The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-06-26
H. c. Hotaling Delivers
Interesting Speech to
Old Timers; Tribute
To Good Men and
Women.
From Thursdays DAILY.

mdpittOu c4ntefpiiSc, UtiOft tne Olu
settlers outing at Sibley park. this
afternoon:
Nearly half century ago, to
be exact forty-nine years back. there
appeared in a home on Broad street,
in this city, babe. With the
growth and advancement Of the city
this babe long since grown TO man.
hood. has ever kept In close con-
tact and touch. AS the years went
by the hamlet OF IS laid aside its
swaddling cloths, likewise the babe
developed into boyhood; the ham
let budded into a town, the boy
into young manhood: the town into
a city and the young man into
the mature citizen. The babe forty
nine years ago is before you today
and is asked TO speak to you, old
settlers. II is a task that I should
not have accepted, considering the
limited time at my command, yet
there was a feeling deep down In
my breast that II there was any.
thing could do, in my humble
way, for the old settlers, the old
neighbors, friends of father and
mother. that il should be done and
done cheerfully. And furthermore,
! am glad TO get back to the old
town even though 1t be but for day
II Is a pleasure to greet the friends
of other days, for in this strenu-
Gus, busy world, one is hardly given
time TO take a look backward: every
thing Is onward and forward, push
ing, crowding, with little heed for
the past or even the present for
that matter. II Is the future that
Is being scanned and the question
is not what has been done, not
what has been accomplished. but
what Is to come. 'Tis we'll to be
looking forward, to make provisions
for the coming day, but yet, in
our mad rush, II is also well that
there should be an occasional stop
to take stock, to find out whether
We are really progressing or retro
grading.
Advancement Of City.
has been phenomenal since the days
the babe first saw It and still more
marvellous Is the progress In the
eyes Of those whose point OF vision
goes back further into history.
In 1850, just two years previous
TO the first settlement at Mankato,
the entire state had but SOFT people
or about half the present population
OF this city alone. Today II is al.
most $40 times that number re-
cent estimate given out by the cen.
sus department at Washington plac-
ing this number at 2,21s.313 Some
change you say. Yes, a noticeable
one, for today we have the most
extensive iron mines in the world;
we stand first in the manufacture
OF -four and our creamery products
total si4.000,000 annually. We have
100000 head OF cattle and nearly
as many hogs to say nothing of
other live stock. But cattle and
hogs are not all we are raising.
The greatest product OF our great
state Is our boys and girls-our
children, and we are endeavoring
to make good citizens of them by
the installation Of patriotism through
the best system of public schools
in the world. And these schools,
thanks TO the foresight and wisdom
Of territorial pioneer. Hon. Alex.
ander Ramsey, have behind them
a school fund that is simply as
founding in its magnitude and which
is estimated will ultimately reach
500, 900. 900.
Truly Wonderful Change.
This is truly a wonderful change,
but IL becomes more apparent when
we read that In 1851, the year
that Wallace Paddock. one OF your
first settlers. landed i'm st. Paul.
Governor Ramsey was commissioned
by the general government to pro-
coed to the international boundary
for the purpose of conducting
treaty with the Indians for the
lands demanded by the incoming
settlers. In doing so Mr.. Ramsey
travelled 400 miles without seeing
a single white person. Think of
the change. The hamlet OF st. Paul
has given way to the city. of 236, 1855
people, and st. Anthony, marked
by a couple OF houses, is now the
hustling, bustling city of Minneapo-
lis, metropolis of considerable over
a quarter Of million people. while
the country 10 the north, where Mr..
Ramsey failed 40 find single white
person, Is teeming with hustling
cities. productive farms, and great
mining interests where the best iron
In the world is loaded onto the
cars with a steam shovel. The buff
falo has gone but In his place roam
nerds OF the finest mich cows,
which, together with thousands OF
acres Of growing grain. furnish the
material which enables us to retain
and defend the title OF being the
bread and butter state OF the union.
Even as late as year after
the settlement Of this city, lots, no
whole blocks, In Minneapolis were
sold at trining sums: the block in
which the Nicollet house is located
being sold for $3.50. Today that
earno hi<>ct "a xunrth .,n~~<lt..o A.