Northwest Airlines hired its first stewardesses – now known as flight attendants – in March 1930. In the beginning, these “feminine aids” had to be registered nurses, a requirement that was relaxed at the start of World War II.

	Dorothy Stumph

Stewardess Service Goes
With NWA’s New Planes

First Feminine Aids
Represent Minneap-
Olis, Chicago

The new Douglas DC-3, 21-passenger skyliner, placed in service by Northwest Airlines on its Chicago-Twin Cities run, features inauguration of stewardess service by NWA.

The first stewardesses to be selected represent the terminal cities of the DC-3’s maiden voyage to the northwest. They are Miss Virginia Johnson of Minneapolis and Miss Dorothy C. Stumph of Chicago.

Miss Stumph has been an airline stewardess for 2½ years, flying out of Chicago to New York and Cheyenne, Wyo. A native of Toledo, Ohio, Miss Stumph studied nursing in Toledo.

Five feet, two inches tall, Miss Stumph is an active young woman. Her hobbies are photography and outdoor sports. When not on duty, she may be found around the airports, photographing the planes on which she flies while on duty.

Miss Johnson studied nursing at St. Andrew’s hospital, Minneapolis. She practiced nursing at that hospital until she joined the NWA personnel. Five feet, one inch tall, she studies art and music during her leisure hours, and is an ardent sportswoman.

For the stewardesses’ uniforms, Northwest Airlines has selected tailored brown suits with topcoat to match.

Coffee, tea or earplugs: Organist Nan Bergin serenaded luxury-class passengers aboard Northwest Airlines’ New York-Chicago-Minneapolis-St. Paul flight in November 1959. (Associated Press photo)

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, there is only one thing in the world worse than being written about, and that is not being written about. An enterprising Tribune reporter got the chance to write about Wilde during the Minneapolis stop on his U.S. lecture tour. The reporter found the Irish writer’s accent difficult to decipher and his attire “too utterly utter” – though by no means unbecoming. It’s not clear who was responsible for the “ass-thete” subhead.

OSCAR WILDE.

Arrival of this Much-Talked-of Young
Man in this City Yesterday Afternoon

He Tells a Small Audience in the Even-
ing what he knows about Decorative Art

AN “ASS-THETE”

Oscar Wilde, “the apostle of beauty,” and the most talked about young man of the day, arrived in Minneapolis from Chicago yesterday afternoon and registered at the Nicollet. Seeing his name in the hotel register a Tribune reporter concluded to pay this “ultra-poetical, super-aesthetical, out-of-the-way young man,” a visit and sent in his card. He was at once informed that Mr. Wilde was “at home” and almost before he knew it was ushered into the parlor where the celebrity was sitting. The sight that met the reporter’s eyes when he entered the room was “quite too utterly utter,” and nearly took his breath away. Mr. Wild was reclining upon a handsome fur robe carelessly thrown upon a lounge. He was dressed in a black velvet “cutaway” coat and vest, tightly fitting pantaloons of a light brown color, patent leather shoes and brown stockings. His vest was cut very low and displayed a good deal of a shirt front, which the bell-boy who escorted the reporter to the room swore positively was “frescoed.” A low turn down collar and a light blue cravat completed his by no means unbecoming attire. His “bonnie locks,” which were parted in the middle, fell to his shoulders, but the fact that he was slightly pigeon toed detracted somewhat from his lion like appearance. He arose in a languid manner to greet the reporter, extending a “lily white hand,” speaking with a slight drawl with a strong English accent. Seeing that it was too late to back out the reporter assumed as aesthetic a position as he knew how and entered into a conversation with Mr. Wilde.

Love that fur trim.

WILDE STATEMENTS.

In the course of his remarks Mr. Wilde said that hitherto England had not expected much of this country from an aesthetic standpoint. In fact she could not, logically. Now, however, the great questions were settled; the war was over; and Europe generally felt interested in the question as to whether or not this country would become civilized. According to Mr. Wilde if this country wants to be civilized she must give herself up to art. Industry without art is barberism [sic]. When asked what the object of his visit to this country was he stated that it was to create and foster a love for the beautiful, which he thought was greatly needed. The West, he said, was the place which attracted the eyes of Europe as the East was a copy of England. He could not understand Americans, nor the gap that existed between the literature of the country and the people. Americans lived seriously, but never wrote of life seriously. Though simple and crude they had some elements of greatness about them and he felt hopeful concerning their future.

