Minneapolis City (part 34 of 80)

ducted under a lease from the Gilsons, who still own the property, by Alessrs. Shattuck and Wood. It has lately been quite thoroughly overhauled and im¬ proved. It has two hundred and thirtyfour guest chambers, and is thronged from the beginning to theendoftheyear. No dull times ever strike the Nicollet. Other hotels are more modern in st3de, and more luxurious in appointments, but none surpass it in substantial comfort, and none equal it in accessibility. The iflace is a land mark, and the origninal lot is a good guage of land values. In 1855 Col. Stevens bought the land of the Government for $1.25 per acre. Two 3^ears later the lot sold for $4,000. To-day it would bring, if offered in the market, not less than $200,000.

Theaters And Places Of Amusement

In the early da3^s of Alinneapolis its amusements were few and of the sim¬ plest kind. The founders of this great northwestern metropolis led an active busy life, and were bent more upon ac¬ quiring homes and developing the im¬ mense resources of the countiw than to elegant and refined entertainment. But with the rapid settlement of territory a proportionate increase of wealth, and the means to gratify the natural human inclination for diversion and amusement.

The earliest place for theatrical per¬ formances was known as Woodman's Hall, and was siHiated at the corner of what is now Second avenue south and Washington. It was owned by Ivory T. Woodman, and his first attraction was the old Sally St. Claire troupe. In a few years both actors and audience felt the need of more room, and a second theatre, more adapted to the growing town, was built at the corner of Second avenue north and Second street. This was st3ded Harraonia Hall, and at once became the favorite place of amusement. Here John Templeton, Alice Vane and little Fa\' Templeton are among those who gave to the theater the lustre of their presence. In 1864 Harmonia Hall, an edifice of great pretension, was erected at the corner of Washington avenue and Nicollet. In the year 1867 the Pence Opera House was built at the corner of Hennepin avenue and Second street, and in 1871 the Academy of Music was built by Joseph Hodges. Of all these places the Pence Opera House is the only one yet open tothepublic. But the progress in the way of more elegant and complete jdaces for theatrical display has been rapid, and in keeping with the city's strides in other dii'ections, and now Min¬ neapolis theater goers are accomodated with some of the most elegant and modernh' equipped theaters on the continent.

No house can boast of more modern and complete appointments than the Grand Opera House, near the corner of Nicollet and Sixth street. It was built by a wealthy sydicate of gentlemen, and opened to the people Alonday, April 2, 1883. During that week there were given eight grand musical performances b3'the first complete grand Italian Opera Troupe to visit Alinneapolis. Alinnie Hauk and Marie Litta were the principle stars. Since then the attractions played at the Grand have been of the highest order. It has a seating capaciU' of about 1,500. It is a fine stone-front building, and the interior ari-angements are artistic and elegant.

The Bijou Opera House is one of the iriost successfid and popular theatres in the northwest. It was built b\' Lambert Ha\'s, a prominent business man, and opened October 31, 1887, as a stock compan^^ February' 1, 1889, it passed into the hands of Kohl & Middleton, of Chicago, and in Jid\', of the same 3'ear, Jacob Litt became the lessee, and made it one of combination of ])0]3ular jiriced houses. Ihider his management it be¬ came ver\' poprdar and holds its ])lace among the leading theatres of the da^-.. Air. Frank L. Bixb\q a veteran showman, had the active management. He was siicceeded bj' Theo. L. Ha\'es, his former treasurer, who has made the pla\diouse verA'popidar with the amusement loving population of Alinneapolis, and jilaced the theatre on a more successful basis than ever before.

On the morning of December 28, 1890, the house was visited with a conflagra¬ tion which totally destro3'ed the build¬ ing. With characteristic energy, the owner, Lambert Hayes, made prepara¬ tions to re-build, and on the 13th of April, 1891, the doors of the new Bijou were opened to the public. From that time on its success has been uninterrupt¬ ed. The front of the building is a model of architectural beaut3', and no expense has been spared in fiumishing the interior. Its present manager is Mr. Theo. L. Ha3^es.

The L3"ceum Theatre is situated near the corner of Seventh street and Henne- ])in avenue. It was opened in September, 1887. It was erected b3^ the .firm of Sackett & Wiggins, at a cost of over $150,000, and is one of the handsomest places of amusement in this part of the country. Its attractions consist mosth' of lectures, concerts and light opera. This theatre is also owned 1)3' the S3'ndicate of gentlemen who own the ground, and is under the same management. Its large auditorium will seat about 1 ,800 ])eople.

The I'ence Opera House is one of the venerable land marks among the tem])les of historic art in Alinneapolis. It has been the scene of many triumphs, and is still run as a vaudeville theatre. It is o])en nearl3' eveiw night in the 3'ear and docs a thriving business.

The Palace Museum is owned by Messrs. Kohl & Middleton, and managed by Mr. Fred Pride. It has on exhibition many of nature's wonders, and gives in addition an excellent entertainment at low prices.

There are besides these regular thea¬ tres, a number of concert halls, where local entertainments are held. Prom¬ inent among these are Dyer's Music Hall and the Century Concert Hall.

The Minneapolis Choral Association, which has a membership of one hundred and fifty voices of both sexes. They meet weekly in Dyer's Hall. Samuel A. Baldwin is their conductor, and they have given the " Messiah," " Eliza" and other oratoi'ios, besides a variety of other class music.

large membership. Their musical director is Richard Stempf. The3^are well drilled in German part songs and choral work of that nature. They meet in Harmonia Hall, which property they own.

The "Normannes" and " Scandina¬ vians " embrace the Swedes and Danes. They are both men's choral clubs, and have attained a high state of efficiency under competent directors.

Another musical organization which deserves a place in the record of the pro¬ gress in that line is Danz's Concert Orchestra, led by Frank Danz, Jr. It is composed of thirty-eight members, all of whom are musicians of the very highest order. They give weekly concerts at Harmonia Hall, plajdng the very best orchestral compositions.

There are a number of Shakespeare, Browning and other literary clubs in the city, all of which add to the intellectual developement of her social system, and cultivates a high standard of moral and mental refinement.

By R. J. Baldwin

The commercial interests of Minne¬ apolis depend upon and have been de¬ veloped by her rail connections. Al¬ though situated upon the great river of the continent, her water communications have been little more than a dream. The steamboat traffic upon the Upper Alississippi, although large, and in the in¬ fancy of the town affording facilities for both passenger and freight business, has become insignificant in comparison with the railroad transportation. The com¬ mercial and manufacturing business of the cit3" had their beginning with the ad¬ vent of the railroad, and have increased to their present stupendous magnitude, contemperaneouslj' with the extension of the railroad connections.

The scheme of railroad lines devised 1)3' the Legislature of 1857 under the act of Congress granting to the State of Min¬ nesota alternate sections of public land, provided three lines for the accommocTation of Minneapolis. The Minnesota & Pacific, commencing at St. I'aid and touching St. Anthon3' on the East Side of the Mississippi river on its wa3' to the Manitoba boundaiw in the Red River Valle3', with a branch line crossing the river at Minneai)olis and extending in a northwesterlv direction to Breckenridge on the western boundaiw of the state. The Minneapolis & Cedar Valle3' runningsouth to the Iowa line, and a branch of the Southern Minnesota from the Falls of St. Anthon3' to Shakopee, where it connected with the main line from West St. Paul to the southern boundaiw of the state in the direction of Sioux Citv, Iowa.

The collapse of the financial scheme for building the lines, based on an issue of state railroad bonds, left Minneapolis, as it did the State of Minnesota, without a single mile of completed road. The franchises pertaining to the several lines were preserved and granted to other companies, so that in 1862 the first line of railroad reached St. Anthon3' fi'om St. Paul, and was extended in sections to Anoka, to Sauk Rapids and finalh' to the Red River. The next line to be con¬ structed was the Minnesota Central, which commenced running trains from Alinncapolis to Faribault in 1865, and was opened successively to Owatonna and Austin, and finally reached the Iowa state line in 1866. The branch line of the Minnesota & Pacific was constructed across the river in 1868 and opened in

The Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company havingsucceededto the owner¬ ship of the Minnesota Central and of the Chicago Railroad Company, built its St. Paul and river division to LaCrosse in 1867, and although it had received a bonus from the cit^^ of St. Paul of $100,000 in the bonds of that city, ex¬ tended its tracks to Minneapolis by way of Fort Snelling, without any bonds from this city; and afterwards, in 1881, built its short line from St. Paul, run¬ ning over the magnificent iron bridge below the cit^'.

Meanwhile, the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad Company receiving a grant of swamp lands from the state, had constructed its road from St. Paul to Duluth. The people of Minneapolis having made an ineffectual struggle in the Legislature to have the line of this road located by way of St. Anthon3% feeling the importance of a direct com¬ munication with water transportation on the great lakes, revived the charter of the Minnesota Western R. R. Co., granted by the territorial legislature in 1853, and with the aid of a bonus of v$100,000 in bonds of the cit}^ built a line in 1871 connecting at White Bear with the St. Paul and Duluth road. This was the nucleus of the Minneapolis and St. Lotiis Railway, which, with the further aid of $150,000 in cit3^ bonds, extended the road in 1877 from Minneapolis to the Iowa state line, bj" wa\^ of Albert Lea, and afterwards to Fort Dodge, Iowa, and built a branch westward into Da¬ kota. The building of the Alinneapolis & St. Louis Railroad was iindertaken b\' a number of enterprising citizens of Min¬ neapolis beeause the directory of the St. Paul & Siotix City Railroad, which had succeeded the Southern Alinnesota, per¬ sistently refused to build the branch pro¬ vided for from St. Anthon3'-, in the Legis¬ lature, and for which the land grant had been turned over to that eompan3". Its construction, with other causes con¬ nected with the growing importance of Minneapolis, has resulted in the route of the St. Paul & Sioux City road being discontinued from West St. Paul to Shakopee, and in being transferred to run by way of Minneapolis and over the very bed of its competitor; but onW after the control of the road had passed from the St. Paid direetory to the present Chicago, St. Paid, Minneapolis & Omaha ownership.

