The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-02-07

1aVors assisting worthy enterprises
where necessary, by the taking o,
some of the stock locally, or in Other
ways, IN order to secure these manu-
featuring enterprises; provided, up
on careful investigation, the enter
pTises seeking such assistance are
approved by a committee on manu-
features, to be appointed by the pres
ident of the club and 10 consist OF
seven members: said committee 70
conduct a thorough investigation in
each case, and to report it's find
ings back to this club for final &C.
ton.
This was the resolution unani
mOusly adopted by the Commercial
club at its meeting in the Elk's cafe
last evening. 1t was decided that it
should be the policy of the club to
attempt 10 increase the industrial
growth of the city, thereby adding
To its pay roll and also the popua-
ton. The resolution was adopted
only after considerable discussion
by several members Of the organiza-
ton and the general spirit of all
the discussions was that the people
Of MaRkato should patronze home
enterprises and help to build up
and keep i'm full operation the man.
UfacturinS enterprises which are
now located here as well as Undue
ing others to locate in this city.
There was considerable enthusiasm
displayed in favor of the upbuild-
ing and expanding the industrial
growth Of this city.
Following the preliminares Incl
dent to the opening of the business
session Secretary +. F. Soaring re-
ferred TO the special order of bust
ness, which related 10 the movement
which shall have for its ultimate
end the securing of manufacturing
concerns.
The Numerous Opportunities.
Mr. Soaring told of numerous OPP
portunities that the Mankato Com
mercial club has had to assist fac
tories of various kinds to this city,
but all of them wanted assistance
of some kind-the most wanting
some of the capital stock taken here
Among these industries were a farm
implement factory, a stove factory,
a cut glass factory. a branch auto
mobile factory, a factory to manu-
facture COW stanchions and manure
carriers, a factory to manufacture
metal fence posts. and one to manu-.
facture cement brick. besides some
smaller ones. He had last week
received 4 proposal to locate a fac
tory here 10 manufacture Il new non
rubber pneumatic automobile tire
that il is claimed will knock
. off - 10.
business. He had learned of the
better class Of these enterprises
through tips given him by persons,
which he had followed up Some
OF the projects that he had looked
into had not turned out to be de-
sirable, and some had already Sc
cured locations. He had sified
them out and brought some of the
most promising TO the attention OF
the advisory board, but as assist I
ancc was needed in each case, tie
board had taken no action, feeling
that it would be difficult to place
stock, no matter how meritOrious the
enterprise.
Plenty of Uninvested Capital.
Mr.. Soaring said that he felt that !
there is plenty OF uninvested CAPT |.
tai in the city to bring a great
many manufacturing plants TO the
city. If only part of the Man /
kato capital that had been invested /
i'm real estate, mines and stock in ]
concerns at q great distance FROM
the city, and lost, had been wisely
invested i'll manufacturing plants in |
Mankato we should have had a city !
Of $4,000 by this time. Money is
being constantly sent ont of the city
in large quantities for Investment /.
elsewhere, mostly through the ef .
forts of glib tongued promoters, /
when Investments in MaukatO |
might not only prove more profitable !
in themselves, but also help raise !
the value OF other investments held /
by these people in the city.
II local people having money 10
invest would show as much conf ,
dence in their home city as they do ,
in unknown enterprises thousands
Cf miles away. it would not be long
before the city would be growing
rapidly in population and wealth.
Mr. Soaring said that he had writ ,
ten to the secretaries of the Com
mercial clubs of Winona, Faribault,
Red Wing, Albert Lea Sioux Falls,
S. D. Fort Dodge and Mason City,
Iowa, asking what methods were .
used in those cities to secure new
factories, as he had thought that
the experience of those live cities
might be of value to Mankato. Five
had replied as follows:
Red Wing, Mimi. January 20
Dear Sir: In answer to your letter
would say that so far as ] know
the Red Wing Commercial club has
never been instrumental in bring
ing any new industries to this city.
] do not know of any case in which
sites or bonuses were offered, al
though there may have been cases
where individual members of the
club have agreed TO take certain
amount of stock in case new in
dustry should locate here. SO far as
/ know, the only inducements held
out have been TO point out OF par
ties looking for location the ad-
vantages which the city offered, but
since | have been connected with
the club | do not think any new en-
terprises have been brought here
the activities of the club.
Yours truly, John f. Merrill Secre
tIry.
What FaribauIt has Done.
Faribault, Mimi, January 20
Dear Sir: The Commercial club of
this city has been instrumental in
.,.,,,;,,, cavaral Industries for this