The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-04-02
SPIRIT OF OPTIMISM
ABROAD N MAhkATO
From Mondays Daily.

Mankato people do not complain of
business dullness. Here in this rich
agricultural section, where the farm.
ers who trade with Mankato are al
most universally prosperous, COM
merce flourlshes in spite OF adverse
conditions elsewhere. Mankato is
going right ahead. There is plenty OF
building I'm sight for this spring and
prospects of a good showing along
the line OF permanent improvements
for the year 1915 are very bright.
With the opening of the new year
and right in the dead of winter. the
Cedar Rapids Oil company began
work on its plant on North Broad
quarters. Excavation was made for
the basement of the warehouse. This
was done in the solid rock, which
could be cut into as easily in cold
weather as at any other time OF the
year. Now one may see three new
brick buildings here. There is a ware.
house. 40 by so feet: an office build
ing. 20 by 20. and barn, 90 by %.
There are three big tanks each with
Il capacity OF 100000 gallons: six
smaller tanks of $4,000 gallons each,
and two wagon tanks of 1880 gallons
each. From these the wagon is load
ed for local delivery.
It is indeed interesting to see the
process of unloading oil from tank
car. This is done by pumping the
Gil from the tank on the car into one
Of the big tanks on the grounds. The
pumping is done by means of Fair
banks Morse kerosene engine.
Plant Is Elaborate.
The plant is more elaborate than
one would think from mere casual
observation. II is said that the com.
pany has invested $4,000 in this
plant. II is not merely for the Man.
katO trade, but is distributing point
for many smaller and less important
stations. The place is now in radi-
ness, except that an eight-foot fence
is to be put up. This il to keep PEG
pie out, who do not belong there. The
company is rather strict about this
because some careless person might
throw Il match or lighted cigarette
stub in a dangerous place. The ter
rible consequences of such an act
may readily be imagined.
The company expects to have the
,,la 70 i,, la. ,,n,r
future. Already forty-fvc cars oi
Kerosene and gasoline have been I'M
loaded here. The company expects
10 deal here in these and in luOr!cat-
ing oils and grease of all kinds.
Speaking of tanks. this reminds one
of the seven big grain tanks that the
Hubbard Milling company will put
up this spring at its plant on North
Front street. This will be a $4,000
improvement. Work will begin OH
the new tanks as soon as the frost
is out of the ground. This company
has been adding greatly to its equip
ment OF late. II will be remembered
that quite an array OF big grain
tanks put i'm an appearance last year
back of the big mill These are now
quite a land mark
Another big industrial concern that
is going to build in Mankato very
soon is the newly organized Minneso-
Ia Tile company. This company's
plant will be located in West Man
kato on the shore OF the Blue Earth
Plans have already been drawn for
the great factory building. This Will
be go feet long and 100 10 l2j feet
wide.
RiGht here 1t is in order TO men.
ton the new factory building that
Mayer Brothers are going to erect.
II is intended to begin work on this
about the middle of April and to have
il completed about the first of July.
\ prospective new business build
Sandon Brothers, proprietors OF the
Wonderland. expect TO erect this
spring on the north side OF Walnut
street. between Front and Second.
Another new business structure,
that Is TO be erected this year, is the
undertaking quarters. which will be
built for Frank Bush Gil the site OF
the old Wysong laundry building on
Jackson street. This Is the block
that caused such sensation not
many days ago by collapsing, with
out injuring a single workman or
horse, Though twenty workmen and
three horses were in great danger.
II will be remembered that the old
Coy barn on South Second street was
recently leased by the Thompson
Laundry and Dye Works, with view
TO fitting the plant up for laundry
plant. This concern has quite a
laundry at Albert Lea.
Capital Being invested.
Within the next few days, II Is
likely that another business property
improvement in Mankato will be an.
nOunced a confidential tip has been
given to the writer OF this article,
but. the manager of the concern is not
yet ready TO tell anything. The mat
ter will be known soon, IL II mater
iallzes at all The only reason for
making any reference TO the matter