The Northern Pacific Railway having been constructed from Lake Superior aeross Northern Minnesota and Central Dakota, sought a connection with the rail lines running to Chicago and east¬ ward, and in 1879 secured a conneetion under the name of the St. Paul & North¬ ern Pacific, from its line at Brainerd to Minneapolis, using however the track of the Alanitoba road from Sauk Rapids to St. Paul. In 1884, this road obtained the exclusive use of the Manitoba track to Minneapolis, and the St. Paul, Alinneapolis & Manitoba transferred its main line to the west side of the Mississippi river, building a new track from Minne¬ apolis to St. Cloud.

B3^ these several lines Alinneapolis had secured a connection with the great lines of transportation northward, west¬ ward and southward. It had also con¬ nection eastward by wa3^ of tlie Great Lakes during the summer months, butin the winter its Eastern traffic was forced to go by way of Chicago, and make the great southern detour of Lake Mich¬ igan. The line of road opening direet communication at all seasons between Minneapolis and the Atlantie seaboard was completed in the latter part of the year 1887. It was the Minneapolis,

The Manitoba has completed a link in its system within the last 3'ear, connect¬ ing its road at Elk River, on the Missis¬ sippi, by way of Princeton and Mille Lac, to Lake Superior. Connection is made with the Canadian roads at the SaidtSt. Marie and with the Michigan lines at St. Ignace, on the Straits of Mackinac.

Other roads having southern or east¬ ern connections, stimulated by the won¬ derful commercial growth of Minneapo¬ lis, hastened tomakeconnections with it. The Wisconsin Central; Chicago, Burling¬ ton & Northern; Illinois Central; North¬ western; St. Paul & Kansas Cit\'; Rock Island, and Hastings & Dakota have either built extensions or secured run¬ ning connections with Minneapolis.

At the close of the present year, 1889, there are 20 independent lines of railway from Minneapolis, reaching ever3' part of the United States penetrated Iw the iron rail. British America from Quebec to Columbia; Montana, Idaho, Wash¬ ington and Oregon; California and the Pacific coast; Omaha, Kansas Citj', St. Louis and New Oreleans ; Milwaukee, Chicago and Cincinnati, and the Atlan¬ tic coast from the St. Lawrence to the gulf, are all directh' accessible bj' rail.

Statistics given elsewhere in this arti¬ cle show the varieU' and wonderful ex¬ tent of this commerce. Minneapolis is a distributing point. Her trade is one of exportation as well as of importa¬ tion. Besides the ordinaiw merchandise which is received from the east and south for distribution to the north and west, she is the largest receiver of wheat and exporter of its products in the United States, leading the inland markets of Chicago and St. Louis not onl3',but also the great ports of cx])ortation. New

York, Boston and San Francisco. Her manufactui'e and exportation of lundier and its various products constitutes one of the largest industries of the countiw. While the trade in the coarser cereals, fruits, vegetables, iron and machineiw is of immense magnitude and importance.

The passenger business of Minneapo¬ lis is accommodated 1)3' three depots - one used bv the Milwaukee & St. Paul S3'stem, one 1)3' the Alinneapolis & St. Louis, while the other roads make use of theUnion depot, a structure 65x270 feet, three stories high, with a clock tower 120 feet high, costing $282,390, and is centrallv located at the western end of the Suspension bridge. From this sta¬ tion 130 passenger trains arrive and de¬ part daih'.

The great metropolis of the North¬ west, of which the Twin Cities of St. Paid and Minneapolis form contiguous divisions, is the terminal point of the rail¬ road S3'stems from the East, South and West, and the starting point for those running North and Northwest. But thei'e is little trans-shipment of freight. The Minneapolis Eastern railroad is a local line of one and one-half miles in length, which transfers cars from each line to all the others in the Cit3' of Alinneapolis ; while the Minnesota Transfer, having about eight miles of trackage midwa3' between the two cities, effects a convenient and economical transfer of cars from one line to another.

The magnitude of the transportation terminating at Minneapolis will be ap- ])reciated 1)3' considerating the single item of wheat and flour. During the year 1891 there were received 57,000,000 bushels of wheat, requiring for its trans¬ portation 96,351 cars, or 264 cars for ever3' da3' in the 3'ear. Thus the wheat and flour alone required the daib' load¬ ing and discharging of over 562 cars per da3' for everv da3' in the vear.

Of all commodities there were received during the year 204,407 car loads, and shipped 189,821 car loads, or an average of 1080 ears for each day in the year.

In comparison with the above tables the following statement of theeommerce of Minneapolis for the year 1861 is given by J. A. Wheelock, commissioner of sta¬ tistics, in his report for that year;

The commissioner naively adds to this statement; "This does not include the business. done with St. Anthony on the other side of the river, of whieh I have been unable to obtain a statement."

No doubt a considerable part of the business of Minneapolis reaehed therwer at St. Paul, for which city the same au¬ thority states, the number of steamboat arrivals to have been 937, and the ton¬ nage for 1860, with 775 arrivals, 18,279 tons.

The most effieient organizer and inde¬ fatigable promoter of the railroad system of Minnesota was the late Edmund Riee. Having seeured the passage of the land grant aet of 1857, and proeured the dis¬ tribution of the lands among the several companies securing charters, he became president of the Minnesota & Pacific Company, and sacrificed time and labor and estate in promoting its construc¬ tion. The financial depression which fol¬ lowed the panic of 1857 was unfavorable for obtaining capital from abroad to embark in railroad construction in an unsettled country, even with the attrac¬ tion of the rich dower of lands. The scheme of issuing state bonds to aid in the construction of the roads was au thorized in 1858. With the aid of these the compatu' was enabled to grade its road from St. Paul to Clear Lake, Q2V2 miles, and to introduce a single locomo¬ tive into the state, when, through inabil¬ ity to sell the bonds, the scheme broke down, and after ineffectual attempts to enlist foreign capital, Mr. Rice was com¬ pelled to cdeld control of the enterprise into which he had put so much enthu¬ siasm. A contract was finally effected with the firm of Winters & Drake, of Dayton, Ohio, under which the first ten miles of road was completed to St. Anthony, so that on the 28th day of June, 1862, the first locomotive reached the present city of A'linneapolis. The terminus was on the pi'airie cast of the State University, and remained there for a long time. The road was re-organized under control of the Messrs. Litchfield, of New Yoi'k, and with reviving confi¬ dence and rapid development of the resources of the state, both the main and the branch lines were completed. But

With an influx of emigration, the compan3'was re-organized in 1879 under the skillful and energetic management of James J. Hill, supi)orted by the late Norman J. Kittson, its lines extended througli Dakota to Alontana, and through Manitoba to Winnipeg, and its finances placed upon a solid foundation.

To this road Alinneapolis owes its first access to the northwest, and with its completion began her commercial supremacv. The management spared no expense to accommodtite the business of this cit3', spanning the Mississippi at the falls of St. Anthon3'with a stone viaduct of 27 arches, costing three-quarters of a million dollars; transferring its northern branch line to the west side of the river, and finally erecting the commodious Union Depot to facilitate the business of its own and allied roads. The Manitoba S3'stem now operates over three thous¬ and miles of railroad.

The discouragement and depression succeeding the breaking down of the five million loan scheme resulting in the for¬ feiture of all the lines of the land grant roads to the state, induced the fornuition of a project to abandon the former system of roads, and to attempt to con¬ struct a trunk line to run from St. Cloud, bv wa3' of St. Paul, to La Crosse, validitating the state bonds alread v issued as an inducement to their owners to invest additional caihtal in the construction of the trunk line.

This project was stronglv su])ported 1)3' contractors and capitalists, who held the state bonds, and received much favor in the Legislature of 1862.

resided in St. Anthony, advocated the project, while the late F. R. E. Cornell in the house, and R. J. Ballhain in the sen¬ ate, strenuously opposed it. The contest in the Legislature was a warm one, hut the advocates of preserving the original scheme of roads prevailed by a narrow majority. This was a vital crisis for Minneapolis. It left her with an ecpial opportunit3^ to secui'e railroad advant¬ ages with her rivals.

In carr\dng out the policj" of preserv¬ ing the original scheme of roads, acts were passed in 1862 granting the fran¬ chises, lands and road beds already partialU' graded pertaining to each line of road, to citizens interested in each line in trust, to secure the construction of such line at the earliest possible time.

The framing of these acts required great skill and care. Manj' of the legal questions involved were novel and intidcate. No precedents could be found pre¬ senting the same conditions. The consti¬ tution forbids the creation of corpora¬ tions by special charter. The rights granted Iw the orginal charters, and the properties acquired had been forfeited and revei'ted to the state. Was it possible to regrant the forfeited franchises with the rights, privileges and powers of the orig¬ inal charters? These questions were set¬ tled and the main features of the new leg¬ islation devised b\' the late F. R. E. Cor¬ nell, a member of the House of Represent¬ atives from Minneapolis, and John M. Berr\q a senator from Faribault, both afterwards judges of the supreme court, who bestowed upon the subject the ut¬ most care, and brought to it their rich store of elementary legal principles. The questions thus settled b\' these eminent jurists have since been reviewed in the couiTs, and in every case have been sus¬ tained in the highest judicial tribunal of the state.

was thus granted to citizens living along theline, among whom Messrs. T. A. Har¬ rison, Franklin Steele, E. B. Ames and R. J. Baldwin represented Alinneapolis, who organized a corporation under the the name of Minneapolis Faribault and Cedar Valley Railroad Company, and commenced negotiations for the con¬ struction of the line. They had the fran¬ chise of the road, lands pertaining to the line, and seventy miles of road graded by the original company. In some respects the line was changed. The first company had located it to the top of the bluff south of Fort Snelling, whence it wms to cross the Minnesota by a high bridge three c^uarters of a mile long, and this was declared by high engineering auth¬ ority the only way to cross the Alinnesota gorge, and had been declared im¬ practicable, and was thought to inter¬ pose an insurmountable barrier to the construction of a I'ail road fi'om Alinneapolis in that direction.