HIS LECTURE IN THE EVENING.

The announcement that Mr. Wilde would lecture in the Academy of Music in the evening filled that place of amusement with about 250 people, most of whom were evidently drawn there from motives of curiosity. The subject of the lecture was “Decorative Art,” and the discourse was as flat and insipid as could well be imagined. From the time the speaker commenced to his closing sentence, he kept up the same unvarying endless drawl, without modulating his voice or making a single gesture, giving one the impression that he was a prize monkey wound up, and warranted to talk for an hour and a half without stopping. He wore a black velvet coat and knee breeches, black silk stockings, low shoes with silver buckles while around his neck was a large white silk scarf tied into an extravagant bow knot. He came upon the stage unannounced and alone, commenced speaking before the audience fairly knew he was before them, and when the closing sentence of the lecture had been spoke, bobbed his head and retired. There was no applause or enthusiasm shown, and though Mr. Wilde, when he first came upon the stage, glanced appreciatively at the galleries, no attempt of any kind was made to interrupt the lecture. If he had a manuscript he never used it, and by reason of his English pronunciation and drawling method of speaking it was hard to tell just what he said. One could gather, however, from his remarks that

THE DIVINE PRESENCE OF BEAUTY

is not our inheritance. For such an informing and presiding spirit of art to shield us from all harsh and alien influences, we of the Teutonic and Saxon races must turn rather to that strained self-consciousness of the age which is the keynote of all our romantic art, and must be the source of all, or nearly all our culture. I mean that intellectual curiosity of the nineteenth century which is always looking for the secret of the life that still lingers around old and by-gone forms of culture. The truths of art cannot be taught. They are revealed only – revealed to natures which have made themselves receptive of all beautiful impressions by the study of and the worship of all beautiful things. He then dilated upon the necessity of teaching our “handicraftsmen” and “peasantry” the beautiful in art; told how easy it was to combine the beautiful with the useful, if one only knew how, and how the beautiful was the only thing that made life worth the living. Having finished what he had to say he bowed, coolly gathered up his papers and calmly stalked off the stage leaving his audience to retire at their leisure.

A CLOSING VENTURE.

It is understood that the gentleman under whose auspices Mr. Wilde came here is decidedly out of pocket by this speculation. Mr. Wilde charges $250 a night and expenses for inculcating a love for the beautiful among our “peasantry,” and it is doubtful if the receipts amounted to $200. This will, therefore, probably be the only time that Mr. Wilde will favor Minneapolis with his presence. He lectures in St. Paul this evening, after which he goes to Omaha, and thence to the Pacific coast to weep on the bosom of Joaquin Miller.

The Academy of Music Building, at Washington and Hennepin Avenues in Minneapolis, was gutted by fire on Christmas Day in 1884. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

The Daily Minnesota Tribune buried this detailed look at the new Stone Arch Bridge inside the paper, sandwiched between a society column and court records.

THE GREAT BRIDGE

COMPLETED YESTERDAY AND CROSSED FOR THE FIRST TIME

One of the arches under construction in 1883. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

It cost $650,000 and Weighs 100,000 Tons – It is Composed of Twenty-Three Arches, and is 2100 Feet Long – A Structure of Great Solidity and Beauty, and An Enduring Monument.

Yesterday, in the most quiet manner, without ostentation or previous announcement, the magnificent stone arch bridge across the Mississippi at Minneapolis, was completed and opened, the first engine crossing it carrying the highest officials of the Manitoba road. This viaduct, which has now been nearly three years in building, is the only one of its kind that spans the Father of Waters, and is one of the longest and most noteworthy in the United States. Firmer than the earth which supports it, it is constructed to stand the test of time until the golden age shall arrive when the problem of aerial navigation shall have been solved, and railroads and railroad bridges will be useless works of engineering. Contrary to the idea of a good many, this bridge is not the property of the Manitoba railroad company, nor was it constructed by that corporation. I and the tracks which connect it with the Manitoba line, the grounds for the new depot, and the structure itself when it shall have been built – all these are the property of the Minneapolis Union Railroad Company. The Manitoba owns, however, a great majority of the stock of the company, and guaranteed its $3,000,000 bonds, the majority of which will be expended in the construction of the bridge, the building of the track and approaches, the purchase of the right of way and the erection of the depot. By the charter of this company, all the railroads coming to the city are admitted to equal privileges of both the bridge and depot.

