St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-17
The New Gazetteer Issued by Chicago, Mil
waukee Il St. Paul Railway Has the Following. ]

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Mnnkafo Blue Earth County, Mimi,
population, 1000 To do justice to
Mankato's industries we're to occupy more
space than can be spared in work OF this
character; so it shall be the writer's object to
summarize and mention only the most i'm
portant features of the city's wealth. For
several years Mankato has been at stand
still, having met with many reverses; but,
as was predicted by the far-seeing, she has
at last shaken the letters from her feet and
taken rank among the most important cities,
not only in Minnesota, but in the northwest.
Toseyeral causes is Mankato indebted for
her good fortune, the prime cause being, no
doubt, the working of the vast deposits OF
stone with which she is blessed. lew
years since scarcely any stone was exported,
but to-day hundreds of men are employed IN
removing from the inexhaustible quarries
stone, the reputation of which is unexcelled.
The rock formation of Mankato has thus far
been utilized for three distinct purposes,
viz, for building and bridge stone, for
burning lime, and, latterly, for the
manufacture of cement. The building
and bridge stone, which the quarries
north of the city and partially within Its lin
its contain, is inexhaustible in amount and
of superior quality to any stone found any
where in Minnesota or the northwest, for
building or bridge purposes. During 1888,
~, 900 cars of stone were shipped to all parts
of the west and northwest. Mankato lime
is too well-known to require extended mem
ton. 1t is positively unsurpassed Capt j.
R. Beatty is the heaviest manufacturer in
this line; he is constantly charging his faei-
lities in this, as well as in the stone trade,
in which he is an extensive operator. Anoth-
er feature of Mankato is her cement Fig
ures will, perhaps, best show the extent to
which this industry is carried on. The
Standard Cement Works have expended in
buildings and machinery $4,000. The
kilns of this company have a capacity of
1000 barrels, while the capacity of the mill
is 1900 barrels per day. Then there Is the
brick business. which brings Mankato
handsome revenue yearly. Here, again, fig
ures will serve best: The two leading brick
firms are Willard & Polchow and r.
Mather, whose combined production for
1882 was 5000, 600 brick. The clay deposits
seem without limit, and, aside from the
value of the clay for brick making, 1t Is used
extensively and successfully in the manu-
facture of stoneware, drain tile, culvet
pipe and fire brick, large establishments
being constantly operated in their manufac-
ture. The linseed oil mill, established in
1872, forms another important industry of
Mankato, and affords a market for the mann
moth crops of flax raised hereabouts. The
capacity of this mill is 1850 gallons of oil
daily. In 1883 they purchased 100000
- st q
per bushel. The Mankato FIGURING Mill has
a capacity of 700 barrels Of -four per day,
while the City Mill is capable of turning out
100 barrels per day. The Mankato Iron and
Novelty Works is a large institution. The
Mankato Manufacturing Company is an ex-
tensive establishment for the manufacture
of engines and general machine work. Then
there are numerous other establishments,
which, in the description of an ordinary
town, could be made feature. The butter
tub factory, the largest in the state, operated
by Woodland & Marsh, employs an army of
men, and are charging very extensively.
The wholesale business of Msnkato, although
in its infancy, gives great promise of future
Importance There are four extensive
wholesale grocery houses, an exclusively
wholesale drug house, and several butter and
egg establishments who do a wholesale bust
ness. The educational advantages enjoyed
by Mankato are of the best order. Aside
from an excellent system of public schools,
there is here Minnesota State Normal
School, Catholic parochial and.a German
Lutheran school. Nearly every. order of
Christian religion is represented here, and
all have handsome houses of worship. The
CITY has an excellent system Of water-works,
gas, three banks, fine fire department, a
telephone exchange, district telegraph SER
vice, and will soon have the electric light.
There are here four enterprising news
papers and Mankato branch of the st. Paul
GLOBE. The railroad facilities Of Mankato
are exceptionally complete. Aside from the
Mankato branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee
and st. Paul railway, the Winona and st.
Peter division of the Chicago and North
western, and the st. Paul, Omaha and Kan
sas City division of the Chicago, st. Paul,
Minneapolis and Omaha railways centers
here. The agricultural section, of which
Mankato is the center, is unsurpassed in its
fertility of soil and producing qualities.
Scarcely an acre of land lies idle, and the
average farmer Is prosperous and contented.
Mixed farming, dairying and stock raising
are the usual pursuits of the agrculturist.
Flax is extensively raised, owing to the fine
market afforded here. The hotels of Man
kato are many and well conducted. The
new opera house recently completed, is an
elegant house of amusement, and seats 800
people. Some general figures may be of in
terest to the reader. The total enrolment
at the public schools is 200 scholars. The
public schools cost $50, 900, the State Nor
NAL 100000, and the Catholic S35, 900
There are thirteen churches, all fine struc-
lures. The last assessed valuation of the
city was 81, 000,0 900, and Of the county 81
600, 600. In conclusion we take the liberty
of quoting from recent report of the secre-
tary of Mankato Board of Trade.
This has made the introduction of gas
light and telephones possible. Any one w,o
had proposed these things two years ago
would have been hooted at; yet, botu th> BE
enterprises are more successful, in proper
ton to population, than in any other city in
the state. The same spirit of progress has
brought cement works, tile works, canning
factory, sash and blind factory, boiler shop
and other manufactures; has filed up every
vacant factory, store and dwelling, and has
secured al least three wholesale houses, and
has created great activity in real estate, and
in established industries like the brick, stone
and lime business; while there are more
dwellings in progress of erection now than
during whole years before.
Through the action of this board since
the reorganization in 1882, Mankato and
her uuequaled natural resources. and exeep-
tional advantages as a trade and manufac-
turing centre, having become better known
TO the world than in all her history before.
She is more talked about abroad and RECON-
mended as residence or business location
than any town Of her size in the United
States. Yet it is not s'boom,'' but natu-
raj and inevitable result of our advantages.
'sWe Justly boast of our railroad facil tiles /.
yet they are not what they should be, W hen
We see railroads are being built all over the
west to nowhere. to carry nothing while a