Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1909-02-10

Then came the panic of 1873, which
worked as great havoc, owing to Ger.
tain circumstances that are familiar
history, in Minneapolis as at any point
in the country. Here the rare quail
ties of Mr.. Lowry's mind and heart
stood him in good stead, as they have
since at other critical points in his
career. Though the prosperity of
Minneapolis was apparently crashing
about the ears of it's citizens, Mr..
Lowry saw beyond the shadow to the
sunshine that it's location and the de-
velopment of the rich country of
which 1t was the center, must bring
again. He met every reverse philo.
sophically and kept his hope and faith
during the dark years of 1874 to 1877.
In the meantime other Minneapolis
citizens had brought into being an in.
rant enterprise, small and feeble in
its infancy, and giving little apparent
promise of it's giant growth and
sarength. This was a street railway.
AS the owner of large amount of
suburban property Mr.. Lowry's inter.
est was aroused in the little horse
railway of few miles in length, as a
means of bringing the then outlying
districts" nearer to the center of the
city. Interest in project meant, to
Mr.. Lowry, an exhaustive analysis of
its possibilities, and he soon became
an active member of the newly organ.
lied streetcar company.
In 1879, the financial panic ended,
Minneapolis began the astounding
civic development and growth in bust.
ness activity and Importance that has
never been equaled, save by Chicago,
by any city in the world. Through all
these wonderful years Mr.. Lowry was
leading figure, one which could i'll
have been spared by Minneapolis or
by the Northwest. In the extension of
his interests, particularly those of the
Twin City Rapid Transit company, he
kept pace with the country and the
city of Minneapolis. This brought him
into intimate touch with the financial
centcrs of the East and of the old
world, and his personal activities
were of a magnitude to make him
one of the chief agents in attracting
worldwide attention to Minneapolis
Importance and manifest destiny as
the Industrial center of a large por-
ton OF the United States. Much of
the foreign capital that has gone into
the building of this city and it's sur
rounding country may be traced to his
personal influence, and in a thousand
direct and indirect ways he has serv-
ed his city while serving himself and
his immediate business associates.
His work brought him into close
relations with Eastern capitalists,
which resulted in his identifying him.
self with New York club life. He
was member of the Union League,
Century, Manhattan, Metropolitan,
Lotus, Lawyers and the New York
Athletic clubs, and the Chicago club
of Chicago.
This company was at first regarded
merely as means to an end; an in.
strument to develop the real estate
interests Of the city. But, as every
one knows, it laid the foundation Of
Mr.. Lowry's fortune and became the
enterprise to which he devoted the
hoct aff0rtc 0f &c
portant years, growing rapidly to it's
present position as one of the fore.
most street transit companies in the
world. covering several cities and
sending out long lines of suburban
track, manufacturing and using hum
dreds of modern cars and giving EN-.
ployment to several. thousand men.
For many years before his death Mr..
Lowry was president and financial
head of this company.
Another great transportation enter
prise which Mr.. Lowry was a chief
force in developing is the Minneap.
oils, st. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie rail-
road, Familiarity known as the $500"
There is no need to go into detail re.
garding Mr.. Lowry's connection and
influence with the development of this
great railroad line, amounting now to
an important system" When he be.
came it's president in 1890 it had 1888
miles of track. At the present time
it has 2,340 miles.
These two enterprises are those
with which Mr.. Lowry's name mas
been most prominently and Familiarity
associated. But they fall far short in
telling the story of his manifold activ-
tiles. No new industry that has de.
sired to enter the city, and that SEEM
ed to promise permanent benefit
thereto, has ever appealed in vain to
Mr.. Lowry for aid. He believed in
Minneapolis, loved her faithfully and
long, and has left upon her an i'm
press that time can never efface.
1t is impossible to write of Mr..
Lowry's characteristics, without not
ing his diftldence in regard to public
acknowledgment of his services to
his city, state and country, and his
shrinking from publicity for publ
city's sake. This quality, while it
added to his personal charm, will
make a complete record of his activi-
ties and benefactions impossible.
These are enshrined in the hearts of
those who received them, and in the
memory of his innumerable friends
they need no emphasis. His recrea-
tiOnS We're of the Simnloct hic ho,,aa