Mower County transcript. [volume], May 27, 1891, Image 1

About Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
VOL XXIV.—No.
M. MAJORS, Quartermaster.
A.
o. u. w.
ft. WILBOCR, Secretary.
tJT.
i-t y^.
jy^C INTYRE POST, G. A. R.
Meets o« the first and third Saturday of
each month, at 7:30 d. m. at Grand Army
Hall. B. MAXWELL. Com.
T. F, LEONARD, Adjt.
Austin Lodge, A. O. TJ. W., No. 32, meet9 on
the second and fourth Fridays of every month,
in their hall. Brothers visiting in the city are
cordially invited to attend.
T. F. LEONAKD, M- W.
JOHAN WOLD, Recorder.
j^OYAL ARCH CHAPTER, NO. 14
The Stated convocatipns of this Chapter
are held in Masonsic Hall, Austin Minnesota,
on the SECOND and FOCKTH Friday evenings
C.L.WE5T, H.E. .P.
D. Z. ROBINSON. Secretary.
JflDELITY LODGE, NO. 39, A. F. &
The regular communications of this lodge
are held in Masonic Hall, Austin, Minnesota,
on the FIRST and THIRD Wednesday evenings
of each month,
C.
S. A. EMMERSOK, W. M.,
BERNARD COMM AN DERY, K. T.
NO. 13.
Meets first Monday vetoing Of month
at Masonsic Hall.
E. I, JOFTFTSON, E. C.
C. J. MILLER. Recorder-
O. G. T. LODGE NO. 107
Meets every Monday evening in Conductors
Rail. Strangers belonging to this order are
cordially invited to attend.
FRANK FELCH, C. T.
EVA CO WEN, SECRETARY.
JjJNTERPRISE GRANGE. NO. 181.
Meets at Enterprise School House the first
and third Saturday of each month.
E,
E. P. SPOONEK. W. M.
M. I. PKOUTV, SECRETARY.
B. CRANE,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
Real Estate and Collection Agent. Taxes paid
tor non-residents. Office, second floor of
Dunkelmann's new block. Main street.
J^YMAN D. BAIRD,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
Real Estate, Insurance and Collection Agen
Office, front room, second tloor, over Fair
banks & Leonard's store Austin, Minn.
M. GREENMAN,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
Will practice in the courts of record and the
United States courts. Office in Schleudcr
Block, Main Street, Austin, inn.
INGSLEY & SHEPHERD,
ATTORNEYS & COUNSELORS
Law, Land, Loan Office, Insurance, Collec
tions, Taxes.
AUSTIN, MINN.
R. H. A. AYERY,
DENTIST,
IjJVV
H. JOHNSON, M. D.. C. M.
G.
Graduate of McGill College, Montreal, late
Assistant Surgeon in Montreal Genernl
Hospital. Office in West & Litchfield
Biock, opposite Opera House. Calls at
tended day and night.
D. B. JOHNSON, Jn.,
County Attorney.
Attorney
S. D. CATHEBWOOD.
JOHNSON & CATHEBWOOD,
Attorneys and Counselors at Law,
INSURANCE AND COLLECTIONS.
Dunkelmaun's Block, AUSTIN, MINN.
AUSTIN NATIONAL BANK.
AUSTIN, N1NN.
Incorporated as a State Bank Feb. 1 1887. Re
organized as a National Bank, Oct. 1,1889.)
PAID DP CAP1TALT$50,000.
C. H. DAVIDSON, President,
G. SCHLEUDEK. Vice President,
J. L. MITCHELL, Cashier.
COLLECTIONS A SPECIALTY.
Interest Allowed on Time Deposits*
W
W. RANNEY,
and Counsellor at Law, Notary Public.
Particular attention given to Probate Law. Broker
in Keal Estate and Loans. Fire Insurance, rep
resenting
The German Insurance Company, ot Fre?port,
Illinois.
The Milwaukee Mechanics, of Milwaukee.
