The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-13
The Mississippi Typifed in Marble.

T h ournal lays before the people
Of Minneapolis to-day the story OF an
enterprise for identifying the city, which
we are very sure will be read with keen
appreciation and delight.
It Is, certainly a bit Of rare good for
tune that Minneapolis, through the en-
terprise Of number of her citizens, Is
to possess in "The Mississippi River Cod
the most magnificent piece Of marble
statuary ever erected on this continent.
The history Of this great work and how
It has come into our possession is told
elsewhere, and it Is not necessary to re-
peat it here, but we cannot refrain from
felicitating the people of Minneapolis upon
the fact that this splendid creation, by an
artist Of world -wide renown, is to be per-
manently erected here where 1T appro-
priately belongs-at the Falls of st. An
thony, near thu headwaters Of the great
river which it so majestically represents.
We are peculiarly fortunate in that Mr..
Herrick, a citizen Of cultivated artistic
tastes and deeply interested in art,
should have had not only the opportunity.
but the disposition, the enterprise and
the courage to undertake to secure this
splendid work Of art for his own city.
And nowhere could it be more f1ttingly
erected than here, near the head
waters of the great river. in the midst
Of the greatest group Of industries to
which the torrents Of this majestic stream
minister with their mighty power.
The statue Is secured. The next ques-
ton Is the site. The donors and the
municipal art commission are agreed that
the proper place for it is the site Of the
old city hall on Bridge square, and they
will ask the members Of the city council
tonight to set apart that ground and to
raze the old city hall building, in order
that this great work of art may be erected
in the very heart of the city, in the center
of it's activities, at place where it will
be seen by more people and exert a wider
and better influence than it could If erect
ed at any other point.
The city property which is to be utilized
= for this purpose is of comparatively small
value for any commercial or industrial use
and would produce a small return If sold
The proposition to convert the old city
hall into public bath house and equip it
for other public uses seems to have failed
notwithstanding the liberal aid offered by
a public spirited citizen, because it in
voved not only the setting apart Of this
ground but the expenditure of a consid
cradle sum of money by the city supple
mentary to the private gift referred to.
It seems to us that the site for this i'm =
posing and magnificent statue could
not be more wisely chosen. 1t is place
which in the citys growth is likely tc
become more and more the center OF
things. The site is virtually on the banks
Of the great stream which the figure SO
grandly typif1es and in the very center
Of the citys traffic and activity. That the
surroundings are not now the best that
might be found may be conceded, but it is
certain that the location of this beautiful
work of art there will have tend
ency to improve the surroundings archi
tecturally and make this front door of the
city, SO to speak, what 1t ought to be
Indeed, we are persuaded that it Is really
important to the city from the standpoint
Of future development that this statue be
placed on the site proposed.