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MINIUM 247 MINNESINQEHS MINIUM, the red oxide of lead, often designated red lead and commonly used as a pigment for ordinary purposes. MINIVER, the Siberian squirrel, which has fine white fur; also the fur itself. MINK, a popular name for several species of the genus Putorius, which are found in the N. parts of both hemi- spheres, and are valuable as fur-produc- ing animals. P. lutreola is the Eu- ropean, and P. vison the American mink. The body is stouter than that of a stoat or weasel, and from 15 to 18 inches long. The color varies from dull yellowish- brown to dark chocolate brown; the up- per lip is usually white in the European, dark in the American species. It is mostly found in northern and southern parts of the United States, and success- ful attempts have been made to breed the mink on farms. MINNEAPOLIS, a city and county- seat of Hennepin co., Minn. ; on both banks of the Mississippi river; the cele- brated Falls of St. Anthony being in the heart of the city; adjoining St. Paul, with which it is connected by railway and electric lines; area 53 square miles; pop. (1910) 301,408; (1920) 380,498. Municipal Imjyrovevxents. — The city has an excellent system of streets, made according to the latest practice. An ex- tensive and beautiful park system has been constructed. The annual death rate averages 14.33 per 1,000. In proportion to population, Minneapolis has a greater park area than any other city in the United States, There are many bridges across the river, several being massive structures of stone and steel. The Great Northern Railroad's stone viaduct is a magnificent specimen of engineering. Notable Buildings. — There are many beautiful residences and substantial busi- ness blocks. Among the more notable buildings are the City Hall and Court House; Metropolitan Life Building; Met- ropolitan Bank Building; First National- Soo Line Building; Radisson Hotel; La Salle Building; Plymouth Building; Min- neapolis Institute of Arts; the Postoffice; the Auditorium ; Central High School ; the University buildings; Syndicate Block; Nicollet House ; Lumber Exchange ; Northwestern National Bank, and many notable private residences. Of the many churches, several are models of church architecture. Mamifactures. — Minneapolis is the largest flour manufacturing place in the world. The value of the output is about $100,000,000 yearly. It is also a great lumber-producing center. Other impor- tant industries are the manufacture of agricultural implements, machinery, building material, furniture, boots and shoes, wagons, woolen goods, etc. The value of the manufactured products is estimated at about $300,000,000. Education. — In 1919 the enrollment in the public schools was 58,533. There were 1,723 teachers. The expenditure for educational purposes was $3,025,162. The institutions for higher learning are the University of Minnesota, St. Thomas College (R. C), Augsburg Theological Seminary (Scand. Luth.), and the Jvlin- neapolis Academy; and in the suburbs are Hamline University and Macalester Colleg'e. There is a handsome public li- brary. Fhiances. — In 1919 there was a net debt of $20,633,306. The assessed valu- ations were, real estate $163,710,251; personal property $42,783,312; tax rate, $39.43 per $1,000. The expenditures are about $9,000,000 yearly. History. — Minneapolis was settled on the W. bank of the Mississippi river in 1849. It received its charter as a city in 1867, and annexed St. Anthony, which had been founded earlier on the opposite bank in 1872. In 1898 a "home rule" charter was submitted to the people, but failed to be adopted. MINNEHAHA, FALLS OF, the name given to a beautiful cascade in the Min- nehaha river near Minneapolis, Minn., the word Minnehaha meaning in the In- dian language "Laughing Water." The cascade falls 60 feet into a most pic- turesque glen which opens on the Missis- sippi river. Longfellow has immortalized the name. MINNEQUA SPRINGS (min'-), cha- lybeate sulphur waters in Bradford co., Pa. MINNESINGERS, a class of German lyric poets of the 12th and 13th cen- turies, so called from love being the chief theme of their verse. They con- sisted almost exclusively of men of aristocratic birth, the most prominent names being Wolfram von Eschenbach, Gottfried von Strassburg, Hartmann von der Aue, and Walther von der Vogel- weide. They sang their lyrics to the ac- companiment of the viol, generally in honor of the high-born dames. The songs, chiefly in the Swabian dialect, were sel- dom written down by their authors, and the manuscripts which contain their verse are mostly the result of oral tradi- tions and repetitions. This remarkable poetical movement gradually merged in- to that other class of German lyric poets called Meistersingers {q. v.).