D. C. Shepherd, a civil engineer then residing at St. Paul was employed to survey a new line, and he succeeded in finding a practicable route under the Mississippi bluff, and a crossing of the Alinnesota by a low and short bridge, which was adopted and the road con¬ structed upon the new line.

After long and anxious negotiation a company of capitalists was formed who agreed to take the property and constuct the line from Minneapolis to the Iowa line. Selah Chamberlain of Cleve¬ land, Ohio; Alexander Mitchell of Mil¬ waukee and Russel Sage of New York were leading members of the company, all largely interested in the Milwaukee and La Crosse railroad, and Air. Cham¬ berlin was one of the largest owners of the repudiated State Railroad bonds. Notwithstanding the financial strength, and high character of the gentlemen, the trustees of the old company re- quired oftheni a deposit of $100,000 as a guarantee of good faith, to be retvtrned upon the construction of the road from Minneapolis across the Minnesota river. The new company organizing under the name of Minnesota Central Railwa\' Company', completed the line from Min¬ neapolis to Faribaidt in 1863, and the following year to the Iowa line. This line was afterwards extended through Iowa to McGregor opposite Prairie du Chien, and became the Iowa and Minne¬ sota Division of the Chicago, Milwau¬ kee & St. Paul railroad, and furnished to Minnesota her first rail connection with the East. To aid in the construction of this road, and especially to secure the location of its machine shops, astdiscription was made by a number of leading citizens, amounting to about $9, 000, with which the five blocks adjacent to the Falls of St. Anthony were purchased, and water power to operate the shops was denoted b\' the Mill compaii}'. This property, consisting of the depot and yard of the C. M. & St. Paul railway in the city of Alinneapolis, has reached a value probably exceeding a million dol¬ lars.

The Minneapolis and St. Louis Rail¬ road was in its origin and construction distinctively a Minneapolis enterprise, with the exception of the late Gov. C. C. Washbrirn, the stockholders were resi¬ dents of the city, and Gov. Washburn was so largely interested in milling, and spent so much of his time in the city, as to be claimed as a resident. The first object was, as has been already stated, to affect a direct connection with Lake Supei'ior by the construction of a line fifteen miles in length to White Bear lake, where junction was made, with the St. Paul & Lake Superior road. The next object was to reach the wheat growing districts of Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa, and thus furnish wheat for the .large milling interest which was growing up at Minneapolis, as well as an outlet for the large lumber product. It was the first attempt in Minnesota to build a line of railroad without a land grant.

The Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad Compaii}' was organized under that name May 27th, 1870, with H.T. Welles as ])resident ; R. J. Baldwin, treasurer; W. D. Washburn, vice-jmesident ; Isaac Atwater, solicitor and secretar\q and J. B. Clough, engineer. The board of direc¬ tors were: H. T. Welles, W. D. Wash¬ burn, J. S. Pillsbury, Isaac Atwater, W. W. Eastman, Levi Bulter, R. J. Menden¬ hall, J. K. Sidle, R. J. Baldwin, R. I*. Russell, W. P. Ankeny, W. W. McNair, John Alartin, W. P. Westfall and Paris Gibson. The executive committee con¬ sisted of H. T. Welles, W. D. Washburn, J. S. Pillsbur}', L. Butler and W. W. AIc- Nair.

Subsequently Mr. AVells retii'ed from the presidency and W. I). Washburn was elected in his place, and brought to the prosecution and successful completion of the enteri)rise his well known energy and enthusiasm.

The road having been completed and the local objects sought accomplished, the stock was purchased b^' persons in¬ terested in the Rock Island railroad, and became a part of that extensive system.

On the 7th of April, 1873, Governor Israel Washburn, of Maine, addressed the Board of Trade of Minneapolis on the desirability and ju'acticability of a rail connection from Minneajiolisdirecth' east Iw way of Sault St. Alarie to the Atlantic seaboard. He set forth the fact that in the growth of the Northwest a vast region would become commercially tributary to Minneapolis, similar but of gi'eater magnitude to that which had built up Chicago, and that with a direct eastern connection Alinneapolis would enjoy advantages equal to those wliieh Chicago had possessed, and that a me¬ tropolis would grow up here equal to the then Chicago. What was then prophecy has become realization. The Twin Cities, composing one commercial metropolis, contain to-day a muchlarger population than did the Chicago of 1873.

In the summer of 1889, Air. Wash¬ burn having been elected to the sen ate of the U. S., Thomas Lowry was chosen president. The first section of the road, from Turtle Lake, in Wisconsin, to Bruce, was completed in 1885,. The road was extended to Rhinelander in 1886, and completed to the Sault St. Marie, and from Minneapolis to Turtle Lake during the last days of 1887, a magnificent line of road 496 miles in length. Aleanwhile the line of the Canadian Pacific had been extended from Sudburj" Junction to the Sault, and a magnificient international bridge thrown across the St. Mary 's river, thus forming an unbroken railroad line from Alinneapolis to Alontreal, Portland and Boston.

While this line was in construction, the same management, under the strde of Minneapolis & Pacific, had construct¬ ed a railroad line from Alinneapolis westw-ard to Boynton, D. T., a distance of 286 miles, and had under construction another line from Aberdeen to Bismarck, D. T. These several roads were consoli¬ dated in June 1888, and under the name of the Minneapolis, St. Paul & 'Sault Ste Alarie Railway Compan3^ now own and operate (except an unfinished portion at the west end) a line of railroad from Bismarck, b\' way of Alinneapolis to the Sault, some seven hundred and eight\'- one miles in length. Recently an'angements have been made for extending this line to a connection with the Canadian Pacific Railway, at Regina, which will give to Minneapolis another trans-con¬ tinental line, besides connecting her with the vast northern system of the Cana¬ dian northwest. This was the crown¬ ing work in the railroad development of of Alinneapolis, assuring her commercial supremac}^ and independence.

Street Railway (by Frank J. Mead) . The history of a community largely' con¬ sists of the history of its various indus¬ tries, while enterprises of every character, when traced to their original source, are found to be merely the history of the efforts of one or more individuals. Auaman can plan a great enterjirise, but he who can so plan an undertaking that it may be successfully canded out in all its essential details becomes the successful man of business.

Minneapolis has been esjiecially blessed since the date of its first settle¬ ment, in numbering among its citizens men peculiarly gifted in organizing and bringing to fruition large enterprises. Away back, anterior to the war. Judge BradlcA^ B. Aleeker, one of the pioneers of this city, secured a charter for a rail¬ road connecting Minneapolis with St. Paul by the shortest possible route, and gave to his dream of future enterprise the sounding title of " The Air Line and Hour Line Railway." This was too chimerical. Early citizens full}' believed that in the evolution of the great west Minneapolis and St. Paid would some time be eonneeted by a railway. But the idea that trains would be I'un thereon regularly every sixty minutes was too entirely preposterous to be fora moment entertained by any praetical business man whoeoveted the reputation of beingguided in affairs of life Iweommon sense.

And yet this thought of Judge Meeker's was the first expression of an idea whieh has been followed out and gradually developed, until to-day the people oi these two eities gi'ow impatient at loss of time while they wait five or eight minutes for the departure of the eleetrie cars which carry them from the heart of one eity to the eenter of the other in forty-five minutes.

It is only, therefore, giving the just guerdon of honor to Judge Meeker to say, that he was the original discoverer of the idea of the electric si'stem of rail¬ way which now binds Minneapolis and St. Paul together as closely as though they were but one undivided munici¬ pality.

The first actual move toward the es¬ tablishment of a street railway in Min¬ neapolis, however, was made in 1873. In June of that year, Dorilus Morrison, W. S. King, R. J. Mendenhall, W. I). Washburn, R. B. Langdon, J.C. Oswald, W. W. McNair, \V. P. Westfall, Paris Gibson and W. W. Eastman associated themselves together and incorporated the Minneapolis Street Railway Com¬ pany. A steam moterwas purchased at Ilion, New York, and a track laid on Second street, from Hennepin avenue down nearly to Cedar, but the enterprise finally collapsed, and the track was re¬ moved without ever having served the purpose it was intended for.

Col. W. S. King, deserted the street rail¬ way enterprise, and it was not until 1875 that any active endeavor was made to revive the project. During the summer of this year, Col. King made himself useful by striving to direct pub¬ lic attention to the growing necessity of a complete street railway system. He secured the co-operation of Philo Osgood, a gentleman of large capital, James Tuckernian, Amos H. Prescott and Mr. Dickerman, all of Ilion, N. Y. These gentlemen partook of the enthusiasm of Col. King, and came to believe that the enterprise was one of actual merit and could be made profitable from the start.

The conservative capitalists of the infant metropolis looked askance at the new scheme. Nearly all of them had been residents of the city since its infanci' and could scarcely believe it possible that the time had arrived when a street rail¬ way system would pay a respectable annual dividend upon the large sum nec¬ essary to construct and equip it.

At this point the new blood whieh was beginning to circulate in the veins of the infant metropolis began to make itself felt. Thomas Lowry, a young lawyer from Illinois, had taken up his residence in Minneapolis a few years prior to this event, and had become largely interested in real estate transac¬ tions. It came into his mind that inde¬ pendent of the absolute demand of a street railway per sc, such an institution would have a tendency to enhance the value of suburban realty, and would make it possible for laboring men who were, because of limited means, deprived of the privilege of securing homes with¬ in the business limits of the eitiq to pur¬ chase lots in the suburbs, and thus add immeasurabU' to the possible growth of the city.

Mr. Lowry, reorganized the company, with a paid up capital of $250,000, elected new directors and let the contract to build the fii'st line. The initial point of this line was on Washington avenue at Fourth avenue north, near the pas¬ senger station as then located, of the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad. This line continued down Washington avenue to Hennepin, thence down Hen¬ nepin to and aci'oss the old suspension bi'idge to Central avenue E. D.; thence on Central to Fourth street, and down Fourth to the University, or rather, to Thirteenth avenue southeast.

