The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-06-02
The Present.

The Present.
Mankato at present. with her radiating |
always toward every point of the |
'ompasS. touching the coal fields of
owa on the south, Lake Superior on
he north, the broad Mississippi river
III the east. and the prosperous agrl-
cultural districts on the west: with her
industries at home
with her undeveloped resources: with
her forests and her beautiful landscape
stands the peer of any city in the State.
What il is as business center, the
reports which crowd this ISSUE show.
II has magnificent stores, splendid
schools. broad, beautiful streets, Il no
bic climate. massive buildings. good
socieiy, wealth, immense energy and
an assured future. As a commercial
point il has no rivals in The country.
II commands a vast area of country.
lis merchants are enterprising and
understand their markets. lis railroad
facilities are unusual and are being
rapidly extended. II has 4 population
of seven thousand wide-awake people,
and in ten years (perhaps in less time
il will have fifteen thousand.
The Future.
The future which is just beginning
to unfold for this city, furnishes an in
eXhaustable theme. both for specula-
ton and reality. Nature has provided
her share of every requisite resource
to make Mankato. one of the most en-
terprising, prosperous and prominent
places in the West. There is nothing
lacking to witness speedy consumma-
ton of all these things if our people
only do their part, and We are fully
confident that they will. No one
knows our natural facilities So well as
ourselves, but we have never. until OF
late, appreciated what we possess.
Look at any map of Minnesota, and
observe the location of Mankato. Let
your eye rest upon its geog raphical
position. Let your mind contemplate
the extent of territory naturally tribu-
tary to it. Examine the numerous
streams of Blue Earth County, and you
will find the waters of almost every
rivulet, brook and stream heads towards
Mankato. The value of these water
courses to the town will be easily un.
derstood by every Western man who
knows the influence these valleys bear
in shaping the direction of railroads
and wagon roads. But there is high
er and more to be coveted advantage
than this, to be derived from theil
waters.
The cultivation of flax is already q
lucrative industry in this county; and
as its population grows larger, and its
farms smaller, as the SONS of agricul-
turists are forced to become manufac.
turers, We predict that in the early
future dense population will cultivate
flax and bleach linen upon the well
defined banks of the numerous streams
of Blue Earth County.
Thus, with abundance of water, and
a good agricultural country surround
ing, Mankato certainly possesses the
materials necessary to the growth and
maintenance of prosperous city.
Besides the valuable and priceless
water privileges, we have an abundance
of good timber and stone, whose quail
ty of product is recognized by builders
to be unsurpassed for durability and
accessibility and the fact of these being
inexhaustable, confirms the inference
that they alone are of sufficient in.
duccment TO attract the capitalist and
artizan.
Col. Poore, a shrewd, observant trav-
eler, who visited Mankato in the Spring
of 1881, gave us his impressions OF
Mankato upon his arrival home. He
said:
Your city is beautifully located, has
many fine residences, public buildings
and educational institutions, and many
creditable mercantile houses, with a
good beginning in the way of manufac.
turing establishments.
The geographical location of your
city, with its excellent lines of commun-
ication for commercial traffic, already
established, and more 10 follow, is des-
tined to make il with moderate degree
of push and enterprise on the part OF
your citizens, one of the leading cities
of the State. Nature has been remark.
ably liberal in bestowing upon you re.
sources of great value. Your stone
quarries are inexhaustable and of ex.
cellent character. Your timber is
abundant. Your beds of clay and SAND
are of fine quality and inexhaustible fol
manufacturing purposes and only neet
to be utilized to augment your wealth
in that direction a hundred fold by the
establishment of pottery and glass fac
tories. Your Eastwood is sufficient Il
keep several mills for the manufacture
of paper pulp running for years. Ii
fact the natural resources of your cit,
are such that they only need to b,
made known to attract the attention O
manufacturing capitalists, and thus Sc
cure your permanent wealth and pros
perity by the establishment of varied
line of manufacturing industries.
II is not to be supposed, however,
that your development in manufactures
is to be accomplished without an effort
on the part of your own citizens. En-
ergy, enterprise and prudent and well