Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-07-10


To be free from jealousy and envy is
one mark of conscious greatness. Jeal
Ousy is alwaye a confession of inferiority,
Some Of our readers probably know that
there is little town west of US named
Albert Lea, whose glory IS declining and
whose population is slowly dwindlins
away. There was time a few years
ago when we thought there might be
quite town out there. but that time has
gone by. 1t is amusing to note the In
tense envy which Albert Lea evinccs tow
ards Austin. We have been growing so
rapidly that we have left the little one
far in the rear; hence those tears and
groans. This city has this spring been
the most conspicuous city IN Southern
Minnesota, and almost every week, of
late, the Albert Lea Enterprise (?) has
howled with feelings of Jealousy which
it could not restrain. A few weeks ago we
gave a magnificent reception to the
Southern Minnesota G. A. R. Encamp-
ment, and the Enterprise editor, remem-
5ering the feeble effort which Albert Lea
made to entertain the Encampment a
year or two ago, when there were no dec.
oratlons, no preparations, nothing pro-
vided for the gallant veterans but a couple
dozen of tents, could not conceal his en-
w at our royal reception to the G. A. r.
1t was too big a thing for Albert Lea to
handle.
We are sorry to see the many signs
of our neighbours departed glory. She
is unfortunately located and cannot re
move. A few years ago great things
were expected of the building of the Min
neapolis & St. Louis railway, but to-day
that corporation is IN the hands of a re-
ceiver, and Albert Lea has heavy bonded
indebtedness loading her down for this
questioned advantage. a way station
apon a circuitous route doesn't pick up
yefv fast Austin, years ago. had the en-
terprlse to put in $4,000 water works
plant. Poor Albert Lea is to day discuss.
ing whether they can possibly introduce
some kind of water works cor buy new
fire engine" Albert Lea put in an cleo.
trio plant some tune ago, using few
lights for street illumination. but we no.
tice that at a recent council meeting they
are proposing to go back to gasoline.
Austin supports three good newspapers.
Last year when the live proprietor of
Life tried to wake up the sleepy citizens
Of Albert Lea, he was promptly starved
out. They couldn't stand too much en-
terprise. Albert Lea has II teachers in
all her public schools for the next year.
We have had II this year, and will require
Is next year,exclusive of the large at
tendance at the Sisters academy. We ad-
nit that Albert Lea has more saloons
han we; Is licenses have already been
granted, and two more applications are
in. We have but II licenses. No Won
der the W. G. T. =. is dead. Albert Lea
dropped several thousand dollars last
year into the Duluth s. Red Wing rail
way scheme, but that road has switched
of to Rochester, and one of it's directors
recently stated that it would go no far
Eher, but would probably be sold to the
road, Austin has for these
years supported successful county fair,
the county furnishing commodious
grounds for its use. Poor Albert Lea IN
vain begs for something Of the kind to
be started up. The fact is, many of the
best citizens of our neighbor. after vain
Iy struggling for years to uphold her wan
ing destinles, have removed by the score
to Washington Territory, where their en-
ergy will be rewarded and appreciated
We notice that some of our exchanges
are making mention of the sloughs and
frog ponds in and around Albert Lea. It
is delicate subject, especially during the
heated term of summer The pauper
population Of Albert Lea, which num-
bered about sixty in the early spring. has
been diminished since the expense of
their keeping was by legislative act sad
died upon the county. Mower county.
years ago, built and paid for a magniti-
cent court house the admiration of all
visitors and citizens. Freeborn county
has recently run in debt for one not so
large, or so commodious or so fine archi-
:ecturally. Albert Lea claims to have
gas wells. but as they are from seyen to
twenty miles distant, we have often won.
dered what claim she had upon them. 1t
will be about as cheap to pipe to Austin
where there will be a good patronage for
them as to run them TO Albert Lea. Poor
Albert Lea She lies off the great high
ways of commerce. Her growth is at a
standstill. No new industries come to
her. We'll may the editor of
The Enterprise SIT in the cave of gloom
and continue to rave over the conspicu-
ous prosperity of Austin, and think of