Thus the new enterprise was born, and on the second day of September, 1875, the first car, a modest one, propel¬ led by one-horse power, was run the en¬ tire length of the line. The same year an¬ other line was constructed down Wash¬ ington avenue to Nineteenth avenue south. In 1876 the Washington avenue line was extended along Nineteenth ave¬ nue south to Riverside avenue, and down Riverside several blocks. Aline was also built out Hennepin avenue to Twelfth street, and down Twelfth to Portland avenue. At this time Col. W. S. King was the leading and dii'ecting spirit of the new enterprise. He pushed the work with his well known vigor and enthusi¬ asm. His chief assistant being James Tuckerman, who had been constituted manager. Thomas Lowry had been elected vice-i^resident of the corporation, and while the first lines were being con¬ structed devoted his time and energy to establishing confidence in the new enter¬ prise. Most of the business men of the city still regarded the actual cash value of shares as extremely small, and their future enhancement as at least problem¬ atical. Col. King held the controlling stock for the first two years, but as the revenues continued to increase Mr. Lowry become more and more convinced, that

But the struggle for existence began in earnest after Mr. Lowry had obtained control. Most of the residents of the cit3% who possessed wealth resolutely re¬ fused to believe that the venture would prove profitable in the end, and so held aloof, compelling Mr. Lowiw to search for the necessary capital in the Eastern nione^' markets. Year by year extensions wei'e made and new lines built, and it was the constant personal struggle that Mr. Lowry was compelled to make to secure necessary funds which gave him his wide familiaidty with the financial magnates of the Eastern cities and of Europe, a familiarity he has since utilized to bring millions of capital to Minneap¬ olis for investment in vai'ious enterprises.

One peculiarity has always been not¬ able in the history of the Minneapolis Street Railway Company, notwithstand¬ ing the marvelous growth ofthecity, the street cars, even in the primitive days of the faithful old horse and the uncertain mule, have always kept in advance of actual development, and there has been no real cause for complaint because of a lack of efficient service. It has been the effort of the company to keep the lines a little in advance of the limits of popula¬ tion, and thus furnish the public a cer¬ tain means of intercommunication.

This company has been the leading factor in building up and developing the outlying districts of the city. It has made it j)OSsible for the laboring man to purchase a home in the suburbs and yet be promptly at his work in the center of the city at any given hour. It has aided the growth of the city in innumerable ways. No more enterprising compan\^ has blessed any city in the land than the Minneapolis Street Railway Company.

Commencing witli the crudest of crude jdants it has never failed to adopt im- ])rovements as rapidly as they were brought to its notice, until it stands toda\' a perfectly ecpiipped system of su¬ burban and interurban transportation unexcelled In- any compaiiA' in the world.

All this has not been accomplished without great labor and much pains. Obstacles, ap])arently insurmountable, have been overcome, and the company has "kept up with the procession," not¬ withstanding the city has grown with greater rajjiditt' than anj' community hitherto known in the history of the de¬ velopment of the municipalities outside of the mining districts of the countiw.

Two years ago, in 1889, when elec¬ tricity was developing as a motive jjower for street railways, the compan3' caused to be put in what is known as the Fourth avenue line as an experiment. The result proved a perfect success, and the comi)an3' then undertook the marve¬ lous transformation of its entire S3"stem from horse to electric power. Few of the tens of thousands of citizens who glide safeh' and rapidl3" through the cit3' on the cars, comprehend what it cost in dollars and cents, not to speak of faith and energ3', to make this change. The original S3'stem was narrow gauge. The cars were eight feet long and of the "bob tail" Yariet3'. Gradualh' these were replaced Iw those of 10, 12, and 16 feet in length, until the3' weie all relegated to the rear by the change from horse to electric power. This change was like a fairy transformation scene. In 15 months the narrow gauge track of the entire S3'stem of 115 miles was torn up and relaid broad gauge, and that, too, without serious interference with the daih' travel. The old track had been laid with iron, weighing from 21 to 38 pounds to the 3'ard. The new was laid with iron weighing 60 to 78 pounds to the vard. All the cars worth changing were transformed from horse to electriccars, and all the labor jierformed at the minimum of discomfort and inconven¬ ience to the business of the cit3'. The ecpii])mcnt of the road was doubled and a new power house was built, which now shelters two, among the largest and most complete engines in the world, furnishing 4,000 horse power at this time, soon to be increased to 5,500 horse power. Twelve hundred laborers were emplo3'ed on this work, and it was onlv accomplished in the Indef time allowed, 1)3' working both da3' and night crews a portion of the time. In onU'thi'ee i)laces in the world are the engines used in driv¬ ing the d3'namos ec[ual for power, and the immense belts used in the power house (made in this cit3') are the largest in use in the world, being 73 inches in width. The fly wheels are 28 feet in diameter.

In 1879 Col. William AIcCroiw secured a franchise from the Minneapolis Street Railwa3' Compan3' for the construetion of a steam motor line on First avenue to Twelfth street, thenee to Nicollet, out Nicollet to Thirt3'-first street, and thence to Lakes Harriet and Calhoun. In 1885 Col. McCror3' sold this line to C. A. Pillsbur3', James J. Hill and S. S. Small, who continued to operate it. From the ineeption of this enterprise, however, there was eontinuous and bitter opposition on the part of man3" residents alongthe line, to steam being used as a motive power for street transit. In 1888 the Minne¬ apolis Street Railwa3' Compan3' i)urehased the stock of this road, and when electricit3' was adopted, as a finalit3' in the wa3' of power, the line was also transformed, and is now one of the main electrical arteries of the city.

development in the city, and singular to say, Messrs. Anderson & Douglas, agents of these foi'eign capitalists, were backed by a large majority of the citizens of Minneapolis.

Fortunately the City Council did not see fit to involve the cit3' in an intermin¬ able law suit by granting a competing franchise, and at the same time handicap both companies, thus preventing the rapid completion and perfecting of the system. The right to use electricity as a motive power was granted by the Coun¬ cil to the Minneapolis Street Railway" Company, and as a result Minneapolis has to-day the most perfect and complete spstem of suburban transit of any city in the world.

After the franchise question was fin¬ ally settled, the problem was presented to the company': "What system shall be adopted?'' It was perfecth^ apparentto all that horses and mules as motive X30wer for cars were doomed. Up to this time electricity^ as a motive power was still considered in the experimental stage.

It was therefore determined to at once put in two cable lines, and the company^ yvith customary' energy, proceeded to build tyy^o immense powerhouses, and to get together material for putting in a cable at the earliest possible time in 1890. Meantime the Thompson-Houston Electric Company had submitted a proposition to the companj' to build and equip one complete line of Electric railyy'ay at its own expense, the Street Car Company to take it off its hands at a certain fixed price after it had been dem¬ onstrated that ityvas an assured success. Earl3' in 1890 this line yyms completed, and notwithstanding some slight drayvbacks, it yvas pronounced by both expei'ts and the general public as the ideal system of urban transportation. Then the cable projects yy^ere dropped and the compan3' proceeded yyfith all the force that money could furnish to transform every line in the city from horse to elec¬ trical poyver. The result is noyv ( 1891 ) before the MinneajDolis public in a com¬ plete electrical system of urban, subui'ban and inter-urban cars,yy'hich trans¬ port passengers from the furthermost limits of Minneapolis to the outermost limits of St. Paul, for the pittance often cents. Eveiw section of the city is cov¬ ered by railroads, making it necessar3^ for passengers in any section of the city to yvalk only two or three blocks before finding cars to transport them to the business heart of the cit3', or to the remotest districts of St. Paul, as the case may be.

From the beginning of its history the Minneapolis Street Railway Compan3' has striven to be a conscientious and painstaking servant of the public. Its officers and managers have ney'er meddled yvith politics, or tried to direct events further than its oyvn rights and legiti¬ mate interests yvere concerned. It has only endeavored to give the peoj)le of the cit3' the very best seryfice attainable yvith money', and a comparision yvith the history of other enterprises of like character yvill justif3' its claim that no street raihvay corporation in the woidd has succeeded more perfecth' in accomp¬ lishing its objects than this compan3'.

Mr. Thomas Loyvry, the president of the corporation, has from the beginning managed and controlled the finances of the compaiw, and C. G. Goodrich, the vice-president and general manager, has superintended the mechanical depart¬ ment and active operation of the lines.

At this writingthe Minneapolis street raihvay system consists of 115 miles of track, and is being rapidly extended in evei'v direction in advance of the popula¬ tion. It is furnished yvith 160 motors, (using both theThompson-Houston and the Sprague machines) and 480 cars in- eluding motors. It has one powerhouse in the city furnishing electrical j^ower to the amount of 4,000, and soon to be inci'eased to 5,500 horse power. It em¬ ployes 1,000 men regularly, and its monthly pa^' roll amounts to $40,000. Its reeeipts annually have increased at the generous rate of 30 per cent, since the first year of its existence, but the money expended in its creation has far outrun its receipts, and will take many years of lucrative business to pay the principal and interest of the immense sums which have been expended in bring¬ ing it to its present state of perfection. Meantime our citizens are enjoying the benefits of the most complete and best managed street railway system in the world.

T HOMAS Lowry. Amongthe men who have settled in Minneapolis since the Civil war, few are more prominent at home or more widely known abroad than Thomas Lowry. In his large publie spirit and generous helpfulness, not less than in the ample wealth which his enter¬ prise and sagacity have aceumulated, he stands among the foremost publie men of his city. He was born on the 27th day of February, 1843, in Logan countx", Illi¬ nois, and is now in the very prime oflife, in perfect health, and in the enjoyment to the fullest of every one of his bodih' and mental facidties.

His father was Samuel R. Lowry, born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1808. His mother was Rachel Bidlock, a native of Harrisburg, Pa., who died in early wo¬ manhood, leaving a family of small ehildren. The father was a farmer, who had located in central Illinois in 1834, when it was a eomparative wilderness, and young "Tom" grew to manhood sur¬ rounded by like influences and atmos¬ phere as Abraham Lincoln. Six children were born to Samuel Lowiw and his wife, three of whom died in infancy. The onl\' sister of Mr. Lowry died in this city a few years since. His brother, William Ross Lowry, enlisted in the war in the Second Illinois Cavalry in 1861, serving until the close of the struggle, and died of consumption on the ever memorable day of the assassination of President Lincoln. Mr. Lowry is therefore the last surviving member of his father's famih".

