The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-05-14
BUSINESS INTERESTS.

CLEAN is to have barrel factory with
a capacity of 5000 barrels per day.
LAST year the Methodist book concern
made II net profit of $4,000 on book
and periodical business of $780, 900.
PEOPLE in eastern Maine are anxious
ly waiting the starting mp of the mills,
| us there is great scarcity OF lumber
there.
The ice companies of Albany have
formed combination to charge $50 for
the season. The Albany papers say sit
is contemplate extortion."
The Pullman Car company has Just
closed 1915, 600 black walnut lumber
contract, the largest hardwood lumber
purchase ever made in Detroit
IT is said that by the LIST of June from
200 to 400 new coke ovens will be in
operation along the southwest branch of
the Pennsylvania.
TIE pin manufacturers of the United
States have very strong combination,
and have quadrupled the price Of their
product during the last year.
The fifteen car manufacturing es-
Establishments Of the United States turned
out last year 1880 pieces of rolling
stock.
THE capital invested in the sugar in
| terests in twenty-four Louisiana parishes
amounts to SS0,000,000. The product of
sugar and molasses i'll these counties Ill
1879 amounted to $50, 100000.
TIE practice of allowing shippers to
load cars with several kinds of freight is
to be discontinued by the Chicago lines.
An agreement to that effect has been
signed by most of the roads.
CALIFORNIA has about 100000, 000
acres Of land, of which IA, 1000, 600 acres
are uns,lrveyed. Not over 4, 1000, 900 are
under cultivation, although something
more than 10000 900 acres are enclosed
with fences.
SHEEP husbandry in France is &c.
Ginning. At one time the number OF
sheep in that nation was 40,000,000. II
has declined to 10000, 900 III 1870, and
still later there was q decline of oven
$500, 900 i'll six years.
NEGOTIATIONS are mt present in progress
betwean the Dominion Plumbago COM
pany, near Ottawa, and some New York
capitalists for the purchase of the mills
and mines of the company. The property
is said to be valuable one.
PENNsYvANIANsa are obtaining large iron
interests in Virginia, Gen. Hartranft be-
ing among the number. The iron boom
is developing Virginia railways, III which
Senator Blaine and Gen. Ewing have in
vested.
EUROPE has contributed to the popula-
ton of the United States by adding be-
o,<.l& 30 L.,
number, during the past sixty years;
and these arrivals, it is estimated, have
been n money value to the country of
over six thousand million dollars.
THE Pullman Palace Car company are
using paper wheels with steel tires on
all new cars which they build. This COM
pany has paper wheels which have run
over 100000 miles, and are still good.
After running some 100000 miles the
tire becomes slightly worn, but few
minutes in lathe brings them out as
good as new.
One of the indianapolis roads which
reaches into Illinois is having trouble
with party on the line as to fencing
against his property. He claims that a
legal fence should be tight board fence
elSnU leet mBn, Wnne tne company Chilli
that good five board running fence, or
even wire fence, is all that the law OF
the state requires.
TIE Baltimore & Ohio company are
placing all along the lines of the Pitts
burg division an improved switch. The
improvement consists in the movement
of the side rails, instead of the two rails
of the main track, MS was formerly done.
Thus, in no case can train by thrown
from the main track by a switch being
misplaced.
JAPANESE paper air cushions are I'M
ported, which may have some advantage
over those made of rubber. They may
be rolled into package of smaller
dimensions when not in use; they will not
stick together rs rubber does after it is
wet, and for pillows they are better, be-
cause they have no odor. Their strength
is marvellous; n man weighing 100 pounds
may stand upon one without danger of
bursting it. They are said to be water
proof, and to make excellent life-pre-
servers.