The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-16
Company is Organized With
Capital of $4,000.
Local Men Are Interested With
Chicago Parties.
Plant to be- Erected; Fuel is
Cheaper Than Anthracite.
From Thursdays Daily. e

From Thursdays Daily. go
Mankato is soon to have a new indus
try. The Mankato Peat Fuel company
has been organized, and the articles of
incorporation were forwarded today to
the secretary of state for filing. The
capital stock is placed at $l5e000, and
the Indebtedness is limited to $4,000
The incorporators are w. j. Merchant,
Charles J, Macbeth, George W. Bunce,
C. N. Andrews and john Addison, the
last named being from Chicago.
1t is the intention to at once erect
a plant in Mankato at a cost of $780,
600 or more and engage in the manufac-
ture of peat bricquettes, to be sold for
fuel. The deal has been in contempla-
ton for some time. and several bar
rels of peat from the slough have been
sent to Chicago, where they have been
manufactured into bricquettes and sam
Piles returned to this city. Mr.. More
hart burned some of them last evening
and reports that the result was perfect
ly satisfactory. 1t is. claimed for the
bricquettes that they will burn as well
as hard coal, are cleanly, smokeless and
almost ashless, and are clinkerless.
Mr., Addison is an expert in the bus
mess. He is connected with the Unit
ed States Peat Fuel company of Chi
cago, and has been taking an interest
in the proposed starting of plant in
this city and has been assisting the en-
terprise. He states that his company
was started year ago and has a new
and late process for the manufacture
of the bricquettes that is ahead of any
other, doing it more cheaply and making
better fuel. He estimates that it will
cost, only dollar ton to manufacture
the peat bricquettes in Mankato and
that they ought to sell for seven or
eight dollars a, ton, as they are as good
if not better for fuel than anthracite
coal. t...,.-.. ffr.eH
Mr.. Addison states that plant of
the size that it is proposed to erect in
Mankato will turn out 100 tons of bric-
quettes daily. He says that this is
the first factory of the kind which has
been started in Minnesota, but that fac
tories are being started in other states.
His company will furnish the machinery
and build the plant complete ready for
business.
The manufacture of bricquettes for
fuel is no new thing, but there has not
processes. With the new process it is
different, for the improvements make
the fuel so much more cheaply and so
much better that there is sure to be
a profitable market.
Where the plant will be located is not
vet decided, nor has it been decided
where peat from the slough will be used.
Mr.. Andrews stated today that the peat
from the slough and other peats will
have to be analyzed first to see which
will be the best for the purpose. The
slough is really a great peat bog, and
would furnish inexhaustible supplies
of peat if it is of the right kind.
Mr.. Addison remarked That there is
more knowledge on the subject of peat
in the normal school in this city than
he possessed.
The addition of this industry to Man
kato's Industrial enterprises will be
fine thing kr the city. 1t will mean the
employment of many men, and the in
creasing of the shipping of the city. 1t
is to be hoped that those interested will
be able to carry the enterprise through
to the realization of their brightest an
ticipations.