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

sound by a disinterested expert en-
ployed by T h urnaa. the cam.
paign Is due to experience a Still
greater impetus.
! Subscribers are not asked to give
something for nothing. The insur-
anoe they take, according to Mr.. Wen
del's report, Is we'll worth what 1t
costs. 1t affords ample protection for
the family of the insured should he
die. But it also will contribute ma
4 terially to protecting his family at
concerts Roosevelt club plays Or pub
lie school conmencements. This Is d
dual form Of policy never before Of
fered here.
A Long-FeIt Want.
Had it not been for the Iroquois
( theater catastrophe in December. the
Minneapolis auditorium plan would
doubtless have dragged along as it has
done for several years. Long ago 1t
Became apparent that there was
crying need of such an institution
i With the development of the musical
Interests thru the growth and sue
cesses of the Philharmonics, the
Apol1os, the Ladies' Thursday Musi-
Gale and the Symphony orchestra, the
mittedly Imperative. An auditorium
fund. was started and received small
additions from various sources, but
the auditorium still seemed far, far
( away This was before the North
! western National Life plan had doomed
up. p
Last August the insurance COM
pany. acquired handsome site at
Eleventh street and Nicollet avenue
for an office building. The property
was 100 feet on the avenue by 16S on
4 Eleventh street. The adjoining 10
/ feet on Nicollet avenue, including the
former residence of the Methodist
| bishops, was acquired by gentlemen
i connected with the company, so that
plenty Of space was available for the
structure. At this time there was no
idea Of the auditorium.
Not the Cdmpany's Scheme.
It should be borne in mind that the
plan of securing an auditorium thus
did not originate with the Northwest
ern National nor did that company try
to force it upon the community.
Rather, it recognized its obligations
as a Minneapolis institution and &C
ceded to request to lend it's tnf1u-
ence and its capital to supply lack
which was keeping the city back.
{. At the Commercial club one day F.
G.. Smith and Frederick Fayram of the
Philharmonic met w. F. Bechtel,
president Of the insurance company.
Messrs. Smith and Fayram asked if
the company could be induced to ar
Eange its building plans to include an
auditorium in return for a liberal sub
scr1ption Of insurance. Mr.. Bechtel
regarded the plan as feasible but the
crate course of concerts in progress at
the International Auditorium and ne
gotiations for the new auditorium pro-
ceeded with deliberation.
= Then came the Iroauois theater
catastrophe and the agitation which
followed rendered homeless the Phil
harmonics and other organizations
An emergency existed and the dis
dressed sought and found aid. w. l.
Harris, president of the Retail Mer-
chants association: Colonel F. M
Joyce Of the Apollos, and Mr.. Smith
FOR the Philharmonics went at the
matter in earnest and induced Mr.
Bechtelto formulate definite pro.
posal. Then the Commercial club was
appealed to-. In the meantime the
Roosevelt club, the Thursday Musi.
Gale, the Teachers club and the Wen.
nerberg Choral club had joined the
movement
Commercial Club Takes Hold.
AS is the custom with the CONNER
Cial club, the request was referred tt
the public affairs committee. Which
in turn appointed an Investigation
committee of five: A. G. Paul, F. B
Snyder. w. burst, w. S. Dwinnell ant
L. B. Chute. This committee called
on Elmer H. Dearth, the state insur
ance commissioner, for a report on tn
companys condition. His reply wa
submitted to. the public affairs com
mittee and in turn to the board of di
rectOrs after unanimous approval
The board held two meetings, ad
journing to a subsequent day at tn
request Of the Life Underwriters as
sociation that they might appear will
q protest against the club Endorsement
The protest was presented and the re
quest to defer action two weeks wa
not acted upon. Following the retire
ment Of the underwriters the boar
ment Of the plan by the public affair
committee. w. b. Bechtel and Judg
w. A. Kerr. officials Of the company
not voting.
Thereupon W. Y. Chute, chairma
Of the public affairs committee, ap
pointed an auditorium committee wit
\ A. Q. Paul, who holds an importan
position as head of the Commerce.
4 clubs committee on finance, tn
chairman. The committee: A. {
Paul. w. L. Shepherd, F. M. Barnard
T.. r. Salisbury, w. P. Devereau1
Arthur j. Dean and r. E. Holtol
This committee has been amplifed g
follows:
a For the Philharmonic Club--Messrs.
7 g. Smith, FL w. Freeman and w.
Hunkins.
For the Ladies' Thursday Musical
Mrs. q. 3. Kicker, Mrs. Seba Brown ar
Mrs. Hector Baxter.
For the Teachers Club-Professor G. Y
Hail. Miss G. M. Macomber and J.
Painter, ...
For the Wennerberg Choral Club
Messrs, Axel Anderson, Swan Nelson ar
Or. G. s.. Lofquist. .... Nv j..
AIT HALF MAST