The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-08-04
Mankato VS.. Other Cities.

If the capitalists of the city of Man
kato, would make the same effort
towards building up their home inter
ests as do those living in Red Wing,
Saltwater, and other places, this city
might soon stand third in point of pop
ulation and business to any city in the
State. No such feeling however APP
pears to permeate our people. They
are all waiting for some one else to
make the start, and while so waiting
every little town in the State is crowd
ing forward steadily, and prosperously.
MankatO's advantages have been
well advertised this season, and the
natural results have followed.
Innumerable strangers have been ut
tracted here from all parts of the coun
try, while scores upon scores Of letters
have been answered by the secretary
of the Board of Trade, and Others,
giving every information imaginable,
yet when parties have come here seek
ing encouragement, how have they
been met by those of our citizens who
own the largest amount of property
and who should for their own individ-
ual interests, give the most encourage
ment. Why, they are told to come
here if they wish; that here is good
field open to all who desire to invest,
but they must have plenty of capital OF
their own backed up by ample expert
ence if they hope for success. This is
the gist of fatherly advice given, while
All idea that experience in many instan.
ces is capital, is wholly ignored. For
illustration, let us cite our readers 10
other places. Mr.. Isaac Staples, the
great lumber dealer ut Saltwater says,
if any good practical, experienced man
would come to Saltwater, and express
himself rs DESTROYS of building Il saw
mill at that point, but lacked the CAPT
tai, he would build that man a mill and
furnish him with all the capital ncces-
sary, as an offset against the mans eXpe
rience. At Red Wing, whenever an
individual or party of individuals come
there with no capital but with practical
experience, for manufacturing any arti-
Gle which is demanded, the citizens nj
once form a stock company, each one
taking share or two, and start the CHI
terprise going. BY this method, Red
Wing has established in her midst
at least dozen manufacturing estab-
lishments, and all doing thrivin" bust
ness, none of which would have been
started if the people had been actuatcd
by the same motives as our people are.
Look at Elgin, Illinois; see how that
little city, with only scattering hamlcts
but few years ago, has sprung into
through the establishment
Of the Elgin watch factory. The pro-
prietors of this reputable establish
ment were practical and experienced
in the Waltham watch factory
in Massachusetts,, when they desiring TO
go into business for themselves, came
west few years ago to Madison, Wis,
and becoming highly pleased with the
location of that beautiful city, expressed
their desire to locate there, but must
have some help. The people of that
city said no, we can't give you any
thing, but if you want to locate here
all right. Instead of locating at Madi.
son they were called to Elgin and their
every wish gratiiied, and now what
is the result! Why, Elgin is three times
the size of Madison and constantly IN
creasing. Such was the case of the Akron,
Ohio, rubber hose works; the j. l. Case
Il Co.'s machine company, at Racine,
Wis; the Aultman s. Taylor agricult-
ural works, at Canton, Ohio, and several
other industries which we could mention.
But these are sufficient to show our
people that many great establishments
are but plants of small beginning,
by the wise forethought and
enterprise of the citizens in whose
midst they arc located.