St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-22
Mayor Carney's Administration
and City improvements.
A G,nnc;e at NIanlato.

world more enchanting in its beauty than
the Minnesota valley at this season of the
year. Mankato, the capital city of Blue
Earth county and the
METROPOLIS OF THE MINNESOTA VALLEY
is the fifth city in the state as regards pop
ulatiOn. 1t is one of the old towns OF Min
nesota, dating its birth back to 1862. When
Mankato was laid out as q town it was on
the frontier, and was exposed to the yicssi-
tudesssof all frontier towns. Together with
keeping the wolf of starvation from his
cabin door and the Indians knife from his
scalp, the early settler had an experience of
hardship of which we little conceive. And
the pioneer town had about the same ex-
periences. 1t was a struggle from the
word go, and the town which survived the
drawbacks of those days and continued to
grow without ever taking a step backward
possessed the
PLUCK AND ENTERPRISE
which makes great cities after awhile Such
town has Mankato been. Although es-
tablished in 1852 the town did not make
much Roadway until about 1860, when it
got to its feet and began to push ahead with
marvellous rapidity. Then came the In
dian invasion and massacres of 1Se1-62,
which gave it a set back. Scarcely had it
recovered from the effects of the Indian
troubles when the grasshopper plague fell
upon Southern Minnesota. Situated as it
is in the heart of one Of the most
PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL SECTIONS
OF the state. Mankato again experienced
| adversely. But since the disappearance of
the grasshoppers there has been no check to
! the city'S progress. and to-day it stands
bearing all the evidences of a stable pros
perity. Mankato has never been doomed,
but its growth has been of that steady, con-
sentative character which bear with it the
elements of perpetuity. The foundations
of its prosperity are as solid as the granite
Lodges which fill the hills that environ the
city. The substantial buildings of brick
and stone which line the principal business
streets and the evidences of busy industry
to be seen in every quarter all bespeak con-
dition of permanent progress and thet
proper
SPIRIT OF ENTERPRISE.
During days ranble through the city
was struck with two remarkable facts--l
did not see single,house with the familiar
legend tackled to the door lintels for rent"
or ''for sale" And have it upon good au-
thority that there is not dwelling
house in the city for rent nor is there a
property owner offering his home for sale.
If as much can be said of another city of
have never visited that city. 1t shows a
satisfied condition of the residents, and is
an expression of their faith in the future of
their city which speaks volumes in its
praise, and is thOusandfOld better adver-
tlSement than paper, books or padded CEN
sus returns. Another thing that has i'm
pressed me favorably here is the way in
which the farmers come to town. They
come in
GOOD WAGONS
and with fat teams well harneSsed. When
ever L strike town where the farmers
bring their produce in screechy old wagons,
drawn by poor, jaded out horses hitched to
the wagon with rope harness, I set it down
that there is mighty poor agricultural
section back of the town. But, judging
from the sleek, fat horses I have seen on
the streets to-day. there is a good farming
territory surrounding Mankato, and if the
healthy looks of the farmers and the rosy
hued faces of their buxum wives and
daughters are true indications there is
mighty good living on the farms.
MANKATo's INDUSTRIES.
Mankato's natural resources are a solid
basis OH which to build an emporium of
wealth. The rocky Lodges which lie hidden
in the beautiful hills that surround the city
are of greater and more lasting value than
gold mines or veins of silver. The Mankato
quarrieS yield stone that is UNSURPASSED
for building and ornamental purposes.
Last year over 5000 carloads of this stone
was quarried and shipped. This year the
probabilities are that not less than 10, 900
carloads will be shipped. 1t is being
hauled to st. Paul, Minneapolis, Omaha
and st. Louis. As it becomes better known
each year the demand for it will be in
nrQacQ6 Tho nriDnipal or
the Empire ledge, owned by w. r. Craig
& Co., who made fine exhibit of the Nam
kato stone at New Orleans, and the Beatty
quarry, owned by j. r. Beatty. In con-
nection with his quarry MIR. Beatty also has
a lime kiln with capacity of $50 barrels
of lime day. The piers of the Union
Pacific bridge across the Missouri river at
Omaha are being built of Mankato stone.
Among the more recently established in
dustries Of Importance at this place are the
cement works, the tile mandatory, the
Standard fibre works and the large Touring
mill.
THE CEMENT WORKS.
The Mankato cement mill was established
about two years ago and has plant cost
ing $4,000. The company is now build
ing large warehouse 130x25O feet, de-
signed to hold Is, 600 barrels. The works
are the largest in the United States, and
the Mankato cement now has a reputation
unsurpassed by any in the world. A !
briquette of this cement twenty-four hours
old stands test offs 145 pounds to the
square inch, and block six weeks old, |
experimental with in New York the other
day, stood the test Of $50 pounds. The
rock from which the cement is made is
eleven feet in thickness and the ledge is an
extensive one. The capacity of the mill is
now 1.7o0 barrels per day. employing from
seventy-five to 100 hands, and MIR. Frank |
Merrill, the manager, informs me that the
demand is so great that by another year the
company Will have to double the capacity
of the mill.
THE TILE MANDATORY,
under the management of Mr. Alberger,
formerly of Buffalo, N. Y. has commenced
operations within the Last sew weeks. Tile
and pottery of every description are manu-
featured, and fine brick of most excellent
quality. A queensware equal to the best
English stoneware is also being manufac-
tured. There is an inexhaustible supply of |
the clay from which these wares are being
made. The Standard Fibreware company
will commence operations in a few weeks.
The buildings are all completed at a cost of
$50, 900 and the machinery is being placed
in ready for work. The buildings are Of
brick and stone and made fireproof, aud
the machinery all new and of the most i'm
proved character. The intention is to.
manufacture all sorts Of wares, from a
bath tub down to a toothpick of flax fibre.
There is only one other establishment Of
this kind in the United States. which is
located at Syracuse, N, Y. 1t was built by
Mr.. John Stevens the general manager of
this establishment A great deal of the
machinery that Is used was invented and
patented by Mr.. Stevens.
THE MANKATo CAPITALISTS -
who induced Mr.. Stevens to locate his fiber