Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-18

< St Paul, Mimi, July 17.-In few
American municipalities have the
citizens themselves raised more re-
markable monument to their public
spirit than have the people of Saint
Paul, in building and presenting TO-
the city for the perpetual benefit of
the$public, one of the finest auditor
iumH buildings in the world, seating
6,000smore people than the New York
Hippodrome, and 9,4S1 square feet
larger in base area and larger even
than the Madison Square Garden and
seating 1900 more people than does
even that famous structure. i Now
thatzit is completed and has proven
its exceptional adequacy for the pur-
poses to which it is devoted, it has
become an object of especial satis-
faction and pride to all the thouB-
ands who,t, moved by generous am
bition for a greater and better city,
gave: so freely towards it's erection.
The enormous structure was con-
ceived in April 1905. On the elev-
enth of December of the same year
the first contract was awarded and
operations on a convenient site al
ready purchased were commenced.
The April agitation for the erection
Of a suitable building was a spon-
taneous revival Of the old time de-
mand for a town hall" of suitable
proportions and consequences to fit
tingly entertain the people of one of
the most beautiful cities in the Unit
ed state1 and their guests. In May
a committee Of eleven was chosen to
build building, with Phil w. Her
zog, a mild-mannered business man
at the head. No more competent
manager was ever selected, in any
city, for the enormous work of rails
ing funds and vivifying the project
with life. and thorough business
sense. ! Az. IS
This building is to be built at
once" Mr.. Herzog announced, and
he suffered no bending of his will.
He collected around him the best
men in the city, organized the pro-
ject, as he would have handled the
management Of huge business pro-
Iceland on July 10 a mass meeting
was called in the city council cham
bers and the plan tersely put before
the. people of the city. When the
doors closed that night $4,000 had
been subscribed and people were
everywhere hunting for their check
books. Within few days more than
$150,000 had been subscribed. In
early September, with more than
100000 subscribed, the committee
selected a site. Contracts were
awarded, the building was built, and
on its completion was turned over to
the city of Saint Paul as an edifce
belonging to the public forever.
The first opportunity the people of
the city had O fviewing the beauti-
full structure came on the night Of
the opening ball, on the anniversary
of the beginning of the auditorium
movement, at which 1000 couples
occupied the stage at the same time,
while 10000 people looked on.
Many months later, when Saint |
Paul entertained Secretary Taft, g.
900 people sat down to dinner in |
honor. of the famous guest, On the
stage alone. Through the great |
arches opening from the street to |
the e stage, four-horse tally-ho
coaches loaded with people are fire..
Quently driven, and during the early
months Of the present year full
fedged circus and Wild West show,
complete in every detail, with rings,
aerial artists, troops Of horses and
all the usual circus features gave /,
performance. after performance on
the huge stage, and was not hamper
ed in the least degree for either
space or: height overhead. On sew
eral occasions 10000 people have |
been seated in: the. building at the 7
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