Minneapolis

Minneapolis, the largest city of Minnesota, adjoins the capital, St Paul, and is situated on both sides of the Mississippi, which is here crossed by twelve bridges. The Falls of St Anthony, with a perpendicular descent of 16 feet, afford a water- power which has been a chief source of the city's prosperity. The streets are wide and handsome, and there are beautiful public parks. Among the most notable buildings are the masonic hall, the post-office, the Exposition Building, and the Guarantee Loan edifice. This last is twelve stories high, built of granite and sandstone; it contains 400 offices, and on the roof is a garden where concerts are given. The churches number nearly 150, and the public schools had in 1890 more than 500 teachers and 20,000 pupils; while the state university here has five departments and about a thousand students, of both sexes. There is a public library of over 30,000 volumes. The lumber and flour mills of Minneapolis are among the largest in the country. In the latter, stones have been discarded, and the Hungarian or 'roller' process (see MILL) is employed. The total daily capacity of the mills is 35,000 barrels. The railway facilities of Minneapolis are very great, and the growth of the city has been remarkably rapid. Pop. (1870) 13,066; (1880) 46,887; (1890) 164,738.—Five miles by rail SE. of Minneapolis are the Falls of Minnehaha ('Laughing Water'), celebrated in Longfellow's Hiawatha.