THE FIRST PLAN

James J. Hill, the railroad tycoon who built the bridge, is referred to only as “President Hill” in the accompanying story.

For the Manitoba crossing over the river was made about three and a half years ago by C.S. Smith, an engineer of St. Louis. The scheme was to make the crossing on an iron bridge above the falls. About three years ago Col. C.C. Smith was appointed chief engineer of the road and suggested to President Hill another plan, which was adopted and the consummation of which is now and accomplished fact. A stone bridge was fixed upon as being more durable, and the location was decided upon below instead of above the falls for two or three reasons. First, it would be freer of danger from ice, as this destructive element is broken into small pieces and made less dangerous by going over the falls. Down below, too, a better foundation could be secured for the piers, as it was easier to build coffer dams, and so work on the dry bottom of the river. Another reason for the change of location was that it will afford passengers a better view of the falls, and its approaches will be more easy of access from the depot, and a crossing with other lines is avoided. The bridge was commenced in February, 1881, and has been completed almost in accordance with the original plans and specifications, except in one particular that foundations to the immense arches, some of them spanning 100 feet, caissons were sunk six or eight feet below the bottom of the river to the firm sand rock beneath. The piers being constructed wooden frame arches called “centers” were thrown up upon the top of which the stones were laid, until the keystone was inserted, enabling the arch to stand alone.

THE SPANS

Nearing completion in 1883. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

Are 23 in number, the entire length being 2100 feet. They are divided as follows: Three spans of 40 feet each, 16 of 1800 feet, and four of 100. The top of the bridge is 28 feet wide, affording ample room for two tracks and is guarded by a strong coping. The tracks, which were laid yesterday, are stone ballasted, and are laid with every precaution. When the bridge was first planned it was not known that the Minneapolis Mill Company would allow an arch to be constructed over the roadway leading to the platform, and it was thought that this part of the structure would have to be of iron, but the necessary permission was finally obtained, and this arch has the honor of bearing upon its keystone the only inscription of the bridge – the figures “1883.” The bridge is not straight, having a curve of 6 degrees, of 966 feet radius at its west end, about 800 feet of the structure being on the curve. This part of the bridge, also, is on a slight up grade.

ITS COST.

The structure cost about $650,000 and contains about 100,000 tons of material. Its piers are of St. Cloud granite; the sheathing and face of the spandels and the caping and parapets are of magnesian limestone, a large amount of it being qyarried at Stone City, Ia., which furnished also the material for the Boston block. The backing and filling are of natural limestone. The largest number of men at work at any one time was 200. Two of the workmen have lost their lives by unavoidable accident. One was working upon one of the centers when it fell with him into the river, and he was drowned. The other casualty was where a Swede was driving a horse in a circular horsepower, the sweep of which by an accident flew back and killed him.

THE OPENING.

Thanks to low water levels, the bridge’s graceful arches were even more striking in the mid-1880s. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

The bridge was built under the personal supervision of Col. Smith, who made the first plans for it. Mr. W.H. Knowlton was the assistant engineer and Ed Darragh, who died last January, was the contractor. Joseph Hickey was the master mason and Andy McNeil of Minneapolis the master carpenter.

It was inspected yesterday by Col. Smith, President Hill and General Manager Manvel of the Manitoba road; Mr. Brown, a United States capitalist, and Mr. George A. Brackett of this city. These gentlemen rode across the structure in an engine, and then walking back to the center, the engine was driven past them at a rate of 20 miles an hour, there being no trembling of the bridge noticeable, showing that the track had as firm a foundation as the solid ground.
Although the bridge is now entirely done, it will not be used until next summer, or when the new depot at the west end of the suspension bridge is completed. Meanwhile it will be fenced up and no one allowed to pass. It will make a great difference in the passenger traffic of Minneapolis. All the roads coming to the city have concluded arrangements to use it and the depot, with the exception of the Milwaukee road, which will probably not abandon its present short line for passenger traffic, except perhaps for its through trains. This structure will shorten by 10 minutes the present time between here and St. Paul, as trains leaving the depot can immediately put on full steam and run through as fast as may be necessary. The actual distance will be shortened, being but nine and a half miles, the track going over what is known as the University switch to the Manitoba short line. The bridge now in use will be devoted to freight business entirely.

The Exposition Building, site of the 1892 Republican National Convention, is framed by one of the bridge’s arches in about 1910. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)