The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-08-11
Minneapolis Letter.
MINNEAPOLIs, Aug. Z, 1882

MINNEAPOLIs, Aug. :, 1882.
Messrs. Editors;
In cleaning items from the great
for a paper so far from it.
the question is not, what shall we
write! but what shall we not write
There is SO much that might be made
palatable reading, that to keep a com.
in proper limits, and have
it consist of the survival of the fit
est is the one great problem.
Minneapolis is enjoying it's gayest
season just now. Visitors from all
over the u. 5. are here to look over
the great manufacturing and milling
establishments and enjoy few days
respite of the numerous resorts. The
lines running from here to MinnetOn
ka are kept busy carrying visitors to
and from the lake. Yesterday the
employees of the C. M. & st. p. road
had an excursion to the lake. There
were seven hundred men, women and
children, and the train consisted Of
eleven coaches. 1t was really re-
freshing to see the great muscular,
brawny fellows, trimmed out i'm their
best apparel, together with their
families enjoying a day of sport after
being held to duty SO long and steadi.
ly. Only such can really enjoy Il day
of recreation. The locker on could
reap much amusement, during the
time they were at the depot getting
aboard. There was no end of good
natured jest, quaint drOllery, and
sparkling wit passing among the
cheerful crowd; and one could not
help saying :"Verily, labor is bless.
ing" 1t gives strength, health,
cheerfulness, and buOyancy to both
soul aud intellect. One incident
among the many which we observed.
A great course, brawny fellow with
monstrous pair of COW hide shoes
on met boy and was demurely TAX
ing "a "shine" before entering the
Car when Il few of his fellow labor
ers observed him and commenced a
vigorous rub all over him, just by
way of fun. 1t was enjoyed by all
and such a good natured ha! ha! as
passed around would cure an editor
or pedagogue of the dyspepsia.
On Sunday there was an excursion
to the lake to hear the Chicago choir
sing at the Hotel Lafayette. Sunday
differs very little, in some respects,
from other days. Trains arrive and
depart on all the lines, and the monOt.
onous tinkle of the solitary street
car bell is heard continuously. 1t is
big day for the company but hard
one for the employees and horses.
The most interesting occurrence
for two or three days has been the
walking match at Market Hall. o.
Leary, the famous pedestrian, and
Hunt, of Minneapolis, commenced a
twenty. seven hour race on Friday
evening at eight o'clock. AT 9:30 on
SATURDAY evening O'Leary's physician
ordered him to leave the track; he
having been taken sick during the day
and was getting worse. Hunt was
then one mile and twelve laps ahead,
and had but one and one half hours to
travel, so O'Leary was defeated.
The coming fair begins to create a
great deal of attention and the socie-
ty are now hard at work putting
things in order. 4.
The amount of building, paving and
other work going on in the city is
truly astonishing, and one who has
not seen, can scarcely believe what a
vast amount of work is accomplished
in the city in one day.
The Manitoba r. r. Co. are putting
IA new iron bridge across the river
from University avenue to the Wash.
burn mills. 1t is going to be great
one and will eclipse any structure of
the kind here.
Prof. ID. G. John preached in the
NJ. f. church, East Minneapolis, on
evening. The Prof. still re.
t;,ins his old time vim, determine
ton, elOquence and originality.
The modus operandi of converting
logs into lumber in the big mills here
is sight to one not accustomed to it.
Perhaps some may doubt that q log
three feet in diameter and eighteen
feet long, from the time it enters one
end of the mill, goes out at the other
ready for market in just nine minutes.
We saw this and timed it Ourself. In
the Pacific mills, owned by Camp &
they employ l2j men, and
have two burrs and one gang saw.
Each log passes through the hands of
about 30 men before it is placed on
,he cars ready for shipment. They
Jaw from 5000 to 100000 feet of
lumber per day of ten hours, besides
aths and shingles. Everything is
They run their own furn-
ices with the saw dust. besides furn.
shing several other establishments.
rhe slabs are all sawed into wood
nd drawn to all parts of the city.
they employ sixty horses and mules