Thomas Lowiw received a common school education in his native county, passing the earl\' years of his life after the manner customary with farmer's lads. At seventeen years of age he en¬ tered Lombard University at Galesburg, Ills , where he completed his education. After leaving school he took a trip to the west, spending a 3'ear or more on the Missouri river. Returning to Illinois he entered the law oflice of Judge C. Bagh' in Rushville, remaining there until he was admitted to the bar in 1867.

"I had heard of the fame of Minne¬ apolis," said Mr. Lowiw to the writer, "and was completeh' infatuated with the desii'e to eome here and make my home. As soon as my studies were com¬ pleted, and I had been admitted to the bar, I started at onee for Minnesota, and have never regretted it."

He arrived in this cit\' in Juh', 1867, and at once opened a law office in the Harrison Block for the practiee of his profession. The first few months was a repetition of the experience of all voung attorne3^s - hard times and few elients. But soon the admirable personal cjualities of the 3'oung attorne3" began to manifest themselves, and business came rapidU' to him. Within two 3'ears he had built u]i a good business and was doing well financial^". In 1869 he en¬ tered into partnership with Judge A. H. Voung, a business eonneetion which lasted until his jiartner was apjiointed

On the 14th day of December, 1870, Mr. Lowry was married to Miss Beatrice M. Goodrich, daughter of Dr. C. G. Goodrich, at that time a leading physi¬ cian of the city. Of this marriage there has been born three children, two daughters and a son.

No more sturdy or energetic represen¬ tative of the class of self-made men can be found than Thomas Lowry. Origin¬ ally a farmer's boy, he grew to manhood on the prairies of the great West. Seek¬ ing the new and growing village of Min¬ neapolis after the close of the war, his keen intelligence early perceived the wonderful possibilities of rapid growth centered here. In this municipal devel¬ opment he early became a prime factor. Poor in x^urse when he arrived in Minne¬ apolis, he was rich in health and the abounding energy of youth.

The second period of prosperity and activity in the real estate business had just dawned in the infant metropolis, and Mr. Lowry soon had his hands full of business in supplying the spectdative demand. Gradually his own realty be¬ gan to increase. Almost imperceptibly he was withdrawn from the practice of law and forced into another field of more active usefulness. As the village ex¬ tended its limits and began to take on the character of a city, the courage and faith of this young operator strength¬ ened , and the possibilities of metropoli¬ tan greatness grew upon his imagina¬ tion. He bought lots and acres in every direction, and as his purchases increased values multixfiied enormously. At first he was not handling large sums of money. In those days of the city's early growth a few hundred dollars sufficed to obtain possession of large quantities of real estate. Gradually, however, as his circle of acquaintance widened, he began to do a large traffic with Eastern invest- i ors. His dealings were in all classes of " realty - business lots, residence lots, suburban acres, over which the iinjoetus , of growth must soon carrjrihe metropo- , lis - these were the possessions sought for and obtained by this daring young adventiirer. It is very easy to make a fortune in real estate so long as there is an active demand in the market, and the tendency of prices is constantly u^Dward. , But when all demand ceases, wdien ^mr- . chasers who were eagerly buffing and Xoaying enormous prices last w'eek, sud¬ denly become sellers, and the market breaks under the importunate and x^ersistent offers of their holdings at reduced X)rices, then comes the tidal x3eriod for the men whose sublime faith in the city's future has x^i'omxited them to burden themselves with unproductive realty. This was x^recisely what happened in Minneapolis in 1873. The failure of Jay Cook and the stoppage of work on the Northern Pacific Railway, x^ii'ecipitated a financial and commercial x^anic over the country. It operated very disastrously in Minneapolis, which had been the sup- Xily base for this gigantic undertaking, and the prosperity of the city was tem¬ porarily blighted like a late-sown field of wheat by an August frost. Real estate w^ent begging. Property within the business center did not decrease in value, but there was no demand for it for im- Xirovement, and outside or residence jiroperty become a drug in the market.

Air. Lowry was x3eculiarl 3" constituted by nature, as well as education, to weather the storm in such a disasterous i period. Possessed of infinitive patience i and good nature, x^erfect bodily health and power of x^hysical endurance that were absolutel3'' tireless, he met eveiw reverse with thecourage of ax3hilosopher ] and with the faith of the Martyrs of old. : The depression continued unabated dur- , ing the years 1874-5-6 and 7. But dui'- ing this period other citizens had brought into life another enterprise - small in its beginning, and not at all promising in the infantile stage of its existence. This was the street railway. Possessing a large amount of suburban realty, Mr. Lowry's attention was attracted to the horse railroad as a means of bringing the outlying district within eas}' distance of the business portion of the city. He was induced to take an interest in the new company - and here was laid the foundation of his immense fortune. What he had at first looked upon as a mere in¬ strument to develop and increase the value of his realty possessions, soon came to be regarded as the enterprise to which he was destined to give the entire energies of his life. In 1879 commenced that per¬ iod of phenominal business activity and the unexampled growth of the city of Minneapolis which electrified the coun¬ try, and has never been duplicated in the history of city building on this conti¬ nent. Mr. Lowiw continued his real estate transactions, but these had now come to be of secondary importance to his street railway interests. In extend¬ ing, improving and rebuilding these lines he was brought into intimate relations with the great financial institutions of the country. His intimate acquaintance with the financial magnates of the East¬ ern and European mone}" centers, has made him one of the most prominent agents in bringing to the notice of the world the importance of Minneapolis as a trade and manufacturing center, and the manifest destiny of its future great¬ ness. Probably no man in the entire West has a more extended knowledge of the great monc}' centers than Mr. Lowiw. 1 le has been a borrower to the extent of mill ions in developing his widely extended interests, and has been one of the chief

Mr. Lowry is one of the most ap¬ proachable of men. Springing directly from the ranks of the people, no man of wealth in the entire nation has oftener shown his sympathy with the laboringclasses than he. In the emjiloy of the various corporations with which he is connected, there is an arm3' of skilled and unskilled workmen. To ever\' one of these - and to all men in fact, he is acces¬ sible at all times; and every conqilaint of injustice or hardship meets with a prompt examination into the facts and a radical remedy where remedv' is called for.

The rectitude of his life ; his tireless energ3'^ in advancing the interests of the state and city of his home; his genial, kindly and generous personal attributes, need not be further dwelt upon. He is still with us, in the pride of a vigorous manhood, actively engaged in the bxisiness and social duties that make up the sum of life for men like him. Those who have known him longest and most in¬ timately, are the ones who are readiest to bear testimony to the splendid quali¬ ties of his heart and head ; and these, too, compose the army of his fellows who sincerely wish that he maj' long be spared to encourage and build up enter¬ prises that will redound to the rapid and andsidostantial develoi)ment of thegreat northwest.

Mr. Lowrj" at this time is president of the entire S3'stem of electric and street railways of the cities of St. Paid and Alinneapolis. He is also president of the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Sault St. Marie Railwa3', and the efficient financial man¬ ager of both svstems. But this does not give a correct idea of the multitudious duties and responsibilities of his active business life. Where the interests of the cit3" or state are at stake, he seems to be omnipresent. No new indnstrj^ seeks to find an abiding plaee in Minneapolis that does not first strive to secure the co-operation of Mr. Thomas Lowrr', and no legitimate enterprise ever goes begging for encouragement from him. He is the t^qfical representative of the city of his home in every good sense.

Since the foregoing sketch was writ¬ ten Mr. Lowry has been the recipient of a tribute of which any man maj'- justly be pi'oud. It was a reception and banquet by his fellow citizens of Minneapolis and St. Paul, in recognition of his services in furnishing the unequaled systems of elec¬ tric rapid transit in the twin cities, and connecting the two. It was held at the West Hotel in Minneapolis. The Gov¬ ernor of the State of Minnesota presided and several hundred of the most promin¬ ent representatives of the business and enterprises of the cities were in attend¬ ance. The elegant hotel was profusely decorated with the choicest floral pro¬ ductions, and the tables were spread with the rarest viands which the skill of the caterers could produce. Speeches were made by Archbishop Ireland of the Diocese of St. Paul, b3^ the Gov¬ ernor of the State, and Alayors of the two cities, and Iw man3^ of the leading representative men of the cities. The burden of all was the perfection of the electric S3'stem of urban and interurban transit, and the boldness and enterprise of Mr. Lowr3" in pushing it to comple¬ tion. His rephq though evincing a pal¬ pable embarassment from the profusion of eulog3q was fi'ankand modest, and ex¬ pressed a feeling appreciation of the un¬ wonted compliment, wfith an una¬ bated interest in the common work of upbuilding the institutions of the cities destined to be one great metropolis, on the basis of solid and enduring pros¬ perity.

Robert Bruce Langdon. The busi¬ ness of Mr. Langdon has been that of a railroad builder. Commencing as fore¬ man of a construction company on the Rutland & Burlington road in Vermont in 1848, he has been connected with the building of railroads in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Tenneesee, Alississippi, Dakota, Iowa and the Northwest Territor3u

Leaving his native state when twent3^- two years of age, in the employment of Mr. Selah Chamberlain, he came west engaging for several 3'ears under his em¬ ployer in railroad work in Ohio, and Wisconsin. His first contract on his own account was in fencing the Chicago & Northwestern road from Fond duLac to Alinnesota Junction. In 1853 he had charge of building a section of the Illi¬ nois Central railroad from Kankakee to Urbana. Then he was engaged in con¬ tracts on the Milwaukee & La Crosse and Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien roads. At the breaking out of the war he had been for a 3fear engaged in the construction of the Alobile and Ohio railroad, which he was forced to abanden by the commencement of hostilities. He had charge of the party that broke ground for the first railroad in Minneso¬ ta, in 1858. Associated with A. H. Linton and other gentlemen, he has constructed between six and seven thousand miles of railroad ; enough to twice span the con¬ tinent from ocean to ocean. He has like¬ wise been connected with the directon of some of the important lines of the Northwest. He was vice-iDresident and a director of the Alinneapolis & St. Louis railwa3q and is at present vicepresident of the Minneapolis Sardt St. Alai'ie & Atlantic railwa3u He has been activel3^ engaged in other entei'- prises, having built the canal of the Min¬ neapolis Mill Company in 1866. Sev¬ eral blocks of buildings in Alinneapolis at variotis times, and is now one of the directors of the Twin City Stock Yards of New Brighton, and is a director of the Cit}^ Bank. He is also interested in the wholesale grocery trade, being a partner in the honse of George R. Newell & Co.

