The strategic advantages of location were recognized by •the United States government as early as 1819 in the establishment of Fort Snelling, under the shelter of which the early trading operations were carried on. Only a few quaint historic relics remain to mark the pioneering of the traders. The fortification, commanding the junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, has become one of six great military posts of the country. The commerce established in the earliest days of the winning of the great Northwest has grown to enormous proportions, and has built a city which stands as the gateway to the East, the West. and the Northwest. From every section of the continent Saint Paul is accessible.
The surpassing beauty of location and surroundings, the healthfulness of climate, and the pure, bracing air, alone would make Saint Paul a city of exceptional advantages, were there no other striking characteristics to distinguish it from the many leading American municipalities. Its site is upon the high bluffs of the Upper Mississippi, 1954 miles from the Gulf, 695 feet above sea level at the levee, and 1,016 feet at the highest point within the city limits. Roughly divided by a valley at right angles to the Mississippi, along which the city has sixteen miles of water front, the topography of is markedly diversified.
This valley contains the principal business districts, and the flanking hills, forested with natural hardwoods, have drawn to themselves the beautiful residence areas for which the city is famous. Sparkling lakes dot the environs, adding their own peculiar charm to the striking scenic setting. Two of the most beautiful are within large city parks. Saint Paul has extensively utilized its natural opportunities for civic improvement, but now plans in addition a magnificent system of capitol approaches, with stately malls connecting important centers and main parked boulevards along which in time will be ranged its principal public buildings.
Saint Paul’s inestimable heritage of healthfulness and beauty is preserved to future generations by a constantly expanding system of parks and parkways, already comprehending 76 beautiful recreation spots with a total of 1,478 acres and 19 miles of smooth, well improved roadways. Along the wooded bluffs of the Mississippi for one-third of its course through the city, is a drive of marvelous charm, connecting with the arterial Summit avenue boulevard, which is an extension of one of the most beautiful residence streets in America, and with other main avenues. Como Park, a notable area of 425 acres, encloses two connected lakes, and is visited annually by 2,500,000 people. Its miles of drives, its meadows and woodland, its wonderful flower gardens and its lily pond, where the Victoria Regia blooms, are known throughout the United States.
Phalen Park, a newer area, fringes a splendid lake which is being connected with a chain of other lakes by a Venetian waterway . Indian Mounds Park, with its superb view of the Mississippi, its curious aboriginal earth mounds, the contents of which may be seen at the State Historical library, and its location on the rugged river bluffs, possesses unusual interest. Close by are the Willowbrook fish hatcheries, maintained by the state, with their interesting ponds containing an infinite variety of game fish. Within twenty-five minutes travel by rail, and reached as well by fast electric trains, is White Bear lake, a large and beautiful body of water with irregular shore lines which are dotted with fine summer homes.
A few minutes ride by train beyond White Bear village lies Bald Eagle lake, a second summer resort which has also attracted many summer homes. On an island is “Boy Island City,” governed under the commission plan, with all its own municipal departments and officers, with wireless communication with the city, and populated during the summer months by boys only—a striking and original philanthropy maintained by the Saint Paul Dispatch. Numerous other lake resorts, offering their own individual attractions in fishing, in splendid scenery, in restfulness, and in natural wildness,are within convenient reach by train, while only a few hours distant lies the whole splendid calendar of delights to sportsmen, fishermen, outers and leisure seekers afforded by the lake park region of Minnesota, with its 10,000 lakes, and the northern wildernesses filled with game and fish.
Along several lines of municipal progressiveness, Saint Paul stands alone, notably in the construction a municipal Auditorium, built by the people of Saint Paul, owned by the city, and seating 10,500 persons. It is a city block in length, contains one of the largest stages in the world, and may be changed, in nine and a half minutes, by ingenious mechanical equipment, used for the first time in this structure, from an immense arena of enormous capacity to a beautifully appointed theatre seating 3,200 people. This transformation may be effected without disturbing an audience. Its cost was $460,000. It is constructed of brick, steel and concrete, and is absolutely fire-proof.
The St. Paul Hotel, the first million dollar modern hostelry of the most modern character as been completed at 12 stories tall, upon the roof of which will be installed the first commercial wireless station in the Northwest. Its 300 rooms, each an outside apartment with bath, have outlooks either upon a beautiful park or upon public streets. A handsome garden is to occupy the roof of the building, with an outlook affording a striking panorama of park, Mississippi valley and river scenery. Upon the first floor is a magnificent palm room, parlors, a spacious lounge, and offices. The decorations throughout will be in the most beautiful style, and neither labor nor expense has been spared in making this the finest hotel in the West, ranking with the finest and most modem in any American metropolis.
The Ryan Hotel, opened in 1885, was erected at a cost of $750,000 and was the finest hotel in the West at that day. During the past three years $100,000 has been spent in remodeling and modernizing it and it is under progressive management. It has 300 rooms, many of them with private bath, spacious parlors and halls and is known to thousands who have enjoyed its hospitalities. A new, attractive ground floor Cafe has recently been added. It is centrally located in the retail district. The Merchants, Aberdeen, Frederic and Sherman are other well-known hotels.
The Minnesota Boat Club of Saint Paul, is the oldest western rowing association, and for many years has maintained its annual events on the Mississippi river. It is a member of the Minnesota and Western Canada Rowing Association, and has been regularly entered in the big American events. Its club quarters are on an island in the Mississippi, just below the public baths and opposite the heart of the city. Its course is a mile and a quarter down-stream with a sluggish current. For the housing of local infantry, artillery, and engineer companies of the national rd, the city has erected a spacious Armory, an imposing structure of brown stone, which affords drill floors, quarters for officers, company rooms, and other accommodations.
