St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-05
GRANITE FALLS.
A Healthy and Growing City on N
Firm Financial Basis.
Special to the Globe.

Specialize the Globe.
GRANITE FALLS, Mimi, Dec 30-Gran-
lite Falls, Mimi, town on the Hastings 81
Dakota branch Of the Chicago. Milwaukee
& st. Paul railroad, is situated in the coun-
ties of Yellow Medicine and Chippewa, and
Is divided by the Minnesota river. 1t lies
principally in the former county, which is a
large one, and reaches on the west TO Da-
kota. 1t has population of about twelve
hundred, which is about equally divided as
to nationality between Americans and Sean
dinavians. Its earlier resources were prin-
cipally agricultural. but with the incoming
settlements the manufacture of flour has
grown to be, If not the principal, at least
one of the important industries. II has
never since its beginning been city of eX-
ceptionally rapid growth, having followed
rather the slow and sure method, and now,
after several years of life, unlike many an
other Western town, finds itself a healthy
and growing city on firm financial basis.
From town depending temporarily on the
purchase and shipment of wheat for its per-
petuity, it has developed into a shipping
point for cattle, hogs, hay and the coarser
grains.
MANUFACTURES HAVE SPRUNG UP,
principally as yet of -four, but
good prospective opening lies in wait
ing in the extensive water power
yet lying vacant and unused
for other and diversified enterprises. The
improvements of the town for the year end
ing Dec. 81, 1885, amount in the aggregate
to something over 500, 900. A few of these
are as follows: X. +. Neste 81 Bro. inn
provement on store building, 81. ZOO; Ole
FOss, residence. $4,000; William Dodge,
hotel, $1,000; Mr.. Billiard, dwelling house,
$1,000; Catholic church, $4,000; Baptist
church (repairs), $500: w. II. Beeby. par
sonage. 81. 800; w. w. Pinney d Sons.
mill, $50, 900, and long list of others, a
repetition of which would take up
too much space. The town is said
to be one of the best provided with
sidewalks of any place of its size in the
state. There are five church edifces.
Lutheran, Methodist. Baptist. Congrega-
tional and Catholic; two excellent graded
schools, one employing four and the other
two teachers, three Touring mills now in
running order, besides the large roller mill
of w. W. Pinney 81 Sons. now nearly com
pleted. This latter building stands on the
east bank of the river, is four stories above
the basement, and is being fitted up with
all modern improvements. and has an esti-
mated capacity of $50 barrels per day. 1t
VIII De running ABOUT teD. /. There are
THREE ELEVATORS,
B. F. Pillsbury g. Co. owning one of
100, 900 capacity, W. w. Pinney 4 Sons one
of about thirty thousand, and another of
smaller dimensions, owned by other par
ties. There are two banks, two papers and
three hotels. OF the advantages of Granite
Falls, natural and otherwise, and of its
beneficial surroundings we sum up the fol-
lowing: Good society. good schools, tim
Der, plenty of stone, good water, rich soil.
adapted to diversified farming, a good mar
ket, beautiful scenery, ane perhaps it is
unnecessary to state-it being in Mime
sota-healthy climate. Capitalists seeking
place in which to invest would do well to
look this city over. 1t has the third largest
water power in the state, which at present
is not one-tifth utilized, and is surrounded
by fertile country. Large tracts of land
still lie vacant, waiting for the settler.
Good lands few miles from the city sell
at from SIS TO So per acre. Although there
are three hotels at this place. only one is
run as first-class, and there is thought to be
good opening here for an enterprise of
that nature.