The experience in financial and con¬ structive undertaking, gained by a long and eminently successful career, has caused Mr. Langdon to be sought as head or adviser in man\' business enterprises. The extent and vai'iet\' of these connec¬ tions are evidenced In^ the fact that he is president of the compaii}' which con¬ structed and owns the largest business block in the city - the Syndicate block ; of the Masonic Temple; of the Minne¬ apolis Club; of the Vermont association; of the Terminal Elevator Company, and of the Belt railway", connecting the stock yards at New Brighton with the interurban s\'stems of railroad.

Mr. Langdon was born in New Haven, Vermont, in 1826, where he grew to manhood, I'eceiving an academic edu¬ cation. His father, Seth Langdon, was a farmer, who was born in the same town. His grandfather was captain of a Massachusetts company in the Conti¬ nental army, and was present at the battle of Saratoga. At the close of the war he settled in Connecticut, but soon went to Vermont, where he was n pio¬ neer. The mother of Mr. R. B. Langdon was of an English family, bearing the name of Squires. He came to Minne¬ sota in 1858 and the following year was married to Miss Sarah Smith. Mrs. Lang¬ don was a daughter of Horatio A. Smith, a physician of New Haven. Mr. Langdon removed to Minneapolis in 1866, where he built a fine home on Tenth street. His family consists of a son, Cavour, and two daughters, Mrs. H. C. Truesdale and Mrs. W. E. Brooks, both married and living in the city.

At the general election in 1872 Mr. Langdon was elected to represent the district consisting of the northern part of the County of Hennepin, and a part of the City of Minneapolis, in the state senate; his colleagues from Minneapolis were John S. Pillsbury and Levi Butler. J. B. Gillfillin and C. A. Pillsbury. So satisfactory were his services as sena¬ tor that he was successively re-elected, serving without interruption until 1878. He was again elected to the senate from the same district in 1880 and served at the bi-ennial sessions of 1881-3, and 1885, making nine years of senatorial service. He was again the choice of the Republican party for the same office in 1888 but was beaten at the election by John C. Oswald, his Democratic oppon¬ ent, by a few votes. As a legislator Mr. Langdon was distinguished by close at¬ tention to his duties, by faithfvd at¬ tention to the interests of his district, and Iw sound and practical ideas. He served upon the most important stand¬ ing committees, such as elections, rail¬ roads, state prison, retrenchment and refoi'in. He was pre-eminently a busi¬ ness member, insisting upon economy in the ])ublic service, and strict accounta¬ bility in the ]niblic officers. He was a member of the State Senate at the Extra session called by Gov. Pillsbury to act upon the adjustant of the state railroad bonds, and gave to the final settlement of that long vexed question his supjiort, although he had long advocated a full payment of the obligation. In all the conventions at which he received a nomi¬ nation for senator he never had a eom- ])etitor, receiving all his nominations b}' acclamation. Alwa3's a stalwart Rc])id)- lican, he has often I'eprescnted his jmrtv in state conventions. He has been a delegate from Minnesota in three national republican conventions: I'irst, in 1876, at Cineinnatti, at which Presi- dent Hayes received his nomination ; in 1884, at Chicago, when James G. Blaine was made the republican candidate, and again in 1888, when President Harrison was nominated.

He is at the present time actively en¬ gaged in ^^reparations for the holding of the republican national convention in Minneapolis, being chairman of two im¬ portant committees, and a member of the general prudential committee.

Alonzo Herbert Linton. Mr. Lin¬ ton is a native of Johnstown, Cambria County, Penn., where he was born Novendier 4th, 1836. On the first of Sep¬ tember 1881, his parents celebrated their golden wedding, on which occasion was published an interesting narrative of their history, from which we condense a short sketch of the ancestry of Mr. A. H. Linton.

In the latter part of the last century there lived in Count_v Derry, in thenorth of Ii'eland, a Scotch-Irish farmernamed Will¬ iam Linton. The name is common in Scotland, where, as well as in England and in this country, it is coupled with distinction in art, in military service, and in other fields of usefulness. The famiU^ is undoubtedh^ of Anglo-Saxon origin. A son John, was well educated at Magilligan College in his native cotmtry. While still pursuing his studies hebecame involved in the iDolitical troubles that ctdminated in the rebellion of 1798, and was forced to fly to America.

He eventually settled in Cambria County, Penn., where he held various offices of honor and usefulness. His son, John Linton, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a merchant and also engaged in the manufacture of pig iron in Cambria County. He held various military commissions, was an active poli¬ tician of the whig part3^, and represented his county repeatedly in the legislature. During the rebellion, he was superinten¬ dent of militarv^ roads in the south, and held the rank and commission of major. He maiT'ied Adelaide Lacock, who was a daughter of Gen. Abner Lacock, a na¬ tive of Virginia, who settled in Beaver County at ari early day. He represented his district in congress, from 1811 to 1813, and the state of Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1813 to 1819, and held man;;' other positions of honor in the public service.

Alonzo H. Linton was the third of eight children. His boyhood was passed in his native town. The famil}^ removed to Rochester, Beaver Counts', Penn., when he was fifteen years old His school advantages were confined to his earh' r^ears, and to the common school, except a term at an academ\" near Harrisburg, while his father was attendingthe session of the legislatui'e. It is a common exper¬ ience in the life of successful men, that education is derived from an active life, and contact with practical business. The schools add a grace of accomplish¬ ment, but they cannot supply' the elements of character and capacity which win in the battle of life. The Linton family was related to a prominent railroad contrac¬ tor of Cleveland, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, with whom and his brother Selah Chambei'lain, of Cleveland, the young man engaged when no more thanfifteeen years of age and continued in various ca¬ pacities learning the entire details of a business which he has pursued for more than twent\' years in Minnesota, with consummate ability, and rare success. His first employment was as clerk in the supph' store, but soon afterwards was placed in charge of a gang of men enaged in grading a section of the Penn¬ sylvania railroad in the Allegheny mountains. He was sticcessively ein- ])loYed in a collector's office on the Erie canal and as ticket seller at a station on the P., F. W. & C. R. R., and then for a \ear on ajobof widening the Harrisburg and Reading canal of which Mr. Joseph Chamberlain was contractor.

About 1854 he accompanied Mr. Selah Chamberlain to Wisconsin, and was en¬ gaged under him in the constiniction of the La Crosse railroad, where he was clerk in the office, and ])a\miastcr on the work.

When the Minnesota S3^stem of rail¬ roads was undertaken. Air. S. Chamberlain took extensive contracts on the St. Paid & Pacific and the Minnesota Val¬ iev Division of the Southern Minnesota, and Air. Linton came with him in 1857 to undertake the work. He performed clerical work in the office, and was i)a\'- master. The next year he was sent to Chatfield, Fillmore Count\% Alinn., to dispose of a stock of goods. To utilize the state railroad bonds which were re¬ ceived in pavment for grading on the railroads, Air. Chamberlain became in¬ terested in a numlier of banks of circu¬ lation. Of these Air. Linton was an officer and the principal manager. Returning to Alilwaukee he was again empUwed in the office of the Alilwaidvce & La Crosse railroad companj^ until 1860, when he went to Cidia to take charge of a con¬ tract on the Ferro Carril del Oaste,aline of railroad running from Havana to Pina Del Rio. He was able to over¬ come the difficulties interposed b_v cli¬ mate, language and customs so difterent from those prevailing in thiscountiw, but when the civil war broke out the en¬ terprise had to be abandoned. Returning he S])ent a \"ear with his friends in Penns\'lvania. During this time he joined the militia of the state, and madeaeam])aign in the South, being near though not act¬ ually engaged in the battle of Antietam.

He was afterwards engaged for a short time in Nash's bank in Alilwaukee. The Alinncsota Central railwav' had passed into the control of capitalists, chieflv owning the Alilwaukee & La Crosse rail road, among whom Selah Chamberlain was prominent. When work was commenced under the new management in 1863 Mr. Linton was sent to take charge of the Minneapolis office, which was headciuarters of the road, and there he directed the local finan¬ cial management. Before that, however, he began contracting on his own account, b\' taking the section of the Aliiinesota Central road from Owatonna to Austin. In 1870 Air. Linton formed a partner¬ ship in the ixiilroad contracting business with R. B. Langdon, which has contin¬ ued to the present time. Their first un¬ dertaking was in building the river divi¬ sion of the Alilwaukee & St. Paid rail¬ road from St. Paul to La Crosse. Dur¬ ing these \'ears the firm has built ])ortions of the Alilwaukee & St. Paul, Hastings & Dakota, Chicago & North¬ western, Northern Pacific, Omaha, Soo Rv., AIinnea])olis & Pacific, Alanitoba and Canadian Pacific railroads. Of the last the\' built 700 miles west of Winnipeg. They executed contracts in each of the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illi¬ nois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Alinnesota and Dakota, besides the work in the Domin¬ ion of Canada. No less than 5,000 miles of railroad have been built bj' this firm in the Northwest during twenti' I'ears, and the\' are now engaged in railroad work. Think of the countless details involved in such a work ! of the immense responsibilitv of carrying it on ! The division of the firm's labor often placed Air. Langdon on the work and Air. Linton in the office, though he was bv no means uidamiliar with directing and overseeing the work in detail. He has done his share of knocking about the country and partaking the fare of the camp and caboose. The work aceompished without a single failure or mis¬ carriage, attests better than any ver¬ bal enumeration the eapacit}' of the mind and the energy of the hand, which has organized and directed it all.

