The Minneapolis journal., 1906-11-25
XXhat Xdslt+ The he FiEst AHSfiean e CITY to
BuildiEe.r Hdl1 .Aoc = omplirhod

north side, toward the lake. This is
separated from the old city hall by a
narrow street. 1T is proposed to tear
down the old city hall and erect there a
building for; the public library and
these two buildings are to form the
entrance to the group plan, the street
between the two being widened: On
the west of the government building is
a quarter of the public square laid out
in the form Of park. On the east Of
the public library ssto be small pub
lie park which will balance the public
square park. Between the two build
lngs will open a wide street which will
form the entrance to what is to be- the
Mail. S. In the centergof this will be q
by lawns, walks and driveways. Trees
will be set out there, trimmed to a con-
jventional~ design.~-aThis M all will lead.
thru to the brow of the hill overlooking
the lake. At the, north or lake end
viii be the new courthouse ~on one side
and the city hall on the other: = The
| architecture of both will be identical
with That of the government building
and the public library: The ground has
been purchased for the site of. the
courthouse and the contracts have been
let for that building. The commission
having charge the erection of this
structure decided upon granite, since
the government building is to be of
granite. The differenc ces in the cost is
some $200,000, The newspapers, max
ing a strong plea for. favor with the
labor unions. have favored sandstone,
since that is produced in this territory.
The. contention has tied the contract; up;
n the courts 5on an injunction. Over
80 per cent Of the land for the city
hall has been purchased and recent re-
ports have it that E. other apieces, of
ground have since: been bought. =. :
The keystone. to- the group plan is
supposed to be the new union passenger
station to be erected by the three rail
roads using the old structure. This
building is much needed and the rail
roads have made plans that will entail
an outlay OF between $6, 600 900 and
| 81 ,O00, 900. In connection with this
{ building there will be an elevated rail-
road Io across the entire front Of the city,
that Is, across the; lake front and the
river bottom, which are depressed
about 100 feet below the: mean level Of
the city. The railroads in order to get
|. possession Of the site, which will make
their station the skeyst one to the group
plan. will have to come into possession
Of what is know: as Lake Front park.
Ihls was decided to the city as a public
park, with the provision that, if it was
heirs heir ct Ct TIE original q own would have
presents complications difficult to over
|5comes city has tried to avoid
these mplieations, by purchasing the
reveFsionary rights in the property
with a view to turning them over to the
railroads. This has raised a public
clamor. =
i There has been another difficulty
The distance between the front of the
government building and the proposed
site of the courthouse is a matter of
four SQUARES. That part of the city is
now the .'bad lands.n 1t was. once the
center Of the fashionable section of the
/! city, but the old houses there have
! been converted into low saloons: and
/! places that have been a stencil in the
! public nostrils for years. This section
! has formed black line. keeping the
better classes away from the lake front
! at Its most attractive point. 4 Whereas
Cleveland was formerly located on the
lake front, the business section. has
been gradually getting further and fur
ther inland. It is necessary to the sue
, cess of the group plan that this land