The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-02-27
MANAGER PALMER AS HOST
Nearly One Hundred Employees and Mill
Management Get.together For
Social Time


From Tuesdays Daily.
Nearly hundred employees OF the
Hubbard Milling company. men and
women, boys and girls, constituting
substantially the entire force, at
tended a banquet as the company's
guests at the Saulpaugh last even
ing. The mill was shut down to al
lew every person who worked there
an opportunity of attending this
"get-together' which II the Intention
OF the manager, George NJ. Palmer,
is carried out, win henceforth be an
annual affair.
After the aggregation had par
taken of a sumptuous repast, Mr..
Palmer explained the purpose Of the
gathering, as being two-fold. One
object was to tell stories and have
a good time socially and the other
was to talk over matters OF common
interest and benefit.
Mr.. Palmer introduced Wenzel
Bienapf as the Oldest employee OF
the mill, and honored him with being
the first called upon to speak. Mr..
Bienapf told how he entered the
employ of the mill twenty-seven
years ago. He described many fea-
lures OF the mill as II was then,
when II turned out ESQ barrels OF
flour a day, and contrasted these
features with what the mill Of to.
day had In their place, to turn out
1890 barrels day.
Mr.. Palmer next. presented the
second oldest employe, Frank Margle,
who entered the employ of the con-
Germ twenty-seyen years ago. Mr..
Margle like Mr.. Bienapf, told OF
many changes that had occurred in
the development OF the system OF
me chanism of the mill, and Of the
difficulties that used to be met
In operating the old apparatus in
years gone by.
George Schneider, now chief en-.
gineer, was next introduced by Mr..
Palmer, who told how Mr.. Schriber
came and applied for work at the
mill twenty years ago. Mr.. Schriber
told something about the labors with
which he climbed the ladder during
the last double decade. He told how
when he came he found six boilers
with a total horse power of 500, and
a pressure OF so to 80 pounds to
the square inch, and how It re.
quired great labor to maintain that
standard OF efficiency. He con.
trasted that state OF affairs with
that OF the present, when the horse.
power is 1900 and pressure 145 to
$50 pounds to the square inch, with
far less difficulty encountered in
maintaining II.
Mrs. @. NJ. Palmer now varied the
program by playing two standard
selections on the victrola, Maude
PowelPs "St. Patrick's Day in the
Morning" and Harry LADDERS
"Roamin' In the Gloamin'."
Mr.. Palmer next, presented another
boy OF twenty years ago.. who he
described as the one who was al
ways blushing. II this man had lived
800 to 400 years ago, Mr.. Palmer
said, he would have been called "Au-
gust, the Red" instead OF August
Armenian. He was one who had
worked to the top of his department,
being now the warehouse foreman.
Mr.. Armenian sspoke of himself as
about the greenest Dutchman that
ever came across" and he didn't
know why Il was that he was made
foreman, but he was. He told of
many of the old-tlme troubles OF the
mill, and said the mill was not with.
out its troubles of the present day
and one of those troubles was that
nowadays they always try to put
anything in the warehouse that isn't
Of any use anywhere else"
How ten years ago "a handsome
young stranger" came to the Office
and applied for position there, re-
ceiyed II and In three months rose
to the position OF head bookkeeper
was the next story related by Mr..
Palmer, and he presented this man,
II. R Harmer.
MIR. Harmer sought to impress on
his hearers that errors and inac.
curacies were more serious than
many people realized. No one knew
better than book-keeper of the
worry. annoyance and financial loss
that could arise from little care
lessness. Even when errors were
satisfactorily explained they left a
bad impression of carelessness.
Mrs. Palmer now again entertained
the aggregation with the victrola.
playing The Virginia Minstrels" and
an extract from a sermon.
Mr.. Palmer remarked that one OF
the pleasantest features OF the bust
ness in which he was engaged was
to watch the development of the
young men In his employ. He spoke
OF one of these who half a dozen
years ago attracted much attention
by threatening to thrash two other
men. who had made bold to become
abusive. Mr.. Palmer said he after.
wards took occasion to tell the young
man that he approved Of his action.