Tenth Biennial Convention, Milwaukee Milwaukee, the city selected by our Brotherhood in which to hold its Tenth Biennial Convention, enjoys the proud distinction of being one of the foremost convention cities in the United States. This is a distinction to which it is justly entitled; first, by reason of its advantages as to location and its pleasant and agreeable climate, and second, because the enterprise of its citizens, collectively and individually, and their public spiritedness and hospitality has well earned for that city special recognition as such. Milwaukee is the metropolis of the commonwealth of Wisconsin, and with its population of 350,000 now stands prominently in the front rank of American cities. By the official statistics issued from the United States Census Bureau this year Milwaukee has advanced since 1900 from the fourteenth in the Union to the twelfth, passing in the meantime New Orleans and Detroit, its closest competitors. Situated on high bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan, it is one of the most beautiful of our great American centers of population, public enterprise having to a marked degree contributed to the completion of the work so well begun by nature, the result being the beautiful commingling with natural scenery of hun.dreds of miles of as handsome streets and drives and imposing and architecturally perfect buildings as are to be found anywhere on the North American continent. Among these buildings may be mentioned the ten-story City Hall, erected only a few years ago, from the tower of which a magnificent view of the surrounding country may be had; the County Court House, occupying a public square almost in the heart of the city; the Public Library and Museum building, which is often compared on a small scale to the National Library at Washington, and the Post Office-one of the finest types of recent Federal architecture. While the park system of Milwaukee is not old, it is generally regarded as most admirably adapted to the needs of the people of a great city. The system consists not of a few large parks, but rather of a large number of moderate size distributed in all parts of the municipality so as to be available for the masses of the people and accessible by comparatively short trips. The extent of its park system is nowadays a gauge of a city's progressiveness, and Milwaukee is well in the forefront in this particular. A comprehensive idea of the whole city can be had by making a tour of its park system. Juneau Park is the principal downtown park, along the lake shore north from Wisconsin street. It is a beautiful promenade tract, affording a superb view of the bay. In Juneau Park there are statues of Solomon Juneau, the first white settler of Milwaukee, and Lief Ericsen, claimed by some to be the real discoverer of America. Lake Park, in the northeastern part of the city, is perhaps the most beautiful resort of its kind in Milwaukee. It extends for more than a mile along the lake shore, on high and commanding bluffs, is naturally wooded, has deep ravines through which streams course down to the lake, beautiful driveways, rustic bridges, band pavilions, golf courses, tennis courts and picnic grounds. Riverside Park lies due west of Lake Park, and is connected with it by Newberry Boulevard, a beautiful tract overlooking upper Milwaukee River. Washington Park, on the western limits of the city, is the largest and most frequented in Milwaukee. It has natural groves, beautiful gardens and palms, a large lake, a zoo and a deer park. The West Park golf links are very popular with residents and visitors. "Humboldt" is the largest of a number of parks on the south side. It is beautifully wooded, affording delightful picnic grounds, and has one of the prettiest of park lakes. "Mitchell," on the south side, is called the "Flower Garden" park, and is of particular interest because of the conservatory and beautiful botanical gardens. "McKinley," commonly known as Flushing Tunnel Park, is another beautiful spot overlooking the lake, and is midway between Juneau Park and Lake Park. At the base of the bluff is a beautiful greensward, extending to a fine sandy beach, which is a favorite resort for bathers. Adjoining the park is the Milwaukee Yacht Club, yachting in Milwaukee Bay being one of the delights of the summer season. Sherman Park and Kosciusko Park are pretty places on the south side and favorite spots for pienic parties, (439) Among the public squares of particular beauty in Milwaukee should be mentioned the Court House Square, on the east side, and Grand Avenue Park on Grand avenue between Eighth and Eleventh streets. In this park are the Washington Monument and the Soldiers' Monument, and a beautiful column erected in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of Milwaukee as a city. Fourth Ward Park, fronting the Union Station, the Water Works Park, connected with the municipal water works, also many smaller ward parks, afford a resting place for pedestrians. Whitefish Bay, four miles north of the city limits, is regarded as one of the most beautiful spots on Lake Michigan. Here is located the Pabst Whitefish Bay Resort, which is annually visited by hundreds of thousands of Milwaukee people and their friends from out of the city. Approaching Whitefish Bay is a drive of the same name which has become famous for its scenic environments. Every afternoon and evening during the summer season may be seen along this drive hundreds of fashionable equipages, many of them en route to the Country Club, which is half way from the city to the bay. At Whitefish Bay are served, as at no other place in America, delicious whitefish-planked and otherwise. One of the points of particular interest to all visitors to Milwaukee is the National Home for Dependent Soldiers and Sailors, established in 1867 and conducted by the Federal Government. It is located west of the city, occupying a beautiful tract of more than 2,000 acres