The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-29

home of the greatest horse
market in the west. Years ago
n The Transfer used to be the
twin CITY. stockyards: When
the Swift plant was established at
South st. Paul it compelled the stock
yards to center at that point. But the
horse dealing which had also estab-
and seemed to prosper thru the re,
moval of the other livestock market.
The Minnesota Transfer is geo.
graphically the natural place for 9
horse market. 1t is the distributing
point for the entire northwest, and at
the same time is the one point where
shipments Of horses can be brought in
with equal convenience by all railroads
running into territory where the deal
ers make their purchases. AS the north.
west develops, SO increases the demand
for. horses, and so continually will in
crease the size Of the Midway horse
market.
The Midway decade or SO ago was
far from being the Midway Of today
in the district where the horse market
is located, the north side Of University
Avenue extending number of blocks
down from Prior. Small barns have
been supplanted with immense stables.
Small running lots for horses have
given place to enough fenced-in acres
One firm alone has forty acres of run
ways for its horses. This particular
firm is the largest individual horse
dealing firm in the country, Barrett d
Zimmerman; a firm Of men who have
come to the front thru their own ener-
gy, thru honest and extensive dealings,
snd-last, but not least-thru the most
extensive advertising.
Advertising Made Them.
eft is advertising that has made
u.s. freely admits M. Zimmerman
The firm name is. always before the
public in some form of advertising.
perhaps, hereditary. His father before
him operated a successful stock farm;
When hardly 16, Zimmerman found
himself with a little barn back of a
feedstore at 217 Washington avenue
N, Minneapolis. The barn contained
but two or three stalls, yet here, in
a small way, he began the business
which was eventually, to make him the
little place he occupied for two years,
lSS0-lS82. By progressive steps he &C.
cupied different buildings, till he finally
found himself doing a hourishing bust
ness at the corner of First avenue and
Fifth street, W here the Boutell build
ing is~~now being rebuilt. Here he
handled the business of the streetcars
Gin those days all cars we're drawn by
horses), and in 1888 was the mainstay
of the streetcar company at the time
of the strike. About the same time
Zimmerman was the man who supplied
the then flourishing Herdic bus line
with all it's horses.
New Firm Is Formed.
Eleven years ago Mr.. Zimmerman
absorbed the horse business of j. D.
Barret, who had a stable at Second
street near the old Pence operahouse,
and took in Barrett for partner. The
auction business Of the new firm soon
grew so large that other quarters had
to be sought. Far-sighted in business,
Mr.. Zimmerman conceived the idea of
the Minnesota Transfer. There land
was cheaper and shipping and receiving
facilities were unsurpassed. A site was
accordingly purchased, where the firm
is now located, and a barn SO by $50
feet erected. The first year in this
location 1000 head Of horses were
handled. In later, years the Barrel &
its present size-200 by 500 feet-with
numerous additional smaller buildings
also occupied by the firm in the neigh.
, borhood. And the business has in
creased till the firm now handles 10000
head a year.
Back of the main barn, tho firm has
a new forty-acre tract, commonly
termed "the feeding lot The Zim.
norman horses are carefully looked
after. No horse is allowed to stand
on the plank floor Of the barn too long
And if he is poor when received, he is
Immediately turned loose in the feeding
lot. This "lotn easily holds 5000 head
Of horses.
Traded Horses for Land.
In 1894 Barrett & Zimerman were a
great aid during the hard times to those
who had to have horses to continue
their business, but who could not pay
the cash. In this way the firm hap.
pened to supply many lumber concerns
in cut-over timber lands. At that time
these cut-over lands were almost worth.
less, and went for few dollars per
acre. They have since increased vastly
in price, however, and today Barrett &
Zimmerman are just throwing them on
the market, finding really purchasers at
from $S to SIS an acre. The firm has
$4,000 acres to dispose of. -.
Not only has the land become valu-
able, but on their. holdings have been