The capitol, built at a cost of $5,000 000, occupies a of the same commanding characteristics. Approaching Saint Paul from any direction, its white walls and clean-cut dome enliven the whole view. For beauty of design, elegance and dignity, it is not surpassed by even the national capitol at Washington. It was thirteen and a half years in building, and in the decoration of its splendid interior the builders drew upon every quarter of the world. The greatest masters of American art have contributed to its panels, spandrels and lunettes, among them LaFarge, Pyle, Volk, Blashfield, Simmons, Millet, Walker, Cox and Zogbaum.
The governor’s reception room, as beautiful an apartment as may be found in any public building in America, contains several marvelous canvases, depicting stirring scenes from Minnesota history. The dome, which is of exceeding lightness and grace, rises 220 feet above the foundations, and in its construction is independent of the main building. It is surmounted by a beautifully proportioned lantern of columns. At the base of the dome, resting upon a marble pedestal, is a magnificent quadriga of heroic size, the work of Daniel Chester French and Edward Potter, the sculptors, representing “Prosperity” in a triumphal chariot driving four spirited horses, which are guided by two female figures.
The issuance of more than 1,000 permits for the construction of new dwellings during slightly in less than six months of 1909 is the most forcible evidence of Saint Paul’s growth and desirability as a city of homes. Wide residence areas, beautified by fine old trees and diversified by hills and valleys, afford admirable residence sites. Along the broad Mississippi, the high bluffs afford a magnificent outlook. Forested hills and many stretches fronting upon drives and parks are of irresistible charm, and are attracting hundreds of new and delightful homes.
Saint Paul offers a healthful climate and bracing atmosphere, splendid educational facilities, the proximity of fine churches in all the main residence districts, a public library of 103,896 volumes, and all the advantages of life in an energetically progressive municipality. Not the least of these advantages is an inexhaustible supply of pure city water, drawn through immense conduits from a far-reaching chain of sparkling spring-fed lakes owned or controlled by the city.
Their shores are patrolled, and their waters protected from pollution. Artesian wells cool and augment the supply from the lakes and drainage basin. The system is now being extended, and an unfailing future supply is assured. Saint Paul’s daily water consumption is 10,781,000 gallons, supplied through 328 miles of mains. The entire system was purchased by the city in 1 882, and is valued at $7,000,000. Since then, water rents have been reduced from 50 to 80 per cent. Its total cost to the city is now $4,937,598.
Twelve colleges and universities, which rank with the best of American educational institutions, are located in Saint Paul. The University of Minnesota, with its students, is but three miles from its western boundary. The Minnesota State Agricultural College, a famous institution for farm education, is located on the outskirts and within one of the city’s finest residence districts. Saint Paul has 54 public schools, with 575 class-rooms and an enrollment of 26,417, in addition to which there are four high schools, and a teachers’ training school. Thirty-one private and parochial schools care for an additional enrollment of 16,000. Practically all of the various denominations are represented in the city’s 191 church edifices. The Mechanics Arts High school is known throughout the United States for the excellence Of its courses and thoroughness of both its class-room and shop instruction.
Centrally located in a public square is the city hall and county courthouse, a massive stone structure which occupies a historic site donated to the city by Vetal Guerin, an early settler. Upon a commanding site at the edge of the beautiful Saint Anthony Hill residence district, a magnificent Roman Catholic cathedral is under construction, its great white dome rising above all the surrounding buildings and dominating the landscape. It occupies a tract upon which arm stood the residence of Commodore Kittson, a picturesque fiaure of the early days in Saint Paul. The new cathedral will be the first really great religious edifice erected in the West, and its massive lines, its surpassingly beautiful interior, and its imposing bulk, promise in future years to make it one of the great architectural wonders of the city, comparable only with the pure and classic beauty of the new Minnesota state capitol.
MUNICIPAL DATA for 1909 IN BRIEF:
Area—56 square miles. Population, an increase of 9,487 in one year.
Assessed Valuation—$1 Tax Rate—For city purposes, 22.47 mills; for county purposes, 6.20; for state purposes, 3.33; a total tax rate of 32 mills. The basis of assessment is about of the values.
Municipal Revenues—Taxes, $2,084,574.73; licenses, $467,926.14; franchises and privileges, $77,925.70k city water, $359,464.84; miscellaneous, $907,901.99. Total, $3,897,793.40.
Total Net Schools—54 public, 31 private and parochial, 4 high schools, I teachers’ training school, I mechanic arts high school. Enrollment—Public, 26,417; private, Yearly expenditure for public school system, $881 ,230.70.
Police Department—242 men; total expenditure, $256,151.00.
Fire Department—254 men, 136 horses, 18 engines, 6 hook and ladder trucks, water tower and ample miscellaneous equipment.
Water Department—Municipally owned; value, average daily pump, 10,781 ,044 gallons.
Streets—Paved: asphalt, 29.30 mi.; brick, 10.78 mi.; stone, 8.80 mi.; wood, .76 mi.; total, 49.64 mi. Notpaved, 377 miles. Cost of street cleaning, $92,000.00 yearly. gas lamps, I , 717 gasoline, 765 arc, 1 76 ornamental light standards on “Ways of Light.”
Public Recreation—Parks, 76; area, 1,47C acres; length of parkways, 19 miles; playgrounds, 4; public baths on parked island, with 226,331 bathers per year.
Banks—Eight national, three state, three savings, Several private; two trust companies. Clearings, $483,976,978, Deposits
Manufacturing—Output, employees, 40,000. Wholesale and annually.
Railways—Ten trunk lines; mileage, 54,000. In freight, 179,981 cars. Out freight, 137,844 cars.
Stock Yards—Area, 250 acres; employees, plants, 2.400; stock yards bank clearings,
Public Library—Volumes. 103.896; patrons. 36.173; circulation 379,853.