of land. During the summer months daily concerts are given by a military band connected with the home. With all its beauty, which eminently qualifies Milwaukee for a convention city, it is nevertheless one of the busiest manufacturing centers in the United States, and this is demonstrated by the fact that the value of its manufactured products last year aggregated more than $285,435,941, and it is interesting but not generally known that the leading manufacturing industry in Milwaukee is that of iron and steel, which has for years far exceeded all other lines of manufacture. This is followed in consecutive order by the manufacture of clothing, the tanning industry and the manufacture of beer. The jobbing business of Milwaukee in 1905 amounted to $402,735,618. These figures mean that Milwaukee, with a population of one-sixth that of Chicago, does one-fourth as much manufacturing and one-third as much wholesale business as that city. Nature has allowed to no one place a monopoly of ideal weather the year round, but Milwaukee is certainly exceptionally favored both in summer and winter, and the fall months are particularly delightful, so that delegates and visitors to our convention may with reasonable safety count on the enjoyment of the most pleasant weather during their stay in the city. The hotels of Milwaukee are conveniently located with reference to railway and steamboat stations, street car lines and theaters. In addition to the cafes connected with the hotels there are many first-class restaurants. The railroads entering Milwaukee run into either one of the two stations— the Union Station, used by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad and the Wisconsin Central Railroad, and the Lake Shore Depot, used exclusively by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. In addition to the railroad facilities there are many boat lines operating across the lake between Chicago and Milwaukee, with docks located very near the hotels, of easy access and free from disagreeable features which sometimes characterize steamboat docks. The street car service of Milwaukee is particularly excellent. It is controlled by one company and has a universal system of transfers. In addition to the city system there are interurban and suburban lines reaching Cudahy, South Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha on the south, West Allis, Waukesna, Waukesha Beach and Hales Corners to the west and southwest, and North Milwaukee, Whitefish Bay and Fox Point to the north. Usually the first thing a visitor to a 1.ew locality does, after getting settled in his hotel quarters, is to set out to "find Lis bearings." The newcomer to Milwaukee will find no such difficulties confronting him as prevail in many other American cities. Most of the streets run due north and south or east and west, three rivers supplying natural division lines for the city. The principal retail thoroughfare is Wisconsin street, east of the Milwaukee river, and Grand avenue, west of the river. All streets crossing the river are given separate and distinct names on opposite sides and are numbered from the rivers. The streets on the west side leries in the United States, containing three halls of paintings and a hall of paralleling the Milwaukee river and running north and south, commencing with Second street, are numbered numerically statuary-nearly two hundred paintings from Second to Fifty-eighth street. On the south side the streets numbered in numerical order are called avenues. The residence streets of Milwaukee are particularly beautiful, and are of the same general character in all sections of the city. Upper Grand avenue, on the west side, is lined with handsome residences, and the cross streets are distinguished for their uniform beauty. Prospect avenue is the most beautiful promenade street of the east side. Stately elms overarch many of the avenues and driveways and make driving through them a constant delight. The Layton Art Gallery, at the corner of Mason and Jefferson streets, will be particularly interesting to the ladies attending the convention. It is one of the most beautiful and complete art gal of the modern school of art. It is free to convention visitors and is open every day in the week, except Monday. The Milwaukee Public Library and Museum is also an institution greatly enjoyed by convention visitors. The museum occupies the west wing of the beautiful stone building and has exhibition halls covering 38,000 square feet, with exhibits of more than 245,000 specimens. On the main floor there are many beautiful mounted specimens of animal life in North America. In the library, which occupies the east half of the building, are over 150,000 books, and beautiful reference and reading rooms for specialized studies. From the tower of the City Hall may be obtained a splendid birdseye view of the city and surrounding country. The Brotherhood. The following statistical information relative to the growth of the Brotherhood and the insurance benefits paid for deaths and disabilities since the year 1881 will be of interest: Total paid to disabled members and beneficiaries of deceased members during past twentysix years, $9,602,665. The Grand Trustees in their report to the First Biennial Convention say: "The action of the Thirteenth Annual Convention in fixing the close of the fiscal year at July 31st, instead of August 31st, as heretofore, explains why the report covers a period of eleven months only. This action cuts out from this year's business the Grand Dues which are received during the month of August. Only $6,566 have been received on this account to July 31st, thus cutting down this year's receipts and the balance on hand August 1st very materially. "During the year ending August 31, 1886, we received in Grand Dues $17.904.50, while if we had the benefit of a full year the receipts for this account this year would amount to about $22,000 instead of only $6,566, as stated.' |