The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-12-01

III dNhhlO no obnN d o1hhNuliAlS'
\ few weeks since we made men,
ton of a visit to our city hy MIR. Il. Z
Atkinson's, travelling correspondent
If the american Manufacturer and
Iron World. published ut Pittsburg,
Pa, and we are pleased To present
herewith his candid opinion of Man
k;,to. The article is one that will
commend itself to those seeking To-
cations for the investment of capital.
and our friends who desire, can Sc
cure few extra copies OF this
weeks FREE PRESS to send away.
There Is one erratum. in the letter
that we desire to correct, that is in
regard to gas. MankatO is not at
present supplied with the illuminat.
ing substance, but arrangements
having heen made with eastern par. |
ties. Whereby she will be within the
next eight months.
THE LETTER.
MASKATo, MINI, Nov. 10, 1882.
Editor American Manufacturers Upon enter
ing this beautiful city, over the Chicago and
Northwestern railroad, the first thing that
meets the eye is the immense stone quarries,
which now employ over 800 men. The next
feature of this city's attractiveness is the
solid business blocks. About the first man l
met in the city was Mr.. NJ. G. Willard, Secre-
tary of the Board of Trade. In response to
I inquiries about the city as II manufacturing
and jobbing point. Mr.. w. said:
..Inquring about one advantage rs n manu-
featuring and jobbing centre, you asked
about our railroad facilities. l answer they
are the best in Minnesota; hut owing To the
fact that we have never tried 10 "boom' the
town. il is not So well known Us many towns
! " hose chief facilities are booming" railroad
! land agents. Look at Mankato's position on
the map? II is surrounded 10y a fine country
| on every side. ST. Paul and Minneapolis
! have not such advantages. Observe the vast
| country Ia the south, southwest, west and
northwest, a. well rs east, that we can just as
/ well supply with goods and manufactured
products, rs any city in the west.
Again we are just in the edge of the Big
I
I yards, and lime kilns, and inc xhaustible quar-
res of the best building stone. About II
dozen car loads of the latter are daily being
shipped to Nebraska for bridges, and half
that number To Minneapolis for the same
purpose.
''Our extensive railroad lines must have
these materials, and must get them here.
The country is settling up, and will need
many lines of railway To supply the demand
This makes lair basis for guessing at the
future.
We have three great eastern trunk lines,
one of them 10y way of St Paul, the Chicago,
-. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha, the Chica-
| 81 and Northwestern. AMI the Chicago, Mil
waukCc and ST. Paul, besides the Blue Earth
branch of the first named. running south to
/ the Iowa coal fields. These roads have opened
the vast country between the Central and
| North Pacific railroads. The Cannon Valley
Railroad Company is now securing right Of
way out here in the timber, il being nearly
completed from Wed Wing to watervilie
/ Then the Central railroad was organized last
month to build u road from Mankato TO the
west line of the State. What its connections
/ are To he we don't know, but shrewd guesscrs
/ say il is to extend the Cannon Valley, the
/ whole to operate i'm connection with the Rock
! Island system of roads.
The Austin, Mankato and St. Cloud rail-
way is under contract to be completed within
| two years from December lst and from Aus
tin to Mankato next yoar. This is TO extend
the Illinois Central system of roads into the
! numbering and Northern Pacific country.
! The Milwaukee and St. Paul expects TO build
? linz frnf IN IA,
connect with their Hastings. and Dakota line,
and with Minneapolis. A large passenger de-
pot at this point is to DO erected by the Chica-
20 and Northwestern railroad, making Man
kato point ON its greatest throughfare to
the far west.
$50 you see that manufacturers and jobbers
can't find more favorable location any
where in the west. Property is very cheap
now and those who come within six months
and secure locations will hit it,
The above more clearly represents the
railroad facilities than anything can say. ]
am satisfied this is II good distributing point.
The success of the machine shops, pillow
works, oil mills, wooden mill, Touring mills
and other manufacturing enterprises already
established here, should be argument enough
in favor Of this city rs distributing point.
-. -. ~ ..
-, ETC.,, -, 90 80. 49, 80,
49,, o.. 800, -, -, -
,.,, ,Is,, r,,.,,n,nand :, 90 90, Jas,.,,,
nI,c, ia cr,,mcrv. VOC n hsI, &c.
',',,,,, $50, g., ,,,is h,,si,,'sa 80. -
fully.
.s.locotion for a f,,rnitura fa,,orv mn,
nan az ordinary ,ntalIi,enc. r,ust knov tho,
,,,,,, ,.o,,id ,i,nhorod c,,,,n
Try lilo this One a, the I.r,,as, owners n,
a.. o,,,,o ,,ro,,or,,, horo ,oIIo mo tho, ho a.
s,,i,,,d ,h.,, 90 ,,o,,,I ,,.,,o,, oo,, ,o ,,.do
horo no INV IN tho Irni,ed s,a,os. n. a.
,,rac,I,.,I man and can ,er,,,, ,h.. o,o,,
mcnt Tho same gentIemon told mo ba
though, the mopufacture of di.mond tooth
s,,y and all other annlianc.s for dr,..i,,,,
~ $50 " eos
stone' couid Dc engaged IN mere successfully
This is matter to which wish to specially
ca n the attcntion of the readers of the M,,,,y-
-.
yuo'""'
any WAY this town. IL il unnecessary. rs the
60, o,,.,,,, A., .T,,t., ,,,..
i"''s' apparent w "hy ni"h 'isitih" Hahk"to'
are quite enough To justify me I'm represent
ing this the bcst Iocation for the succcssful
,,,,,,.s,,o,,,, ., ,.,,,,,,I a., ,,,,,,,,,.,.,,-
investment vi c"P'"i III MISUNDERSTANDING UT
the J"bbng trade, in Southern Minnesota.
The public spirit and enterprise Of the BUSH
,,,,ss, ,,,o, b.r,, :, ~, ,,,r,,, ~, ,,,,,,.,,a,,
mss i''' "'i' n'' "oi'n9 vi e"iiiihchua'i"ii
know OF no other city IN the west, except