Mr. Linton was married in 1866 to Miss Gertrude Darragh of BeaverCount}', Penn., who is a lineal descendent of an historie family - being the great great granddaughter of John Hart, of New Jersey, a soldier of the Revolution and vsigner of the Declaration of Independ¬ ence. They have four daughters, one ehild having died in infaney. The family has had a pleasant home on Sixth street south until the past year, when business demanded the site for its busy purpose. A beautiful home has been built on Pai'k avenue, in the colonial sHde, with tall columns spanning the entire height of the house - a unique and very pleasing feature. Mr. Linton attributes to his wife whatever may be attraetive in its plan. The labors of these years have not been so constant or engrossing as to jDrevent Mr. Linton from visiting all points of his native country, with excur¬ sions to Cuba and Mexico. Neither have they hindered him from engaging in such social duties as fall to the lot of the good citizen. For nearly fifteen years he has been a diligent vestryman of St. Mark's Episeopal Church. He is vicepresident of the old and staunch Cit\^ bank, and a director in the City, Union, National and German Ameriean banks, besides being a trusted member of other financial institutions.

Men rre by nature cast in different mordds. They are furnished with endow¬ ments of infinite variety and diversit3\ Combined they constitute that complex unit\% humanit}". Here is a man with¬ out scholastic graces, yet with a compre¬ hensive ability, who seldom appears be¬ fore the public, is unknown on change or upon the platform ; 3'et whose sound judgment plans gigantic enterprises, and whose indomitable energy earries them into successful execution.

The settlements of St. Anthon_v and Minneapolis, upon opposite sides of the Mississippi river, felt at an eaidy period the necessit^^ of convenient communica¬ tion. They commenced and grew to considerable towns, separate municipal¬ ities, and were onl\^ drawn together when the facilities for crossing the river, which separated them, had become frequent and accessible. Indeed the condition on which the former surrendered her city government and consented to be merged in the cit}' of Minneapolis, was the im¬ mediate erection of two free bridges, one above, and the other below the Suspen¬ sion bridge.

In territorial days, the only place where the river could l)e crossed was the rock ledge, above the E'alls of St. An¬ thony. In low water teams could ford the river at this point with no great difficult}'. Foot passengers were crossed in a canoe, landing opposite Boom island, and operated by an old Dakotah squaw. As travel increased Franklin Steele, who resided at Fort Snclling, and a consider¬ able part of his possessions were at St. Anthony, established a ro])e ferry at the point where the Suspension bridge was afterwards located. The immediate oc¬ casion was the blocking up of the road which led across the ford by the new dam on the east side, which was com¬ menced in 1847 and completed two years later. The ferry was o})erated by Capt. John Tapper, whose free and humorous conversation and love of practical jokes impressed all who had occasion to be put across the river.

No enterprise of the early settlers of St. Anthony is more characteristic of the push and energy of their characters, than the undertaking of first bridging the Missisvsippi river. It first took shape in obtaining a charter from the territor¬ ial legislature, which was granted on the 21st of February, 1852. The incorpor¬ ators were Franklin Steele, Henry H. Sibley, Henry M. Rice, Calvin A. Tuttle, Isaac Atwater, John H. Stevens, John George Lennon, John Rollins, A. E. Ames and I). E. Moidton, all of Minne¬ sota; and Robert Smith, of Alton; and Buel G. Wheeler, of Rockford, Ill. No steps were taken to build the bridge un¬ til the spring of 1854. Aleanwhile the necessity of some better communication was becoming more i)ressing. Settlers were selecting claims on the west side of the river, and were scouring the country l)eyond for eligible farms and town sites. On the 5th of May Thomas M. Griffith, who had been emplor^ed as engineer, ar¬ rived at St. Anthony and assumed the work of eonstruetion. A large force of men were put at work, the anchorages were prepared and bolted to the solid rock ledge, and the cables were spun and sti'etched across the chasm. These were four in number, each composed of 500 strands of No. 10 charcoal iron wire. This span was 620 feet, and the vertical deflection of the cables 47 feet. On the 5th of December the last floor beam was laid in its place, and the engineer invited the gentlemen of the press at the Falls with their ladies to cross. A temporary flooring of planks was laid, and the lit¬ tle party gaily crossed the great river on the first bridge that ever spanned its waters, amid the plaudits of amidtitude.

The completion' of the Suspension bridge for travel was observed by a grand celebration of citizens at the St. Charles Hotel in St. Anthony, on the 23rd of January. Nearly all the citizens on both sides of the river participated in the event. While the bridge was not entirely finished, yet it was thrown open to the traveling public. The toll house was completed, and the directors selected Capt. John Tapper to occupy it and I'eeeive toll. Twenty -five cents for a team and five cents for a foot passenger were the rates. The order of exercises at the celebration was as follows: First, citi¬ zens and the mechanics of the work with invited guests convened at the St. Charles Hotel at 1 o'clock, when a pro¬ cession of over a mile in length was formed, and moved from the hotel, headed by a band of music, all under the direc¬ tion of Dr. J. H. Murphy, marshal of the day, and Z. E. B. Nash, assistant, and Captain John Martin, standard bearer; and passed down Main street and crossed over to Nicollet Island, where a canon was stationed to boom forth the peculiar joy of the occasion. From the island the procession passed over the bridge into Alinneapolis, passed down Washington avenue, up second street to the bridge, re -crossed, passed down Main street, St. Anthonv, and up Second street to the St. Charles, where six long tables were spread with dinner for the company. The officers of the day were Win. J. Par¬ sons, pi'esident; [ohn G. Lennon, John H. Stevens, R. P. Russel and J. B. Gilbert, vice-presidents. After dinner toasts were drank, and responses madeb\" L. AI. Olds, Capt. J. H. Simpson, of the corps of U. S. topographical engineers; T. M. Griffith, engineer of the bridge ; J. H. Trader, Wm. P. Alurray, Oscar F. Perkins, H. H. Sible\y Geo. D. Bowman, proprietor of the St. Antliou}^ Express; Geo. F. Brott, John AIcM. Holland and Capt. John Tapper. Probably, says Col. Stevens, from whom this account of the celebra¬ tion is taken, this was one of the most interesting meetings that had been held in the village. On the 21st of March fol¬ lowing, a terrific wind storm swept over Alinneapolis. The roadway of the bridge was forced from the cables, the eastings to which the suspension wires were fastened giving away midwaj^ between the banks. The damages were soon repaired, and before summer the bridge had become a well patronized convenience. It continued the property of the corpoi'ation, yielding good divi¬ dends to the stockholders for about fif¬ teen years, when Hennepin county pur¬ chased the property, and soon after made the bridge free. In 1875 the origi¬ nal bridge was taken down and re-built, but with heavier material, wider road¬ way and higher towers. Sidewalks were added. The same engineer who had planned and built the oidginal bridge was sent for and had charge of the re¬ building. Its cost was $223,000.

When street railroads wereintrodueed the traeks were laid over the bridge. The inereasing traffie, which often crowded the bridge with vehicles, ob¬ structed as it was b\' the tracks, made it evident that the capacity of the bridge was not adequate to the demand upon it, and the council of the now consoli¬ dated city in 188B decided to remove it and build a steel arched bridge in its place. This was done under the plans and supervision of Andrew Rinker, city engineer. Abutments and a central pier for the new bridge were built, and the northerly half of the road bed was first constructed, leaving the suspension bridge for use while the work was going on. When this had been completed the sus]3ension bridge was removed and the other half was added. The bridge as completed is a vert' substantial struc¬ ture It is entirely of steel, with two spans of 280 feet. The roadway is 5G feet in width, with sidwalks on each side 12 feet wide. Two tracks for street cars occupy the outside space, leaving plenty of room for passing vehicles. The struc¬ ture is so solid that teams are allowed to cross without checking sjDeed, and under the immense traffic scarcely a tremor is perceptible.

The opening of the suspension l)riclge had the natural effect of stimrdating the building up the streets leading to it on the west side of the river. From its westei'n terminus the territorial road, now Hennepin avenue, led to the lakes, and thence to the fine farming country beyond them. Stores and shops rapidly concentrated about this central part of town. Land owners at the upper and lower parts of the town realized that other avenues must be opened across the river to maintain the i)restige of those sections. Accordingly charters were pro¬ cured for two bridges, which were built in 1857, one located at Christmas ave¬ nue, in North Alinneapolis, and the other at the foot of theFniversity hill,in lower town. The upper bridge was a veiw long structure of wood resting on log piers, placed upon a sandy bottom. The lower one rested upon jjiers of masonry, with frame work above high water mark. The banks were high, and the bridge - a truss one - spanned the deep chasm like an airy web. It was a really fine bridge. Roth were toll bridges, with the same scale of rates £is the older bridges. The}^ were local conveniences, and some im¬ provements were attracted to their vicinity, but they failed to divert the great tide of travel from Central avenue and Bridge street. After less than two years service, both bridges were carried awa}' b^' the effects of an unusually high flood of water in the river on the 3d day of June, 1859. Logs escaping from the booms and carried over the falls knocked ovit some of the central piers of the lower bridge, and the whole structure fell into the river, and floated oft' with the raging current. The sandy foundation of the piers of the upper bridge was iindcrmined by the furious flood, and it too fell into the river. It was greatly feared that the wreck would carry away the suspension bridge, but before reaching the place it parted into fragments and ])assed harmlessly under the structure. The stockholders of the two bridges were serious losers, and the public wjis inconvenienced, but as neither had earned dividends the loss was not so deeph' felt by the stockholders.

