The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-10-19


soft coal from the twin cities to Man
kato without extra charge? On the
other hand, gentlemen, our extra
charge on soft coal is just GO per cent
a ton.
Business Men Were Burdened.
If Mankato business men have been
Slow to invest their money in manu-
featuring, it has not been because, they
were not as progressive citizens as
other towns have, but because they
have been burdened/with freight rate
prohibitive in many lines of business,
and this IS true not only of Mankato,
but of all Southern Minnesota. | be-
lieve that if AIankato and southern
Minnesota had been given fair freight
rate, Mankato would to-day have had
G0,OOO people. Mr.. Currier put it right
the other day, before the Railroad Com
mission, when he said, THAT if ST.
Paul and AIankato had had their rates
reversed 25 years ago, st. Paul would
have been a small town to-day and
Mankato large city, SO much then
for freight rates. But in leaving the
mercial Club that this is the great ques-
ton for them to solve, before which all
others grow small Let us also en-
courage them by reminding them that
at this moment the people are rising in
their might and demanding just rate,
and that for the first time, in the his
tory of the state, the railroads are find
ing it necessary to yield to the demand
for fair rates. This question of rates
solved. MankatO becomes as good IA
manufacturing point as it is distrib
uting point. For while we have no
cheap power, as water power, our Iowa
coal is nearly as cheap as they have at
st. Paul or Minneapolis.
Perahps | will disappoint you some
what in my views as to how our manu-
featuring business should be increased.
| agree with you, heartily, that our
town should be advertised, not only in
regard to factories, but in every avail
able way. Let us lay stress on adver-
club or some of its representatives,
should acquire tract for factory sites
to be donated to those willing to invest
sufficient capital. But l think it will
prove the exception case where we should
reach out and locate large foreign in
stitutiOn. 1t would be well to do so if
with no special advantages here of raw
material or cheap fuel, they will not
come without some large financial in
ducement. We could locate but very
few before our financial resources would
be exhausted, and, l doubt the wisdom
of our citizens investing largely in
variety of businesses of which they I'M
derstand nothing. Failure and discour-
agement would be likely to follow. If,
however, the exceptional opportunity
presents itself, let us be able to recog
nize it and profit by it. But would
have more faith in factory that
started in a small way. l am impressed
with the fact that almost everything
that we have in Mankato, in business
way, had small beginning. Most of
these things should start from among
ourselves. | think we must depend
more on building up from within and
among ourselves, than on outside help.
What We Need.
To make clear what l mean. We
need here tile factory. Do you
realize the immense demand that is be-
ing made for tile? Mankato and all
the towns around her have run short
on this commodity. One of our local
dealers tells me that he could ship two
carloads week if he had the tile
Lake Crystal sold twenty-five carloads
last year, and will sell more this year.
They are hauling tile to-day from Lake
Crystal to Madelia because the Ma
della dealers cannot procure it. All the
tile factories in the northwest are be-
hind in their orders many weeks. l
will read you this letter, dated Oct.
18th: DIR. |. ID. Webster Mankato
MINI. Dear Sir: In reply to your re-
quest for an estimate of the amount of
tile that has been laid in this county
during the present season, | will say,
that from my own notes, and from all
available information from others, a
conservative estimate would be about
l5S,4O0 feet, equal to thirty miles.
Yours truly, Walter F. Brooks.
Proper drainage will be the first step
in benefting farming conditions about
us, and the demand will increase won
derfully from this time on. Why
shouldn't some of you start that tile
factory, and make sewer pipe too? We
need here shoe factory. One of our
local shoe men should promote that.
Perhaps one of our travelling statesmen
in the shoe business. Mankato is
blessed with fine representation of
commercial travellers. Many of these
!.