The Minneapolis Underwriters, of Minneapolis,
And tho State Investment & Insurance Com
pany, of San Francisco, Cal.
OFFICE WEST OF COURT HOUSE, IX THE
G. SCHLEUDER BLOCK,
Austin, IWIINN.
A share of business respectfully solicited.
1690.
The FIRST NATIONAL BANK
OF AUSTIN, MINN.
PaiiiCapital, $50,000.00
Surplus & Undivided Profits, $50,000.00
OFFICERS.
O.W.SHAW,
N.
F. BANFIELD.
President. Cashier.
Interest bearing Certificates of Deposit' issued.
Deeds Insurance Policies and other valuable papers
cared for in our safety Deposit Boxes without charge.
General Business in all its branches trans
acted.
CORRESPONDENTS
CHEMICAL NAT. BANK. NewYork.
CENTENNIAL NAT. BANK, Philadelphia.
UNION NAT. BANK. Chicago.
T?TRST NAT. BASK, Minneapolis.
TPTRST
NAT.
BANK, MilwaiOcec
Wife.
wrST NAT. BANK, St. Paul, Minn.
SvrtTRlTY BANK OF MINN. Minneapolis.
MBRCH ANTS NAT, BANK, St. Paul.
?fs-
1866.
A. W. WRIGHT.
Established
y. A
FAYETTE FRENCH.
®FRENCH
& WRIGHT,
jnnpaeBBors to Rlcnardson, Day Co., and
(Successors j^jayetteFrenob.)
General Law Business.
A SPECIALTY.
Also deal In Real Estate, Negotiate
Loans and Carefully Attend
to Colleotlons.
AUSTIN. MINNESOTA.
V-i
iv,
Albert L. Sleep3?.
One of the prominent firms in connec
tion with the development and prosperity
of Brownsdale is that of A. L. Sleeper &
Sons. Mr. Sleeper caiiie to this county
the early years of the war, long before
Brownsdale was a railroad point and
when no one could tell wb«r? the perma
nent business centres would be Anally
established. He has never swerved in
his devotion to the inter, ns of that
village, but has been an important factor
in helping to build it up He has watched
the growth of this county with great
interest and today rejoices that it has
grown to be one of the most prosperous
in Minnesota. He has not confined his
business operations to Brownsdale but
has established branch stores at different
points, and through the wide sale of his
unexcelled fly paper he has gained a
reputation throughout the west for his
energy and business enterprise.
Albert L. Sleeper was born in Fairfax*,
Vermont, June 26, 1824. His falher,
Moses Sleeper, who was of English
descent, was born in Andover, New
Hampshire, December 25, 1797. His
grandfather was a soldier on the
American side in the Revolutionary war
and fought bravely at the battle of Ben
nington and elsewhere. His mother,
Betsy Lowell, was born in Saulsbury, N.
H. She died October 17, 1870. It is not
often that one sees four generations living
at the same time beue&tk the same roof,but
the visitor at the Sleeper residence in
Brownsdale finds Moses Sleeper, the aged
but. remarkably active parent, Albert L.
granddaughter, and Master Bertie Webb,
•the greatgrandson. Moses Sleeper fol
lowed the occupation of farming in his
earlv life but afterwards took up the
trade of millwright and shipbuilding. He
assisted in building Lake Champlain
steamboats which ran from St. Johns to
Whitehall He helped to build the
steamer "Burlington/' the largest boat
ever run on that lake. He removed to
Fairfax, Vermont, January 17, 1821, and
lived there until he removed to Browns
dale in 1874. He cast his first ballot for
President Munroe and has voted at every
presidential election since. Among the
keepsakes which he still has is an almanac
of the year of his birth and a fine razor
picked up on the battlefield of Benning
ton by his father. This was once the
property of a British soldier. Three
vears after he moved to Fairfax, Albert
was born. He was one of five children
of whom only one other is now living,
Mrs. W. S. Woodward of Brownsdale.
Albert was raised on the old farm a few
miles back from Lake Champlain. He
was educated in the district school and
graduated from the little red schoolhouse.
In his boyhood days his father was a
boat builder and he found a good deal#of
enjoyment around Lake Champlain. He
also helped his father some in his work.
At the age of 18, being in poor health,
he commenced to go on the road, buying
and shipping butter, cheese and other
products to Boston, Lowell and other
central markets. He was married in
Fairfax June S. 1847. to Miss Martha
Elbertine Church. In 1851 he removed
to Lowell, Mass., where he lived two
years, when he returned to St. Albans.
Here he went into a wholesale drug
house and after three years became a
partner in the firm. He remained with
this firm of L. L. Dutcher & Son for nine
years, ft was at this time that Mr.
Sleeper conceived the idea of his flypaper
and commenced to manufacture it. This
has had an increasing sale and demand
during all the years since, until those not
familiar with the extent of the business
woulh be surprised to know how many
deams are made up each year. While he
was in business at St. Albans his family
lived at Fairfax, only six miles away.
His father's farm was half a mile
aw»y.
Here at Fairfax all the children were
born, Charles 0., Ozro A., Carlos O,
Delia and William B.
In June 1863 he came with two others
to Brownsdale to look out anew location
for business in the new Northwest. He
went into partnership with H. E. Ander
son for the next yfar or two. In 1863 he
bought a quarter section of land near
Brownsdale and for six years followed
fanning chiefly. In 1864 he sold out his
property in Vermont and the family
came to Brownsdale.. He bought
the H. H. Shook house on Main street
the first fall he came west and has always
IMS
Sfcjf
PROMINENT MEN AND WOMEN occupied this place. For two or three
years Mr. Sleeper ran the daily stage line
OF MOWER COUNTY.
MCTWER COUNTY PROTESTS.
President A. Van Hemert discusses
Alleged Discrimination in
Freight Rates.
l^e®clIs8iftcation^f«^H?h^i|is*ailT
road companies was the topic of a vgry
interesting little discussion before the
interstate commerce commission at St.
Paul last Thursday. The case in question
was the complaint of A. Van Hemert,
president of the Grand Meadow Alliance,
in which it was charged that the Mil
waukee railway was discriminating
against the Alliance company in the
matter of rate3 on timothy seed. Four
of the five interstate commissioners were
present, Messrs Morrison, Bragg. Knapp
and Veazey. In the absence of Judge
Coolev,
*^sf^S
1
Col, Morrison presided at the
hearing. The Minnesota railway com
missioners were present as well as a
number of Milwaukee officials, promi
nent among whom was A. C. Bird, the
general freight and traffic manager of
that line.
The rate charged by the Milwaukee
for the transportation of timothy seed
from Grand Meadow to Chicago is 25
cents per hundred, while the rate on flax
seed is but 18 cents per hundred. The
complaint alleges that flax seed brings a
higher price than timothy seed. Mr.
Van Hemert presented his claim in a
plain, matter of fact way, and was
answered by Traffic Manager Bird, who
made quite a lengthy argument to prove
that the complaint had no foundation.
No violation of the interstate commerce
law had occurred. Flax seed and timothy
seed were not competing commodities
further than in the amount produced.
Flax .seed was shipped in bulk while
timothy seed was shipped in sacks.
Minnesota in 1890 produced 2,163,000
hushels of flax seed and only 395,649
bushels of timothy seed. The classifica
tion was fixed according to the relative
amounts produced. This might be re
versed at Grand Meadow, but if so it was
an exception. The commissioners took a
great interest in this case and made many
inquiries. It was taken under advise
ment.
By Measuring the Toe We Estimate
the Giant.
We beiieye we have a thorough knowl
edge of all that is good in the amusement
line, and, candidly speaking, we believe
that if King Solomon were alive and on
this hustling old sphere of ours, and that
if in walking along and gazing on the
numerous dead.walls, should take notice
of the fact that Ringling Bros.* World's
Greatest Railroad Shows exhibit at Aus
tin June 10th, and that by investing a
small admission fee he would be insured
a big pleasure. Don't you think he
would do it? That's what for he was a
wise man and knew a good thing when
he saw it.
Look on inside
local news.
"T4s^^4:^
MO
WEB COUNTY TRANSCRIPT.
AUSTIN, MOWER COUNTY, MINN.. WEDNESDAY MAF27, I8qi.
between Austin and Brownsdale.handlmg
the mails. The Northwestern Company
had a line of stages from Brownsdale to
LaCrosse, which ran in connection until
the Southern Minnesota railroad was
finished through to Ramsev. Mr. Sleeper
did not find farming as suitable to his
taste as the mercantile business. In 1S71
he rented one half of John Aten's store
for his drug store. In the spring of 1873
he associated with him in his business
his son Ozro and later William also. That
spring he bought the grocery stock of the
Warren brothers, who had taken the
Store of James N. Priest. Th& Sleepers
removed their drugs from the store of
John Aten to this new location, thus
enlarging their business, Their busines%
has befcB steadily increasing Until they
occupy two large brick stores, where
they have a large and varied assortment
of dry goods, groceries, drugs and general
merchandise, and their stock will compare
favorable with stores in much larger
places. Their annual business amounts
to over $30,000. This enterprising firm
has established branch stores at different
times in Hayfield, Spring Valley.
Fountain, Fairbanks,- Dak, Sargeant,
and North St. Paul. The North St. Paul
store is now managed by Ozro A. who
resides there. The other three sons are
in the Brownsdale store. The store at
Sargeant was opened this spring and Mr.
Sleeper has recently been appointed
Postmaster there. Mr. Sleeper and his
sons are among the most enterprisiug
business men of Mower county. Through
their energy and the energy of others
like them, the once vacant prairies are
filled today with a prosperous population,
railroads heve been encouraged to come
in and give us communication with part
of the outside world, the little commun
ities of early days have grown to be
thriving villages and cities and humble
beginnings in trade have developed into
large business interests. We are glad to
have the face of so prominent a business
man in our gallery of potraits.
AUSTIN CEMENT CO.
ANOTHER INDUSTRY WHICH
PROMISES INDEFINITE
DEVELOPMENT.
Extensive and Valuable Cement Deposits
on Rose Creek, Three and a Half
Allies 8outli of Austin.
WORK TO COMMENCE *T OSCE.
On Monday last the negotiations which
have been going on since last December
were completed, by which Frank Fowler,
of Maokato, become? the owner of tb«
vai liable c6Meht deposits South of Aus
tin. Mr. Fowler is a member of the firm
of Fowler & Pay, contractors and own
ers of the famous Mankato lime kilns.
The purchases comprise 130 acres lying
along the right of way of the Kansas
City railway, and also of the Mason City
branch of the Milwaukee road about
three and a half miles south of Austin.
The land consists of 32 acres bought of G.
C. Adams, 80 acres from Edward Elward
and 18 acres of Hugo Auer. J. R. Beatty
the father of the Mankato cement works,
•is the discoverer of this cement rock. He
is one of the best cement experts in the
United States. In connection with the
building of our south bridge in this city,
and also with the building of our court
house, where his Mankato stone were
used, he noticed the peculiarity of our
stone here, and all these years he has had
his mind upon it. He came here quietly
in December and obtained numerous
samples which he took to Mankato and
tested most thoroughly. In January be
came again and gave our wide awake
real estate agent, Fred B. Wood, the job
of getting options on this land and pro
curing it. This he did successfully, the
options to run until June 1. The more
the stone was tested, the more valuable it
was found to be, and now the property is
purchased and the secret is out.
It may be interesting to know that
there are very few deposits of superior
natural cement rock anywhere. Most of
the hydraulic cement, that is cement
which possesses the quality of hardening
under water, is a mixture of different ele
ments.! Ordinary mortar, (when exposed
to thejjontinuous action of foater, softens
SS
LimewhTchcS&lai^
20 to 30 per cent, of fine cilica produces a
mortar which is not liable to this soften
ing and is called hydraulic cement. When
wet, the lime combines with the silica and
the alumina, forming first ahydrated com
pound and finallv a true silica. The Aus
tin rock contains these elements in just
the right proportions so that without any
mixture of other ingredients it will be
dug, burned, ground and pulverized, and
will be ready for use, forming one of the
finest grained, firmest and most valuable
cements ever known.
The Austin Cement company has been
organized with a capital of $50,000, near
ly all of which has been taken. The com
pany asks no bonus. They know that
thev have a bonanza and will at once com
mence to develop it. Side tracks and nec
essary railroad facilities have already
been ordered and the works will be ready
to commence July 1. The output at first
will be about three carloads a day, which
will be rapidly increased until about 200
men are employed. The land purchased
contains ali the cement rock in the local
ity. This has been carefully ascertained
before the secret was disclosed. It is the
best natural cement known. The Man
kato works are turning out 600 barrels
daily, and there is no reason why a year
later the Austin company may not be
producing 1,000 barrels daily. The de
posits are from 12 to 15 feet in thickness
over a good share of the 130 acres. As
already stated the erection of the huge
kilns and grinding and pulverizing ma
chines will begin at once and Austin
cement will be on the market before the
first of August. It is not boasting, but
a simple fact that the discovery and man
ufacture of this cement will make Austin
one cf the best known cement producers
in the country and will carry the name of
our thrifty city to everv part of the land.
Rare Features.
Among the many strange and curious
wonders to be seen with Ringling Bros.'
World's Greatest Railroad Shows which
exhibits at Austin on Wednesday, June
10th, are the largest living hippopotamus,
the umbrella-eared elephant, the only
African zebras, the amphibious bovolapus,
the necruphagous man eaters, the Demon
Equine or hairless horse, the largest
elephant on earth, family of baby kan
garoos, baby lions, baby tigers and many
other nowhere else exhibited features.
The grand free street parade which takes
place every morning is a glorious sight
worth
going many miles to see. Don't
forget the date, Wednesday, June 10th.
VII
L'VPniriQ
pages for
TXACHK8
"F
0
its students a trade
Jl»nllllllri OandtbenSTASISTHKMinrail
8CHOOL OF
toad service. Send for cir
culars.
ALBKTINB'S SCHOOL.
S»10 Janerville. Wis.
a-%l^fl®i,5'^
We have too much Clothing on hand
for this time of the year and in order
to reduce the stock we have cut the
price of every garment in the house.
0
A
$6.75.
*S*^*rVJ
TERMS: $1.50 Per Annum, in Advance
DOWN
GOES
THE
PRICE
G. A. R. SUITS
Strictl^tf^
drool, guaranteed fast color,
with two sets of buttons,
All other Suits equally as cheap.
This is a golden opportunity to buy
Clothing. Come early while the as
sortment is complete.
GEORGE HIRSH.
pring Hats.
pring- Furnishings.
pring Pants,
pring Overcoats.
pring Suits.
pring Underwear.
We want just 5,000 more customers for these
lines. We've got the goods to supply
them and our high qualities andi
low prices should bring them,
FOR INSTANCE!
If you want a spring overcoat, we have every
style and every color, with prices run
ning from $6.50 up.
SPRING SUITS!
Prince Alberfs, Cutaways and Sacks all colors
and all kinds of goods from $3.00 up.
We make a specialty of all wool
business suits for only $8.
TROUSERS!
There we have you on the hip. You cannot
ask for anv style, size, color or fabrics that
we are unable to show you. Then you take
your choice of these from $1.00 up to $8.00.
All of our stock is made and sold on honor.
Satisfaction guaranteed in every respect or
money refunded.
Merchant Tailoring in Connection.
jG^Corner Main and Bridge streets, opposite First National Bank, Austin
R. DUNKELMANN,
The Reliable Clothier.
•s
WZ ,^-fi-
M1NNES0T
A
SOCIETY*
1
3