EXHIBIT 23.1


               [LETTERHEAD OF ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP APPEARS HERE]




                   REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
                   ----------------------------------------

To the Partners of IDS/Jones Growth Partners 87-A, Ltd.:


     We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of IDS/JONES GROWTH
PARTNERS 87-A, LTD. (a Colorado limited partnership) as of December 31, 1996 and
1995, and the related statements of operations, partners' capital (deficit) and
cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996.
These financial statements are the responsibility of the General Partners'
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial
statements based on our audits.

     We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing 
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain 
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting 
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes 
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by 
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

     In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, 
in all material respects, the financial position of IDS/Jones Growth Partners 
87-A, Ltd. as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the results of its operations 
and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 
1996, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.


                                       /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP

                                       ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP


Denver, Colorado
 March 7, 1997.