The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-09
PROSPECT BRIGHT
FARMERS HAPPY
Not One Discordant Note
Was Heard
BUSINESS is BETTER
Monthly Session of Mankato
Organization Permeated
With Good Cheer

Optimistic views regarding the fu-
ture prospects for those engaged
in construction lines, were expressed
at the November meeting of the
Mankato Builders Exchange, which
was held at the Exchange quarters,
Civic and Commerce association
rooms, last evening.
B. Frank Pay, who presided over
the meeting in the absence Of Pres
ident f. f. Flock, declared that the
Mankato Savings and Building assoc
citation has more applications for
loans at the present time than It =
able to grant. This, Mr.. Pay said,
is a gratifying situation as it shows
healthful and desirable feeling rel
alive to construction work in gem
eral.
Henry Gerlach, architect stated
that conditions are settled and that
the prospects for the future looks
very encouraging to the architects.
He anticipates. an active season of
building in 1924.
Farmers Feeling Better.
Fred Lundin of Judson said that
he finds the feeling among the farm
ers more satisfactory than it has
been for some time. The farmers
generally, are satisfied with the
volume of their crops and are hope
full of the future.
i'll. Cuddy reported that he was
awarded the contract last week for
the heating, plumbing and vacuum
cleaning apparatus for the new Wa
SEGA school, at figure OF $70,194.
He expressed himself as being opti-
mistic of the future.
e. M. Zuel stated that his company
sold the contractors bonds for the
Waseca school in the amount OF
S135, 900. This covers all but the
general construction. He stated that
the. business outlook generally is
highly encouraging.
Ten New Houses at Redwood
Joel Bergstrom, who is erecting
ten dwellings at Redwood Falls,
which are to be used for employees
of the Minnesota State Land bank,
reported that the work is progress
sing very favorably Operations were
started on June 10 and the contract
calls for completion by December i.
Six. of the houses have been A.
nished, and two have practically
been completed, while the work on
the remaining two is well under way.
o. D. Hayes, who is building the
new DR.. Pritchett fats, which is to
be six family apartment, OF three
stories, said that he expects to COM
plete the work by the first OF De-
cember; The interior is now being
finished.
William A. Ochs of the .Ochs Brick
and Tile company, Springfield, stat
ed that business has been fair and
that his concern has had & 0-al
good sized. jobs. The plant Ae
kept running all winter an y
poets for the coming season ok
considerably improved. Mr.. Ochs
stated that the construction bust
ness outside of the large centers,
has increased perhaps 20 or rs per-
cent over last year, and expressed
the view that business generally Is
on the upgrade, and feels confident
that the future will be very salts
factory. His company is taking
steps to stock up on material, a
thing which they have hesitated to
do for some time past.
Building In the Twins.
A. e. Lorentz of the Concrete
Steel company, st. Paul, said that
the building during the past year in
the twin cities were very large. The
prospects for next year look very
encouraging, labor conditions are
settled, and steel prices are. down
to a satisfactory basis, and generally
speaking the outlook is very bright.
Adolph Lundin of Lundin Bros,
reported that his company was just
awarded an additional piece of cul-
vert work on highway No. %, near
Gaylord, involving an amount OF
$4,000. It has also been awarded
the contract for the crawling of
trunk highway No Is, between Lake
Crystal and Madelia, which will re-
quire 10000 yards of gravel. Mr..
Lundin looks to the future with con-
siderable optimism
Buster Than Ever
M. G.. knott reported that. the
knott Manufacturing company is
buster than ever, and that a larger
usually customary with this con-
Germ. The company recently secur-
ed a large church job at st. Peter
and they are accomplishing SIM
liar job at GAINESVILLE. AS consider
able work is coming up in other
towns, the company is hopeful of
the future.
Arthur Neubert stated that he
has had very good season. His
concern has built thirty one houses
in this community and are just get
ting started on five more. He esti-
mated that approximately 100
HOUSES were DuliI mere LulS year
With lumber prices stable, he ex-
poets to see the building activity
continue
Lumber To Four Homes.
l.. M. Bowen Of the Standard
Lumber company stated that they
sold matter for four houses last week
and that the concern had q very
satisfactory season. He said that
the prospects for fall building look
very bright.
n. e. Ekerholm said that the
painters are busy when the con-
tractors are so they have enjoyed
good business. w. G.. Zeno or the
Endicott company concurred in this.
Refreshments were served by a
committee consisting Of NJ. G. Knoff
and August Lundin following the
business session. J.. q. Reynolds
and Sam X. Fowler were appointed
to serve on the refreshment com
mittee for the December meeting.
Edward Schumacher, who was
awarded the contract for theA city
storage house by the city council,
last evening passed the cigars at
the meeting.
J. C. Brown To Speak