Work was this morning commenced upon a new and commodious passenger depot, which is to be erected for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Minneapolis road on Washington avenue, between Third and Fourth Avenues South. The constant increase of business at this, the terminus of the road, and the fact that official headquarters are in this city, has made such a building as it is proposed to erect a necessity. The comfort and convenience of passengers as well as the shipping interests demand it. For some time past the necessities of a new depot has been urged upon the officials, and their appreciation of the interests of Minneapolis, which are identical with their own, have caused them to respond so promptly and generously. The plans have recently been completed by Long & Haglin, architects, of this city, and provide for a building which may be described as follows: Location, Washington avenue between Third and Fourth Avenues South; size, 39 by 125 feet; height, two stories, with Mansard roof; style of architecture, French; material, Milwaukee brick, best quality, ornamented with cut stone trimmings and slate roof in three colors. At each of the four corners of the building a tower of graceful form and proportions will rise to the height of forty-five feet, while a central tower, on the Washington avenue front, will reach a height of seventy feet, and in this tower a standard time clock will be placed by B. B. Marshall, of this city, who has for years, from daily observations of the sun taken with the most accurate and costly of instruments for that purpose, furnished the railroad company and the entire city with standard time. The dial of the clock will be of sufficient size to be easily observable from nearly every part of the city. For the convenience of the company, as well as the traveling public, a wide platform will extend entirely around the building, and up to Third avenue. Upon this platform there will be two baggage houses, one at either end of and separate from the main building, each being 14x22 feet, with French roof, and conforming in general style and architecture of the pretentious structure above described. Outgoing and incoming baggage will thus be cared for without confusion or inconvenience. The main track upon which all trains will arrive and depart will run in the rear of the depot, so that vehicles may drive up to the platform on Washington avenue unobstructed by railroad tracks or trains of cars. The basement, ten feet in height, will extend underneath the entire structure, and in it will be located apparatus for winter service. The building will be warmed by furnaces, or hot air, lighted with gas, and contain all the advantages to be supplied by water and sewerage. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Monday, July 24, 1876, Page 4)
The dirt is being removed from the site of the new depot at a lively rate. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Monday, August 28, 1876, Page 4)
Large quantities of stone are already arriving on the grounds of the C. M. & St. P. R. R., to be used in constructing the new depot. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Thursday, August 31, 1876, Page 4)
Work upon the foundation walls for the new depot has commenced. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Friday, September 1, 1876, Page 4)
Work has commenced on the baggage rooms at each end of the new depot building. They will be small but extremely convenient buildings. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Friday, October 13, 1876, Page 4)
The veneering of the new depot, in course of erection by the Milwaukee & St. Paul road, was commenced this morning, and the tower is assuming shape. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Tuesday, October 17, 1876, Page 4)
Messrs. Merrill, Gault and Britt, of the Milwaukee & St. Paul road, were in town last night and caught the enterprise that is being displayed by the Harvester works company, and forthwith concluded to build at once at the harvester works a depot and freight building for the accommodation of the business that is rapidly growing up about that suburban centre of activity. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Friday, October 20, 1876, Page 4)
The outside work on the new depot building is completed, and to-day the staging was removed. The new structure will hold its own with any other structure in the city. The finishing touches of the cupola are being put in place, and consist of a very neat ornamental iron railing. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Thursday, November 23, 1876, Page 4)
The words and figures “Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Minneapolis, 1876,” in gilt lettering, with a handsome red-brown shade, now ornaments the front of the new depot on Washington avenue. That structure is being rapidly completed and will soon be ready for occupancy. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Saturday, January 6, 1877, Page 4)
The new Milwaukee, St. Paul & Minneapolis depot will be occupied this week. It is all finished except a little varnishing on the second floor. It is a beauty inside and out. We have seen many houses of the kind in the small cities of the country, but few, if any, equal to this one. It is not a mammoth structure by any means, but it is a neat one in every respect. It is apparently large enough for its business, and is certainly elegant enough to satisfy the traveling public. The waiting rooms for ladies and gentlemen are large, airy and inviting. They are models. The ticket office is the same. The offices up stairs please the officers, and they are the parties interested. The baggage houses are the very best and the large platforms just the thing. The above cut gives a good view of the exterior of the depot. The material of which it is constructed is Milwaukee brick with stone trimmings, surmounted with a French roof with iron crestings that show off well. The frontage on Washington measures 125 feet and the width 39. The towers can be seen in the cut; also the fact that there are only two stories. The central tower is 75 feet; the others forty-five. The waiting rooms are the same size, 35x60, with a seventeen foot ceiling. The wood work of these rooms is very attractive. The ladies’ room is furnished with a very nice toilet-room. The seats of the waiting rooms are large and comfortable. The chandeliers are ornamental, and when lighted up in the evening will make the surroundings look as well, if not better, than in daylight. Access to the second floor, where the general offices are, is up through the central tower. At the head of the stairway is the general office 17x25; back of that in the northwest corner are the offices of Assistant Superintendent Prior, 14x14 Y2 and 11x14 Y2. The train dispatcher occupies the central room of the floor and has the space of 18 1/2x20. It is a very eligible room. The conductors’ room is 12x20; the master builder’s office 12x20 and the chief engineer’s room 16x20. They are all connected by windows. The window shutters on the inside throughout the building are one of its features. The baggage rooms or houses are of the style of architecture of the main building. They are 14x22 feet. The depot will be well heated and ventilated. The architects of this handsome and very convenient house are Long & Haglin, City Hall, and may well be proud of it. (The Minneapolis Tribune, Monday, February 26, 1877, Page 4)