The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-09-29
BRAIN ERD.

Brainerd, the county seat of Crow
Wing County, with a population of
Ii 900. is an enterprising manufacture
ing city favorably located on the banks
of the Mississippi river, within II
miles of the geographical center Of
the state. 1t lies on a level plateau
about so feet above the river level,
giving it a natural drainage, which
accounts for the splendid health of
the community. 1t is at the junction
of the Lake Superior and st. Paul di-
vision of the N p Railroad, 127 miles
northwest of the Twin Cities and 11S
terminal of the Minnesota e Interna-
tional Railroad, which has general
Offices here and is the receiving and
distributing point for the surrounding
country, which exports large quanti-
ties of lumber, furs, creamery prod
ucts, fish, produce and the luscious
blueberries that grow there in album
dance. The discovery of iron ore in
the vicinity has given an impetus to
the development of that industry.
have been completed and are shipping
ore There are probably $50 down
showing many million tons of high
grade ore. The machine shops of the
N. p. Railroad are the most extensive
on the line of the road. These shops
give employment to about 1000 men.
The monthly pay roll aggregates $685.
600 to $4,000 and the pay roll of the
M. e l. Railroad is about $4,000 per
month. The N. p Railroad operates
large tie preserving plant, employ
ing 125 men. The Northern Pacific
hospital, one of the best in the United
States, for the use of the company s
employees and the st. Joseph's hos
pital, conducted by the Sisters of St.
Benedict Of Duluth, Mimi, erected at
a cost of $4,000, and the Northwest
ern hospital, are located here. At this
point the river has been damned, fur
nishing 600 horsepower for manufae-
lures and oVerfowage for boom IA
~
The city has arc and incandescent
electric lights, city water works of
pure water, paved streets, fine city
parks, good sewerage, saw, planning,
-four, feed and pulp mills, cigar fac
tories, 3 creameries, a grain elevator,
cement block plants. a brick yard, a
large foundry employing 200 men and
pay roll of ST., 600 monthly, banks,
numerous hotels, chamber Of COM
merce and wholesale and retail stores
in nearly all branches of trade. Three
newspapers, the Dispatch (daily and
weekly, the Tribune and Journal
Press (weekly) are published. The
religious and educational facilities are
excellent and consist of 10 churches:
including Episcopal, Evangelical, Con-
gregational, Presbyterian, Methodist,
Baptist, Lutheran, Seven-day Advent
list, Swedish Mission and Catholic de-
nominations, and a public library con-
tanning over 5000 volumes. A new
postoffice building was, recently built
at a cost of over $4,000, exclusive of
the lots, as well. as a new city hall at
cost of $4,000. A substantial court
house is here and large and COM
modious opera house costing $4,000
(seating 300 is one of the attractions
of the city, besides two minor theaters.
An attractive and substantial building
has been erected by the Y. M. c. A.
There are also several large public
halls, an athletic park and ball
grounds. Prairie and timber land is
worth SIS to $50 and improved land
s25 to $3.50 per acre.