The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-22
TUESDAY EVENING.

For the Retail Merchants Association
Messrs. w. L. Harris, George d. Dayton
and p. D.. Boutell.
For the Roosevelt Club--Messrs. Philip
r. Brooks. George X. Belden and Frank
G, Esterly.
For the Apollo Club-Messrs. r. O.
Simmons, c. M. Keeler and G. D. Clark.
The Formal Proposition.
AS publicly announced on Feb. i,
the proposal Of the insurance 'oOan-
pany Is this:
This company proposes to erect a build
ing in the city of Minneapolis, to be To-
Gated on the lot owned by it on Nicollet
avenue and Eleventh street. suitable for
use as an auditorium or music, lecture and
convention hall; the building to cost ap-
proximately $150,000; to be constructed OF
fire proof material, with a stage suffi-
GENTLY large to accommodate chorus of
400 persons; the auditorium and galleries
to have a seating capacity of not less
than 1850; the building to have proper
exits and. in every particular, to meet
the requirements Of the ordinances Of the
city; its erection to be begun and it to be
completed at the earliest possible mo-
ment, the company desiring to have the
same ready for use not later than Nov.
1, 1904; in consideration for which, your
dllu Olucr commit
tees are to furnish to the company &C
ceptable applications for $2,000,OO0 Of in
surance, fully paid for term of one year,
rates payable to be the rates in use by
the company and appearing In it's current
agents manual and rate book; all Of these
applications to be furnished to the COM
pany without expense. excepting the ex-
pense Of medical examinations which 1t
will itself meet and pay; each applicant to
agree to pay at least two years premium;
first annual premium to be paid in cash
before work on construction is begun; sec
ond annual premium to be settled for
with a note due at the beginning Of the
second year, without interest before ma
turity; the building after completion to be
controlled by the company thru man
ager by 1t selected, and to be rented at a
reasonable price for the purposes for
which 1t Is constructed Yours respect
fully,
The Northwestern National Life 1nsur-
ance Company, by .
W. F. Bechtel. President.
Working Out the Plans.
Immediately after the project was
under way, Mr.. Bechtel and A. B.
Chamberlin of Bertrand & Chamber
lin, the company's architects, left for
an inspection tour of the west to ex-
anime auditoriums and organs. The
mormon tabernacle and the auditori-
UNI Of the Stanford university at Palo
Alto Ats afforded the best ideas. Plans
Will not fully materialize until Mr.
Bechtel has seen the Boston Music
hall, Carnegie hall in New York, the
Cincinnati Music hall and, possibly
the Orpheum at St. Louis. e.'.sf
The auditorium will approximate in
interior arrangement the Salt Lake
tabernacle and will stand about 1OC
feet on Nicollet by 1853 on the street
1t Will be detached from the heating
plant and from the office building
which will probably measure SIS By
100 feet. ~
Inc seating capacity will be $500
Sufficient stage will be provided. with.
out competing with present theaters
and places Of public amusement, tc
put on the Roosevelt productions an6
the university senior class plays, i.
q rising tier of seats will be built TO,
a chorus Of 400.
Another feature under considera,
t!on IS an arrangement whereby tn.
| sloplng floor bearing the seats ma,
| be removed in sections leaving a, lare,
hall with open level floor suitable 70!
| large banquets or balls In this case
serving and dining-rooms would b.
provided beneath the big stage, Com
|
the biggest, busiest conventions will
pc provided, and the usual boxes an,
loges Will grace the main auditorium
4 fhere will be one balcony. 4v - ~
.. Free Weekly Concerts.
Nor is this all. The big hall is t,
| nave great organ-an instrumen
liner than anything in the northwest
ee Taad Bechtel promises to fint
$4,000 of the $4,000 which the orga1
will cost. .: -
This instrument will be used for tn
pubic good In way which will Civ
a great impetus to MINNEAPOLIS must
cal interests. In view of the fact tina
the 100000 in insurance will com
In without the expense Of agents com
missions, the company will have !
fund for operating the auditorium as
public utility. One afternoon eacl
week the hall will be heated, eve,
lighted If necessary and thrown ope
to the public for free concerts or orga
rec1tals. Programs and performer
are to be supplied by the public spirit
ed musical organizations of the cit,
which Will jump at the chance. Th1
tunfty ever offered these Organization
! to serve the community.
Big Thing for the City.
It does not take seer to perceiv
the advantages accrufng to the cit
from this auditorium.
There will be at last a suitable plac
Tor public school graduations. Thes
have been driven about from pillar t
post.
Musical organizations will have
home and suitable concert hall an
= will grow accordingly. 1
Minneapolis will be able to bi
more strongly than ever for great cor
ventiOns.
Also, the Symphony orchestra, no
In Its first season, will be less apt t
: lead precarious existence. Mime
apolts business men have furnished
> guaranty fund Of $4,000 for this fir!
season and owing to the inability t
hold an auditorium of large capacit
thru the season, this fund may /
drawn upon heavily. With a larg
conveniently situated auditorium
: patronage would be such that the OF
. chestra would be permanent withol
, calling upon guarantors
All which explains why certain wei
known gentlemen have put the
shoulders to the wheel and are solicit
ing insurance. Within the next fe
every public spirited Minneapolis
will have the chance to subscribe an
{ continuation Of the liberal spirit q
, ready evinced means speedy realiz:
. ton Of a. plan which means much
the city.
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY