The Mankato free press., 1923-09-28
MANKATD FREE PRESS
HolD CoU transformed One
Hamlet into Thriuing Center
Enterprising Wadena Is An Illustration Oi
What Can Be Done By Backing
Dairy Industry

4
Some thirty five years ago When
Wadena was a struggling village
practically new town on the map, a
creamery was established here. 1t
failed to survive the infantile Ills
which afflict some industries. There
were few cows In the country then,
and those that nibbled at the grass
were mostly scrubs. The farmers
| could not see wherein any benef1t
was to be derived from butter
factory and as q result OF their non-
patronage the creamer, went into
the discard. In those days the far
mers of Northern Minnesota were
content to raise what wheat they
could, some potatoes and little
corn. A number Of those who fled
on government land proved up,
mortgaged the property and at once
abandoned their possessions and
sought other fields, Had they seen
the light, fmpOrtated the best grade
If cows possible to obtain under the
circumstances, sold butterfat to the
creamery, built ii up as the institu-
tion deserved, the results would
have been more pronounced than
they now are-and at that mar
velous record has been chisled into
the history Of Wadena county Ia re-
cent years. The dairy industry in
Wadena count would have grown
and the farmers could have shared
in the prosperity that certainly must
have come out of that growth.
In later years creameries have
county. Also there are two cheese
| factories in this county. In the
year of 1922 the total output os but
ter in the county amounted TO q
t051, 500 pounds( valued at $768, ,4S0, :
SO. This is remarkable record
when one considers that Wadena is
the smallest county In Minnesota,
having only fifteen townships and
considerable waste land. Adding the
output of the cheese factories, the
dairy industry brings total of over
$900,00 a z year into the county
With the development OF the dairy
industry can be shown steady In
crease in bank deposits, which sum
up to over $2,o00,000 In g county
having population OF only 10,-
699.
Another institution that is OF
great benefit to the farmers in Wa
dena county is the canning factory.
ILLS yCdL P0OhOQ 1yGVOsVVV
cans of corn. More than $4,000
was paid to the farmers who mar
keted their sweet corn at Wadena.
This should be an eye opener to
Mankato business men, who are try
ing to better trade relations with
the farmers The establishment of
canning factory and like institu-
tions in Mankato would give the
farmers an opportunity to engage
further in diversified farming and
get away from wheat raising.
One farmer in the Wadena zone
made this statement to The Waiena
Pioneer Journal Last year rent
ed an eighty acre tract for cash
and was unable to pay 1t all. This
year / rented the same eighty on
shares and the owner viii get bet
ter than $40 per acre for the seven
teen acres on which have grown
sweet corn, and altogether he will
realize about $500 on his land" This
farmer is going to plant twenty Ave
acres to sweet corn next year.
Aside from his cash returns the
farmer has some excellent fodder
for his cattle during the winter
months.
knew Wadena when 1t was strag
ling, struggling village with no mod
ern improvement with streets un-
kempt and buildings that looked as
If a breeze from the north would
topple them over. The farmers
principal crop was railroad ties
which, they exchanged for due bills
at the village stores. Cordwood
was a medium Of exchange, and a
dollar bill at that time looked to
the possessor as large as lawyers
diploma. Today ! was visitor In
a New Wadena. After an absence
saw a modern mp to- date, live,
enterprising community. Til e
streets are paved and well kept.
The business houses are of the lat
est architecture, handsome dwell
ing houses and lawns of natures
weaving, adorn the thoroughfares,
The bouleyards are studded with
beautiful shade trees, the leaves
glistening like. diamonds under the
rays of q Minnesota sun. What b
transformation from the past that
was ungainly, awkward and unat;
tractive to the present-a scene OF
rare beauty amid metropolitan at
mosphere Parked along the curbs
were the latest designs in autos,
taking the place Of OK teams that
were the pioneers means OF trans
portation. On every hand was the
evidence of a lasting prosperity
Here was thriving city, substant
iaIly built by the aid of the COW.
wadena takes pride In its pretty
park and so do l, because In those
unforgotten days / had something
to do with its creation. A spot
changed from an eyesore to a thing
of Joy.
Here Is a significant incident: F.
w. Murphy of Wheaton had called
a meeting to- be held In Alexandria
a few days ago. He came to talk
government price fxing, but the
audience of farmers that he expect
ed to address was not there. They
were not interested in the subject
because they were too busy milking
cows and taking care OF their diver
sified crops. The farmers of Doug
las county are giving. their attention
to those things which will bring to
them larger returns than wheat
raising. They are not bothering
their heads about wheat price fix-
ing.
The business men IN Marshall
have recognized The great import
ance Of the dairy industry. They
are lending their efforts in a practi-
cal way in bettering the herds in
Lyon county. They have devised a
popular plan of distributing pure.
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