Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-07-18

vantagcs.
Special to the st. Paul Dispatch.
AUSTIN, Mimi, June 24.-This CITY is
located about 100 miles south of St. Paul,
in the western portion of Mower county,
of which it is the county. scat. 1t is very
prcttily located on both sides of the RED
Cedar river, a stream famous for the fer
Utility of its valley and the excellence of its
water power. The city contains about
5000 inhabitants, who are cxcclled by the
people of no city in the state for general
enterprise and thrift. Austin was made
town in 1855, and has since grown stead
lily and gradually until the present time.
There have been none Of the abortive
spurts Of growth denominated ''boom,"
in its experience. and consequently it has
had none of the set-backs or relapses so
certain to the so-called booming towns.
At all times it has preserved its steady,
even growth, keeping pace but not adj
yancing beyond the development of the
agricultural region around it.
Mower county contains about 10000
people. 1t is excellently adapted to agri-
culture, both in the raising of cattle and
grain. Most of the county is level prai-
rie, cut by streams which give it excellent
drainage and along the banks of which is
found an abundance of good timber. The
eastern part of the county, however, is
somewhat rolling, and furnishes excellent
facilities for raising stock.
Austin is well supplied with newspapers
there being two. The TRANscRIPT and
Register are both ably edited, and each
has - large voice in the forming of the
political ideas of the people of the county
They are printed in good style and arc a
credit to the county.
In lines of general business there is no
dearth of representation. Hardware, dry
goods, clothing, millinery, harness making
news, and the regular compliment of fur
niturc and undertaking. In this Frank
Richards comes to the front with a large
double store, of which he occupies two
floors, and does an immense business in
conducting to the temporal comfort of the
living as well as gracefully and success
fully planting the dead.
There are several prominent manufac
turing establishments in this city Engle
& Cos Touring mill which manufactures
the celebrated Austin flour was the second
roller mill in the state, and the first one
that printed on its business cards mary q
stone in the MILL" 1t has eleven sets of
rollers and turns out from 175 to 200 bar
rels of the best patent flour per day. Its
prOprietors are men of enterprise who do
a strictly legitimate business and never
take any stock in options, as do so many
of their contemporaries. There are also
four other mills within radius of four
miles which turn out large amounts of
excellent flour of the same kind. Most of
these are run by the power Of the Red Ce-
dar river.
The foundry and machiue shop of D.
J. Ames is one of the most solid and sub
stantial business establishments in this
region. 1t was founded some years ago
by the Ames Bros, who patented a feed
mill of their own invention, which is now
known throughout the country as the
Diamond feed MILL" Over2, 800 of them
are in use, all having been made here. The
establishment employs about thirty men,
and does general foundry and machine
business.
The canning works were started last
year by a stock company with S25, 600
capital, one fourth of which was paid in,
and 20 per cent. more of which will be
paid during the coming month. This is
the first estab lishment of the kind in the
state. An extensive creamery, a butter
tub and firkin, and pillow factory, make
up the sum of the manufacturing interests
of the city. All are making money and
all have large trade beyond the mere
confines of local consumption. A new
court house is being built at cost of
$75, 600, which will be, when finished, the
finest structure of the kind in the State
The basement andtrimmings are of Mia
mi sandstone, and the superstructure of
the best pressed brick The roof is Just
now being put on. Many other new
buildings are being erected. prominent
among which is Masonic block, a two
story brick structure, which will cost
$15, 900. 1t has an iron front which was
cast by the Ames iron foundry
Altogether, Austin is thriving city.
The men are shrewd and intelligent, and
the general get up of ornamental affairs
throughout the town indicated the pres
ence of refined women. The city is also
said to be very fortunate in the number
and beauty of its young ladies, by no
means unimportant feature.
There is considerable land in the county
that has never been broken, having been
held by spectators. This is now being
thrown into the the market and thus the
acreage Of tillable ground is being largely
increased.