Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-01-07

there are exposures of rock, and from
several quaries good quality of building
stone is obtained. in the eastern and
central portions of the county strata of
peat is found at q little distance below
the surface, and IN digging wells in sever
al places, wood has been found at various
depths from twenty to sixty feet below
the surface. 1t was thought to be pine
or cedar and burned we'll after drying.
The soil of every part of the county is
exceedingly rich, Us will be seen by refer
ence to the agricultural statistics at the
opening of this chapter. The natural
grasses consist of blue grass, blue joint
and red top. together with other varieties
usually found on the prairies, and they
yield great abundance of excellent hay.
besides affording luxuriant pastnragc.
The county is in every way adopted to
grazing and dairying, and the farmers
here are rapidly changing from wheat
raising to stock gHoFiug. A number of
creameries have recently been established
and are meeting with, uninterrupted sue
cess, the butter proving to be of the very
best quality. A great deal of dairy and
farm house butter is also made here, and
the raising of hogs IS becoming quite a
feature of agricultural industry. The
tables already mentioned show the num-
Der Of farm animals kept in the county,
which have increased rapidly within the
last three years.
There is large aggregate area of unoc
cupicd land in this county, and prices
range from $3.50 to $12. 90 per acre, &C
cording to distance from railways, al
though from every section of land in the
county railway station IS reached with
in ten miles. Improved land is sold at
from 1890 to $685. per acre, and some
times even more, the price depending
largely on the character of the improve
meuts, The county is crossed from east
10 west by the Southern Minnesota divis-
ion, and from the southeast to northwest
by the Iowa and Minnesota division of
the c.. NJ. & St. P. Ry., which also has a
branch extending south from Austin,
connecting with its line in Iowa. Work
is now in progress on still another line,
which is to enter the county near its
southwest corner and run thence nearly
due north to St. Paul.
CITY OF AUSTIN.
This is the county seat and much the
largest city in the county. 1t contains
an intelligent and enterprising popula-
ton of upwards of 5000, occupies beau
tiful site on Red Cedar river, and is hand
somely built. In a square IN the center
of the city is the court house, large and
beautiful new building, surprising any
other in the State in appearance. 1t is
built on foundation of Kasota stone, of
red pressed brick, with door and window
trimmings of stone. Its cost was $61,
491, and it is doubtful if public money
was ever used more economically in the
construction of public building. The
city also contains commodious and we'll
built public school building, which has
twelve departments, finishing with that
of high school. Its cost was $35, 900.
Austin has excellent railway facilities,
being directly connected with Chicago
and Milwaukee by two lines, and with
St. Paul by one now, with another. to be
added in the early future. The latter
(Minnesota s. Northwestern will also
give it another and competing outlet to
Chicago and Milwaukee. These lines
likewise give it ready railway connections
with all railroad points within and out
side of the State. 1t has large number
of stores which are kept well stocked
with goods in their respective lines, and
its merchants are experienced business
Iaen, having large amounts of capital en-
ploYed.
The city has two banks of unquestion-
able financial strength, and q large
amount of business is transacted here.
Cedar river affords power for four thor.
oughly equipped Touring mills. manu-
featuring high grade Of -four. The Aus
tin creamery is already extensive and
makes q good quality of butter, but is to
be enlarged and improved before the
opening of another season. There is also
cheese factory near the city. A canning
establishment went into operation recent.
ly and met with a measure of success
that will justify its enlargement. There
is foundry and machine shop, manufsc-
turing chiefly feed mills, several carriage
and wagon shops, cooper shops and vari-
Gus smaller manufactures. Two weekly
newspapers, the TRANSCRIPT and Register,
are published here and both offices do q
large job printing business. The city is
practically out of debt and taxes are light.
The assessed valuation is: real estate,
ts9o. ooe; personal property. $a2s. $40.
VILLAGES.
LIE Roy, in the southeastern part of the
county, on Iowa river. is a thriving vii.
lage Of 1900 Inhabitants and beautiful
for situation, with good schools. church
es, stores, bank, weekly paper. aud every
thing necessary to well ordered village.
in the center of an excellent agricultural
district. The people are enterprising.
moral. intelligent and industrious. The
c.. N. & st. P. railway affords means of
transportation. The citizens are now
looking for the advent of the St. Paul and
Sea Coast road. which win afford . com
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