The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-22

HE new building Of the Minneapolis
Chamber of Commerce is the
finest grain exchange building in the
world. Situated as it is in the center
of the great Northwest, Minneapolis is
peculiarly fitted to take the lead among
the wheat markets Of the world and to
have the finest grain exchange building
in the world. The growing, handling
and grinding of wheat is the founda-
ton of the industrial life of Minnesota
and the two Dakotas, and Minneapolis
Is the very center of this great triple
industry Possibly few people realize
that the Minneapolis Chamber Of Com
merce stands at the head in the list OF
cash wheat trading organizations; that
Minneapolis has become the greatest
wheat market in the world and that
Minneapolis is by far the largest -four
producing center in the world, and
there is no question that Minneapolis
will maintain this supremacy in the
handling of these products in the years
to come
Wonderful commercial strides have
been made by Minneapolis during the
last score Of years. Within the last
twenty years the Chamber of Com
merce has twice outgrown it's quarters
and is now housed in one of the most
complete as we'll as costly structures
devoted to buying and selling grain.
The Minneapolis Chamber of Com
merce grew out of a crying need for
market" Previous to 1881 the bulk
of the wheat shipped to this city was
purchased by the flour mills through
the Millers' association. which natu-
rally fixed the price. There were few
Independent receivers of wheat, but 1t
was evident that the time was ripe for
an open market here and that prices
must be established by the general
laws Of supply and demand. It is in
teresting to note here that Col. George
D. Rogers, now secretary of the Cham
Der of Commerce, was the first to pro-
pose an organization. After many diff
hculties were overcome he was sue.
cessful and the history of the Cham
Der of Commerce began Oct. 10, 1881.
Prominent men of the city, irrespective
of the business they were engaged in,
were incorporates, and the first presi-
dent, H. g. Harrison, was a leading
banker.
A Conservative Institution.
It was the idea of the founders of
the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce
to make it a conservative institution
with the grain and flour business as
the first consideration; but the OBJ
jects or organization as outlined in the
articles of incorporation were made
broad enough to cover a wide range
of functions. They stated the purposes
of incorporation to be ITO facilitate the
buying and selling of all products, to
inculcate principles of justice and
equity in trade, to facilitate speedy
adjustment of business disputes, to ac-
Quire and disseminate valuable COM
mercial Information, and, generally, to
secure to its members The benefits of
cooperation in the furtherance of their
legitimate business pursuits and to
advance the general prosperity and
business interests of the city of Min
neapolis."
How we'll the founders Of the great
organization builded can be seen if one
will take the time to pay a visit to
the magnificent new building at the
corner Of Fourth street and Fourth
avenue south From it's very inception.
the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce
was live institution and filed a long
felt want It's affairs were conducted
on sound business principles and there
was a iconfidence created in it that is
stronger today than a Gibraltar. At
first the daily session lasted from 1880
to 1890. After a time this period prov
ed insufficient and it was heightened
as reuired until now the chamber meets
from $3.50 to lis p. m.
A Model Building.
The first consideration in the plan
ming of the new Chamber Of Commerce
was adaptation to the great business
that was to be conducted within its
walls. 1t was also first consideration to
make the building permanent. From
foundation stone to roof everything was
n