The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-08-12
What ICY" Thomson Gave
To the Craving Public
LIKE THE COUNTY FAIR
Then You Are Reminded of the
"Streets of Cairo; Hotel
Chicken Coop

II ICY" Thomson had been permit
ted to 60 the limit there is no telling
what he would have wrought on his
several farms in Mower county. These
farms certainly are worth q trip to
look them over. Yesterday morning
shortly after seven o'clock, Mr.. and
Mrs. George Pond, Mr.. and Mrs. ]. E..
Reynolds and daughter Grace, and
George Pond, Jr., accompanied by Dick
Wood, drove out of Mankato on a
Thomson farm sight seeing tour.
The first of Thomson's ventures is
located a few miles this side of Aus
tin. This place Is fitted up with all
manner Of barns, silos, shower bath
houses, creamery, electric light plant,
ing palace, not to mention the mansion
wherein the employees sleep, retiring
at night under the sweet strains of
music which issue from musical
devices. The stock barns are fitted up
with electric fans and the cattle lie
on beds OF downy ease. There Is moth
ing lacking to make their comfort
complete. and they certainly can chew
their guilds in quiet contentment. Even
the hogs can look at themselves in
mirrors more expensive than can be
found in humble homes. They can
grunt by notes which come out Of Vic
trolas.
The Amusement Park
Down on the farm located forty
miles southeast of Leroy there Is
a farm. 1t Is An amusement center, a
place where joy is put into the lives
Of those who go there. But is has
taken the Joy out Of the life Of ICY"
Thomson.
It would have been difficult for any
one to estimate the number of people
who visited the Oak Dale farm yes
terday. When the Mankato party
reached there at about 2:30 o'clock in
the afternoon, the grounds were pack
ed. People had come from everywhere.
Autos and more autos. 1t seemed as
II all the autos in the United States
were parked there. All kinds and con-
dition Of people were in the multitude
that was giving Thomson's unique
venture the once over, and many Of
them were giving it the twice and
thrice over. Some place, I'll say"
remarked one man as he stood stock
still and gazed about eyes and mouth
wide open.
On one hand the visitor was re;
minded of q county fair Of more than
ordinary prtentions. When looking In
another direction he thought he was
back in the Streets Of Cairo" made
famous at the Worlds Fair In Chi
cago. There were concessions on every
side. The dancing pavilion is a thing
Of beauty. Here Is where the young
and old let their feet do the fox trot
and other modern dances three nights
a week. Nothing doing on the Sabbath,
but people are permitted to take a
look. Their eyes are dazzled by the
orietal splendor Of the hall and its
waxed floor smooth as a mirror.
There are devices for the children
to play with. A merry 60 round, slides
and everything. There is the Hotel
Chicken Coop, where the inner man
can be satisfied with q fine meal. In
other parts Of the ground there. are
beautiful flowers and plants Of various
kinds and description.
That $4,000 Rooster.
OF to the left of the highway is a
house where the $4,000 rooster par
AIDED in all his glory. The interior
of this chicken house Is ornamented
with medals which show that "Cy''
Thomson's poultry could bring home
the goods. To the north Of the hennery
is a dwelling house surrounded with
beautiful grounds. This must have
heen "Cy's' summer home.
The baseball park and diamond over
on one side of the farm" Yesterday
teams from Spring Valley artd Aoani
crossed bats" as the oldtime sport
writer's used to write it,
The Mankato party remained on the
grounds about one hour. Then they
departed the the question sticking In
their thinking apparatus How did
"Cy" Thomson spend so much money
to fit up An amusement park miles
from nowhere"
Oak Dale trail is well travelled. En-
route home yesterday the trail be-
tween the farm" and Austin was
black with autos headed for the spot
made famous byp Thomson's specula-
tons. If you have not seen the farm
do so. One can gain no knowledge of
what II lo0ks lilra from raa ding q