with due regard to the best interest
of the whole city $751;.
c. J. Gutgesell Of Browning, King
Cove can Ill afford to wait until tn
bonds can be sold at BIZ per cent Gu
streets are in a deplorable condition, an
it would be much better to issue 4 ne
cent bonds, get the money and do tn
work needed than to wait a momen
longer than necessary to get work unde
the per cent proposition as agains
that of delay.