For the next thirteen years, the sus¬ pension bridge was the only avenue con¬ necting the two cities facing each other across the river. It was over crowded and serious inconvenience was felt, espec¬ ially by the heavy lumber teams, which sometimes formed an almost solid pro¬ cession across it. When the proposition was made in 1872toeonsolidatethetwo cities in one municipal gOA^ernment, and much opposition was aroused, especially on the east side, it was by the offer to enlarge the suspension bridge and build two new ones, at the expense of the consolidated city, that the opposition was overcome, and the union was ob¬ tained on the condition of the new bridge facilities. The condition was ful¬ filled in good faith, and as rapidly as arrangements eould be made. The upper bridge was loeated at Plymouth avenue. It was a long, low, wooden strueture, but serviceable and eonvenient. It soon beeame the nucleus for new manufaeturing concerns, espeeially of saw mills and lumber yards. The other bridge was located at Tenth avenue south (Sixth on the east side). It was a much finer structure - an iron truss - on high ma¬ sonry piers resting upon the bed rock of the river bottom. It was built by the King Bridge Company, of Topeka, Kan¬ sas.

To defray the eost of both eity bonds were issued and sold to the amount of $230,000. The next bridge undertaken was in 1884 at the lower end of Wash¬ ington avenue and reaching the eastern bank just below the grounds of the State UniversitJ^ It was an iron truss, and was a very substantial and useful bridge. When the interui'ban electrie line was built in 1890 it was allowed to cross this bridge, which was strength¬ ened to bear the additional burden, but the new use seriously impaii'ed its agree¬ ableness, if not its coiiA'-enienee as a road bridge. Two additional bridges were demanded for the public convenience, and were authorized and built iu 1888-89. One was at Twentieth avenue north, and the other at Franklin avenue, extreme upper and lower points of the eity. Both were iron truss bridges and were most substantial sti'uetures.

by the joint contribution of Ramsey and Hennepin counties, may be properly reckoned amongthe Minneapolis bridges, for its western end is within the city limits, and it is at the terminus of one of the prineipal streets. It connects Lake street, Minneapolis, with Marshall ave¬ nue, in St. Paul. It is a fine iron arch bridge, and a great convenienee for pleasure driving between the two eities. It commands a fine view of the idver, both above and below. The deep current floating swiftly underneath, the high banks covered with dark green foliage, the islands anchoied in the rushing stream, like floating gardens, and Fort Snelling in the distance with its castel¬ lated walls and frowning turrets, and over all a sky of deepest blue, give a variety of landscape rarely found in combination.

Save the necessity of bridging the Mississippi river, Minneapolis has not been burdened in eompleting the conti¬ nuity of her thoroughfares. Bassett's ereek is the only Avater course aaFIcIi passes through it. This Avas bridged in early years by a long Avooden bridge, resting on frame piling, on the line of first street. The ereek has noAv nearly disappeared from sight. Stone bridges carry nearly every street across it, and tlie stream has partly been diverted into sewers and otherAAUse arched andcoA^ered from sight. Where its marshy banks once arrested improvements, noAv rise stately elevators and mammoth ware¬ houses; Avhile multitudious rails earry the traffic of several systems of steam roads.

A wide gorge in the line of Universitx' avenue, on the east side, AAms bridged by a shaky Avoodeil bridge, Avhich has now been replaeed by one of solid masonry, over Avhich is carried the paved street, betraying scarcely a sign of its pristine ugliness.

Besides tlie seven traffic' bridges there are six fine railroad bridges spanningthe Mississippi river within the eorporate limits of Minneapolis. These were built by the railroad eonipanies to eonneet iheir lines on opposite sides of the river, or to reaeh the vast shipments of the mills and manufaeturies loeated on the west side of the river. The earliest to be eonstrueted was b\' the St. Paul and Paeifie Railroad Company, at the time the braneh line erossed the river on its way to the western part of the state in 1867. It is a wooden truss bridge, sup¬ ported by piers of masoniw, and is loeated at Third avenue north, erossing Nieollet island mid-way, with another bridge aeross the east ehannel of the river. This bridge is also used by the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad Company for its Duluth braneh. The The Manitoba Railroad Company when it eonstrueted a short line from Minne¬ apolis to St. Paul in 1888 found it neces¬ sary to bridge the river at and below the falls. This stupendous undertaking was earned out in the most substantial man¬ ner. The strueture is known as the Manitoba viaduet. It is a stone bridge having twenty-three symmetideal arehes, springing from the river bed, starting from the western bank a short distance above the dam of the mill eompan3' and swinging in a broad eurve below the Ccitaraet to the east bank at Sixth ave¬ nue. The foundations ai'e Sauk Rapids granite, and the superstructure sand and limestone. The bridge was two \-ears in building, and eost six hundred and fiftv thousand dollars. It is the main line of the present Great Northern s\'stem and is also used by the Wisconsin Central, Kansas Cit\' and Omaha rail¬ roads.

is loeated at Aleeker's Island, crossing the deep chasm on two piers at a height of 140 feet abov'e the water. It is an iron truss, with abutments of masoniw, and piers of the same material to high water level, on which stand iron braced columns. The central span is three hun¬ dred and twent3'-four feet wide, and two others two hundred seventy feet each.

The last 3 ear a local compain' has erected a substantial iron bridge to serve the milling district. It starts from the west bank of the river just below the Tenth avenue bridge, erossing in a line diagonal to the channel, and curving to the east bank. This is a very fine and ex¬ pensive bridge. The Northern Pacific enters the west division of Alinneapolis over an iron bridge in the northern part of the cit3'. This is also used b3" the "Soo" line. It recrosses the river on an iron truss biddge, starting from Twenti¬ eth avenue south and reaching the east side just below the Universit3" grounds. The project of bridging the river at this point was serioush' objected to Iw' the regents of the Universit3', who obtained a temporar3" injunction. The District Court dissolved the injunetion after a full investigation, holding that so inijDortant a public convenience could not be arrested, even if it should disturb in a slight degree, the quiet of the scholastic retreat. This bridge is also used 1)3' the Northwestern and Minneapolis and St. Louis roads.

The bridging of the railroad tracks crossing the streets of the eity has been the subjeet of much solicitude with the cit3' government, and a problem of vast expense which the railroad com]3anies were not willing to assume. At the time the lines were located, the original town plat and some of the additions had been laid out. Since that time man3' additions have been platted, with the street lines crossing the tracks. The legal questions involved were settled after a protraeted litigation by the Supreme Court, wliieli held that the eompanies were obliged to bridge the traeks which crossed streets which were laid oiit when the railroad lines were located, whenever the safety or convenience of the public should recpiire it to be done, but that in the case of streets laid out subsequently to the location of the lines the city should as¬ sume the expense of bridging the tracks. With this decision as a guide and an ac¬ commodating spirit on both sides, most of the difficulties have been arranged and the most dangerous crossings have al¬ ready been bridged. The first import¬ ant work of this kind was done by the Milwaukee road in its crossing of Wash¬ ington avenue to reach its city yard and station. The avenue was lowered and a diagonal iron bridge erected over it. The Northern Pacific has put in a similar via¬ duct over Plymouth avenue and First street ei'ossing. The most serious prob¬ lem was presented by the tracks of the Great Northern and Minneapolis and St. Louis roads along Fourth avenue north. These crossed a great number of streets running parallel with the river, and were many of them places of large traffic and most dangerous crossings. After much negotiation a satisfactory basis of divis¬ ion of expense between the railroad com¬ panies and the city was arrived at, and during the last year the most important crossings have been bridged and others are in progress. The difficult" of the improvment was greatly increased by the necessity of lowering the tracks to give a low grade to the thoroughfares. Al¬ ready iron viaducts have been con¬ structed at the following crossings, viz: First and Second streets, Washington avenue. Fourth and Fifth streets, Holden street. Western, Laurel and Superior av¬ enues; while a crossing at Seventh street is under way. These improvements are of vast importance to the northern part of the city, where improvements have been greatly retarded by the difficult and dangerous railroad crossings. The Da¬ kota branch of the Atilwaukee road crosses a large number of streets in the western part of the city, none of which have yet been bridged. Negotiations are in progress to reach a basis of sharing the expense, and it is believed that these greatly needed improvements will not be much longer delayed.

A comparison of the status ofthe City of London with that of Minneapolis in respect to bridges illustrates the superior enterprise of the people of the infant city. The population of the former in 1871 was about four millions. That of the latter at the present time is not far from two hundred thousand. The breadth of the Thames as it intersects the ancient city is about the same as that of the Mississippi at Minneapolis, but thebanks of the latter are much higher, and the volume and current of the river greater. At the date stated the City of London had twelve traffic bridges, and five rail¬ way ci'ossings. The City of Minneapolis has seven traffic bridges and six railroad crossings. London had one bridge to each 235,294 of the population, while Minneapolis has one to each 15,384 of population.

By Tub Editor

The first newspaper ever published in what is now a part of the City of Minne¬ apolis, is within the recolleetion of many persons still living. It was in the vil¬ lage known as St. Anthony Falls on the east side of the Mississippi river. The only resident on the west side of the river was Colonel John H. Stevens, then oceupying a house near the present Union depot. It was in the spring of 1851, and the circumstances attending its establishment were somewhat unus¬ ual and peculiar.

The village then contained a popula¬ tion of some five or six hundred. The}^ had mostly arrived within the previous twelve or eighteen months, and chiefly from the Eastern and Middle States, a majority being from the State of Maine. The_v were full of energy, ambition and enthusiasm, with glowing hopes for the future of Minnesota. But they were, al¬ most without exception, without pecun¬ iary means, I'elying upon their indomita¬ ble wills and strong arms for their dail}' bread.

Among these was Elmer Tyler who had opened a tailor shop on Alain street opposite the Falls. He shared in all the characteristics of the early settlers above noted, and in addition was thought somewhat eccentric. One day in April, 1851, he came to the office of the writer hereof and stated he had determined to establish a newspaper in St. Anthony; that he was satisfied the place, on both sides of the river, would some day be¬ come a city of not less than 10,000 peo¬ ple, and that it was already suffering for want of an organ to make its import¬ ance known; that he was prepared, at his own expense, to buy press and ma¬ terial, and assume the expense of run¬ ning it, if I would agree to edit it.