The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-19
CLEARS THE WAY
FOR NEW THINGS
VALUABLE TERMINALS TO OC
CUPY SITE OF BURNED MILL.
Destruction of the Old Diamond Mill
Will Permit Partial Realization of
Plans for Extending the Wholesale
and Manufacturing District North
ward. Z. -. - : - - - -

It is not customary to rejoice over
tion to gloat over the calamity brought
to property interests by the destruction
Of the Diamond mill Monday night.
However, it is the opinion Of N orth Side
business men that if this particular fire
had to come, it could not have occurred
at time when it would be less de-
plored.
The Omaha Railroad company has
been wanting to get thru at this point
with it's tracks, and the fire clears the
way for it. AS soon as the debris can
be moved, the railroad company is ex-
pected to fill the space with sidetracks.
Nearly two years ago the railroad ac-
quired the land between First street
and the river for an extension of it's
storage and trackage yards from it's
former yard limit at Tenth avenue N to
Twentieth avenue. Land was bought
thru and altho some tracks were put in,
the Diamond saw mill and the Diamond
Iron Works have proved distractions to
the full development Of the plan. A
lease was given to the two established
industries, which expires next year, and
they were allowed to remain. With the
burning of the sawmill, however, the
lease, SO far as that property was con-
cerned, is in such condition that in all
likelihood work will begin soon upon
the clearing up of the debris and the
use of the land for tracks. F..
Notwithstanding the fact that the
burning Of the mill takes away the pos.
sibility Of the employment Of $50 men,
the removal Of the mill will result. in
an Improvement which is in the end ex-
pected to mean even much more to the
business north Of Tenth avenue. .-l 49,.
! The Omaha 8 idea is not to use the
tracks altogether for storage Of their
own cars, but for the use of North
Side business men and houses. The
completion Of the plan will result in the
establishment of warehouses and other
forms of business buildings to take ad
which are growing scarce in Minneapo
| lis. IT,. ~
| Altho the full carrying. out of the
scheme cannot be accomplished until
the expiration of other leases, the re
moval Of the mill will enable the Omaha
to add tracks at once to its present
capacity. .z.......s- =
Taken with the w. B. Boardman plar
fol-, the extension of three Burlington
the alley between Washington ant
Third street. from Fourth to Tenth ave
nues N, the business men Of this section
of the city profess to see COLDER
future for the business interests of tht
North Side. - -. 1885, .-
Already wholesale and manufactur
ing business is being crowded out from
the center Of the city by expansion ant
the resulting lack Of room, and thu
Boardman and the Omaha schemes ar
destined to relieve the situation and ar
bound to further the plans of it,
residents and the North Side CONNER
cial club for grand business develop
ment.
While the Boardman project is pri
marily to relieve the wholesale conges
ton, the Omaha. plan is little large
and more general in scope. The Omah'
trackage will extend ten blocks farthe
facturers as we'll as to the jobbing an
fuel trade.