The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-05-18
BOARD OF TRADE.
The Absence of Local Loyalty Among
Some of The Business nen
Severely Commented Upon.

The first matter to come before the
meeting of the board this morning
was a communication regarding the
Northwestern Home Trade AsSOcia-
tion, inviting the board to send one
or more delegates to Minneapolis to
attend the convention to be held in
that city Wednesday, May 23rd. This
led to considerable discussion, one or
two of the members questioning the
wisdom of the move, so far as any def
mite results that are to be expected
are concerned. The balance Of the
sentiment seemed to be largely in ia
vOr Of the movement, and the follow
ing delegates were elected; John A.
Willard, L. Patterson, E. M. Pope,
Geo. E. Brett and l. Longini.
NJ. @. Willard exhibited a sample
pair Of wooden hosiery which is being
made at the Knitting mills, and it
was much admired by the members
present. They are the seamless,
fashioned leg, and Mr.. Brett stated
that until two or three years ago they
were manufactured only in Europe,
and were imported. In this connec-
tiOn, it was thought that if MankatO
takes an interest in the Northwestern
Home Trade Association, the manu-
featuring industries of the city would
be benefited.
Geo. E. Brett, chairman of the COM
mittee appointed to try to secure a
change in the passenger service Of the
Minneapolis s. ST. Louis road, pre-
sented a petition to the company,
signed by all the business men on
Front street whom the committee had
been able to see. This petition
asks that the road change its time
table so that passenger train will
arrive in the morning and 60 out in
the afternoon, which would enable
the people living along the road to do
their trading in MankatO, instead of
going to Faribault and other places
east Of US, as now. 1t was decided
that the petition should be presented
by merchants instead of by the board.
Mr.. Brett stated that when the
Milwaukee road made it's change of
service, the effect upon the trade of
the merchants was at once seen, and
they were greatly benefited by it.
He looked for a similar result if the
NJ. & St. L. road will make a more
favorable time table.
The question Of Mankato markets
was brought up, and the discussion
led to an arraignment of certain bust
ness men for not being loyal to the
city. A number Of members spoke
upon this point, and particularly how
some of the business men, in order to
secure trade for themselves, speak de-
preciatingly of the methods of other
business men engaged in the same line
of business. AS case in point, it
was mentioned that the butchers
have been very severe upon the Cas-
sidy Packing Co., while it is generally
known that that company is doing
business on very small margin OF
profit. One member stated that the
company could not have survived nine
months in the face of such a seeming
ly systematic and determined on
Slaught, had it not been for the pluck
of the company. The misrepresenta-
tiOn Of each other by business men is
doing more to injure the city than
anything else. 1t was the sentiment
unanimously voiced that this local
misrepresentation ought to cease, and
that now is the time to call a halt
Mistrust is raised on all sides, and
trade falls off, to go to the small
towns around, although higher prices
are paid for farm products here, and
the merchants sell their goods much
lower than elsewhere.