The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-02-08
How Saltwater Secured Big
Plant Only Recently
SAME CAN BE DONE HERE
Corporation Batting Should
Cease, Declares Manager
Mayer Bros.

ana see what the people OF SALTWATER
have done in the way of establishing
a new industry there for, the manu-
facture of war supplies for the gov
eminent was a declaration made to-
day by O. NJ Hatcher, manager o.
the Mayer Brothers company, in g
conversation with a Free Press rep
reSentative.
The matter came up in connection
with what Mr.. Hatcher said at the city
council meeting yesterday about the
new rates charged by the Northern
States Power company. Mr.. Hatcher
is anxious to have the city report that
was made on this subject two years
ago published, even at this late date
Mr.. Hatcher said today:
II said to the council meeting that
coal under present normal price in
shipment from the coal fields direct
cost two and half dollars ton more
than two years ago. Today it would
take at least sixty tons month in a
modern steam plant here to produce
the same power we are buying from
the power company. That sixty tons
of coal would cost us $3.50 more a
month than two years ago. Now this
ten per cent surcharge of the power
company only figures out about SAC
month over the old rate | said
could not see anything wrong, pro-
vided their old rates were equitable
in a ten per cent raise at the present
time and could not see how they
would begin to cover the extra cost
to them of producing the power. Coal
now has to be shipped from the lake
docks and costs about five dollars 6
ton more than we were paying two
years ago. The power company i
getting it's coal from the docks now
and will have to do so until the dock
coal is exhausted. If we had to buy
coal at the dock price it would cos.
us $500 dollars month more to get
the present power we are using thar
it did two years ago.
'I- also said that all copper prod
ucts used in the, power company.
business were costing from two to
three times as much as when the we
commenced. Wire and everything that
they use in their business is in abou-
the same proportion.
No Time For Corporation Batting.
81 also said that this was no time
for corporation batting; that the gen.
eral public was too much inclined tC
pick on and criticize public service
companies; that they had been doinr
SO for the past ten or fifteen years
and we had good illustration CT the re-
suits of corporation batting the leg.
islators of the state and national
houses and others in the fact that the
present fuel shortage and railroad en-
bargoes were caused entirely by the
lack of locomotives freight cars. sid.
ings, and freight and terminal facili-
ties. And this was caused by the rail-
roads not being allowed to carr
enough to keep their equipment up tc
the proper standard.
eff instead of unnecessary criticism
of the power company at the present
time the people of this city would ex-
pend a portion of that energy towards
getting other industries here, they
would use power that would not only
materially assist in the growth anC
general business of this city and com
munity, but would also enable the
power company on account of in
creased volume to sell it's power at &
cheaper rate. An illustration of what
mean is the action of citizens of Still
water a short time ago in sending &
delegation to Washington to secure
government contracts for their city
and in subscribing necessary funds IL
their own city to handle such con
tracts in a manner satisfactory to the
government. A contract of severa
million dollars was secured by them
And Saltwater is not really as good {
city from any point of comparison a:
Mankato. The people of Mankato are
to be congratulated on having power
at their door which can be turned OF
with switch far beyond any volum,
that has ever been used here.
plants for manufacture of war sup
plies for our own and allied govern
ments could be very easily and quick
ly erected and equipped.
Compelled to Turn Down Business.
"In our own business, we have beef
compelled to turn down a great dea
of business on tractors and powe
hammers and have not been able t
take care of more than half of tn
business offered, in spite of the fac
that we have tripled our production
: since last May. We have been of
fered all kinds of war business, bu
we're not in position to consider tn
same.
ct would look as though Mankat
was slipping on her opportunitie
while other cities of even much small
er populations were awaking and look
ing out for their citizens interests.
"The average person does not real
ize what manufacturing means to an
community. Products of such factor
les are invariably sold at distan
points, and even in foreign countrie.
bringing large volume of absolute
ly new money to the home town. Thi
money is paid out for labor and sup
plies, and is spent mostly among th
home merchants. Every bank. ever
store, every business of any descrip
ton, as well as every man, woma
and child in such community profit
thereby directly or indirectly.
The Railroad Facilities.
"Mankato is especially fortunate
splendid railroad facilities and is al
so located in very rich territor,
The railroad facilities and money wit
management are all that is necessal
to success of a manufacturing propos
ton. Instead Of receiving very Of