The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-12-09
MANKATO'S GROWTH.

IOI 1917, WHICH is UOlu III our news
columns today, is an interesting one,
and marks an era of greater prosperity
than the city has ever before enjoyed.
AS the reader looks over the record of
the year, he will be impressed with
the fact that the past season has been
very busy one. He will also note
that this progress has been made
without any extra effort in the shape
or a boom causing an abnormal
growth, which is not always of a solid
nature, but the growth which has
been made is of very healthy char
acter, and places the business inter-
ests of the city upon solid founda-
tion. that indicates most prosperous
future.
The growth of the past season ex-
ceeds anything in the history of the
city by many thousands of dollars.
The Improvements, both public and
private, fail but little short of $780,
600, the figures as given in our col
umns today being in round numbers
1882, 900. The FREE PRESS does not
claim these figures to be absolutely
correct. But they represent no pad
ding as is often customary with towns
wishing to show a larger growth to
the outside world, but will rather
drop under the actual amount lid
out. This growth cannot help but be
source Of pride to every citizen of
our city, and give him renewed con-
f1dence In its future.
And the business interests of the
city are fully in pace with its building
record. All of our manufacturing in
stitutions have shared in the general
prosperity that has abided with US.
All of them report an increased bust
ness, and bright outlook before
them. This is one of the most hope
full features of the city's growth, for
the life of city largely rests in it's
manufacturing interests, and if these
present healthy condition all is well.
The output of our factories, stone
quarrieS, lime kilns and brick yards
for the year will stretch away into
the hundreds of thousands Of dollars,
as will be seen by the review of them
given elsewhere, and have afforded
employment to hundreds of men at
remunerative wages.
Another feature which the FREE
PRESS desires to call the attention of
our citizens to is the fact that without
any effort upon the part Of our people,
our manufacturing interests have
been largely increased during the past
twelve months by several new institu-
tions and enlarged capacity of old
ones. The advance that has thus
been made means much to the bust
ness and general growth of the city
and should meet with every encour-
agement. This growth only empha-
sizes the position which has always
been maintained by the FREE PRESS,
that Mankato is natural manufac-
turing center, and plainly illustrates
what a little systematic work upon
the part of our citizens would do in
that direction. There is room and
need here for half a dozen or dozen
more concerns, and little effort will
get them.
Few cities of our size have better
railroad facilities than has Mankato,
and little we'll directed work will
result in vast improvement in that
direction in the near future, which
will give US advantages equaled only
by the large cities. The business
which the railways trensact in a city
is good indication of its growth, and
the freight business for the last year
in and out, is the largest ever taans-
acted here.
Another grand indication of our
rapid yet substantial growth is the
growth of our banking business, which
has more than doubled In the last
three or four years.
The growth of our jobbing interests
shows that MankatO cannot be eX-
celled as location for institutions of
this nature. Several new houses have
been located in our midst during the
year, and all have enjoyed a most
prosperous trade. The freight rates
which have been made for the city
place our merchants on equal footing
with those of the large cities, while
they enjoy cheaper rents, taxes in
surance and living, which the smaller
cities give, and are advantages which
must C Ontinue to favor the growth of
the jobbing interests at this point.
The retail interests have grown in
keeping with the expansion of the
city and have enjoyed a most prosper
Gus season. This is due in large eX-
tent to the enterprise and hustling
qualities of our retail men, who study
closely the needs of the people and
then supply those wants at the lowest
living rates with the best goods in
the market, and the fact that Man
katO business men are constantly
adding to the volume of their bust.
ness DIS well as the territory which
they draw trade from, is the highest
encomium that can be paid to theil
business ability.
AS we remarked above, there mas
haap N n hOOm fn nrOduoa tho romarlz :