The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-01-04
improvements More Than Half Million; One Of the
Strong of the Growth of This City; Many
Residences and business Blocks Are
Includedin the List
From Fridays Daily.

Il
| ever known. 1t is doubtful whether more
| new houses or more building of a general
nature was ever done in Mankato in one
| year. A careful canvass OF the city
shows the building improvements the
present year to have reached the mangi-
ficent figure of $jOO,SSO. When the city
| improvements are taken into considera.
ton, the figure is run up to $539,599.
During the year ffty-six residences
were built and several others were be-
gun. A good deal of factory construc-
ton was done, and several stores were
built and some in course of construction
were completed. A significant feature
of the work done is the large amount of
remodeling of houses, making of houses
of the old style of construction over in
to practically modern houses, with all
conveniences This shows state of pros
rerity that enables those of moderate
circumstances to live in style and COM
fort not before enjoyed.
The construction of the year has been
solid, and both business blocks and resi-
dences display beauty of design and ar
| chitecture as well as other desirable
| features.
| In spite of the large number of new
houses that have been erected, some
capable of holding two families, there is
still demand for good houses, showing
that the growth of the city has absorbed
all the additional lodging facilities and
leaving the demand for houses undated.
This means that large number of new
houses must be built next year, in spite
of advancing prices of building material.
Indeed, the outlook for building of all
kinds is very promising, and the building
trades are looking for another year as
good as the past one has been.
The telephone companies have spent
much money in the city in charging and
lettering their facilities. The railroads
1 have not done much, but there Is a pros
| pect that the Omaha road will make
some extensive improvements next year,
building "a new and larger brick freight
depot ard changing the yard traekage.r
The Standard Brewing company con-
templates making decided improvements
the coming year, and the German Cath
olic institutions expect to spend as much
as they have done this year, which has
been large sum.
Building in which particular pride is
taken are the new Immanual hospital
the new plant of the Creamery Package
Manufacturing company, the residence
of +. NJ. Currier, and many others. The
construction of the fair buildings was
another triumph of the year. The ex-
tensive improvements at the Hubbard
mill, the rebuilding of the kleinsclnmidt
factory and mill, the new creamery
building, and extensions of the gas plant,
etc., are alAotmdertakings that have
marked the past year as one of progress.
Care has been taken to get exact val
ues in preparing the list of improvements
that follows, but in some instances il
was impossible to see the owners, and. in
such cases the, estimates of the contrac-
tors, architects or of the builders them
selves as returned in the building per-
mits were taken. Still there are some
where somewhat loosen estimates have
been made, but in almost every instance
where the owner has been subsequently,
seen 1T has been necessary to raise the
figures, so it can be safely taken for
granted that the total is very conserva-
tive, and should probably be increased
at least ten per cent. 1t may be that
here and there an improvement has been
unintentionally omitted, but strenu-
GUS endeavOr was made to get all inn
provement of whatever nature amount
ing to 500 or more.
North Mankato has shown up well.
and the city government of Mankato has
made some desirable improvements
Much sidewalk building was done by pri.
vate contract, but figures as to these
cannot readily be obtained.
The following is the list of building
improvements made in the city of Man
kato:
Fowler & Pay, frame block build.
ing ................... 900
Laird-Norton Yards, frame addi.
ton to lumber shed. 45O
First Congregational church, re-
modelling ................... AGO
G. Steiner, two-story frame res
indence ...............-.. 5000
j. A. Batto, brick residence. 1900
Bruno Roemer, frame barn. 200
Minnie NJ Lang, frame dwelling. $500
Mankato Savings and Building
| Assn, frame dwelling. LOO
DR.. ]. H. James, remodeiiny
| dwelling ........ 1900
John Graham, frame barn. 300
J. J. Gill, frame dwelling. -.... 1900
Mrs l. E. Firestone, frame resi-