St. Paul daily globe. [volume], March 05, 1884, Image 1

About St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896

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VOL .VII.
AMUSEMENTS.
Grand Opera House!
ST. PAUL, KINK.
TO-NIGHT!
The Marrnificent Opera
Pirates of Penzance.
BY THE
STILLWATER CHORAL MOi
GRAND CHORUS.
50 VOICES 50
Peat?, Sl .00, T. r>c and 23c.
Standiug Room, 70c and 50c.
Seats now on sale.
The new and handsome Drop Curtain will be
exhibited on this occasion, for the first time.
NATHAN
FORD
Gives Special Bargains in
KNABEtMG-Q-.
PIANOS
dough & Warren Organs.
M IC Third Street, - St. Psul
HEZEKIAH HAT.!.,
(Twelve years established in Suint Paul as)
EEAL ESTATE ASD MONET BROKER,
Corner Third and Robert street?, in the Savings
Bank bloek, ST. PAUL, MIXX.
N. B.—Special attention -riven to property and
interests of non-resident clients, investments
guaranteed to net 7 per cent. 'Capitalists will
do well to correspond. **I34
SPRING GOODS.
WAIT FOB HIM!
NICOLL, THE TAILOR,
of New York and Chicago, will occupy the store
67 EAST THIRD STREET, ST. PAUL,
with a full line of Spring Goods.
Grand Opening, Monday, March 10.
CLOTHIERS.
B. O. P. C. H.
BOSTONoQBFriceCLOTHING KOUSfi
Cor. Third and Robert Streets, St. PauL
LECTUEE!
Analysis and Comparison of
BLAINE AND CONKLING!
With side views of their leading Democratic and
Republican associates, by
CAPT. H. T. JOMS,
Washington Correspondent and formerly Secre
tary of St Paul Chamber of Commerce, at
MARKET HALL,
Ii-ayEF'tlarcli 10/84
AT 8 O'CLOCK.
Tickets 50c. Reserved seats without extra
charge can be had at music store of R. C. Munger,
107 East Third street.
rire ( Le5art_ient£|fi City of St. Paul,
Office Board of Fire Commissioners, 1
Corner Eighth and Minnesota streets, >
St. Patl, Minn., February 15, 1884. )
Horses Mi !
Good sound horses, from five to eight years old,
weight from 1,450 to l,600pounds, suitable for
Fire Department service. Persons offering
horses under this advertisement will call on Vete
rinary Surgeon C. C. Berkman, corner Sixth and
Cedar streets.
By order of the Board.
F. R. DELANO, President.
W. O'Gorman, Secretary. 47.(57
FUEL DEALERS.
Full Weight and Measure Guaranteed by
GRIGGS & FOSTER,
41 East Third Street.
Established in 1864.
Coal &Wood
Dry body Maple, $6.50 per cord. An excellent
quality of White Oak, $5 per cord,_eqnal to ma
ple. Dry Pine Slabs, $3.
t_g"Orders can be left with Jellett & Co., cor
ner Seventh and Wacouta.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
The Best, Largest & Most
Varied Stock of
PIAN0S,0RCANS
AND
Musical fcta-ise,
IX THE NORTHWEST.
We guarantee lower prices, easier terms and
better goods than any small dealer can possibly
offer. TRY L'S.
148 & 150 East Third St.
AMUSEMENTS.
Grand Opera Honse!
L. N. SCOTT, Manager.
Thursday, Friday* Saturday,
MARCH 6, 7, & 8,
SATURDAY MATINEE!
THE CHANFRAUS!
HENRIETTA & FRANK.
REPERTOIRE '.
Friday and Saturday,
Kit, the Arkansaw Traveler.
By Mr, Chanfrau.
Thursday, - - - The Bankrupt's Wife.
. Saturday Matinee, - - - Isabel Vane.
A new version hy Mrs. Chanfrau.
Bale of seats commences Wednesday, 9 u.[in.
Seat)-. $1.00, T5e and _5c.
Standing Room, 75c and 50c.
Matinee, 70c, 50c, and -'5c.
"W e can make it to your interest
to trade with us at any season of
the year, particularly at this sea
son, as we are cleaning out the
balance of our winter stock at
ridiculously low prices. Being
headquarters for anything in our
line. We are enabled to offer a
large assortment and lower prices
than smaller houses can do.
We make a specialty of Chil
dren's Clothing,
Latest Hats, Finest Clothing,
Best Furnishing Goods.
DAVIS & BROWN,
M Estate Mo.l2-iBL._is
360 Jackson street, St. Paul, Minn.
Investments made and taxes paid for non-resi
dents.
WM. G. -.OBERTSON,
REAL ESTATE
AXD
FINANCIAL AGENT,
(Successor to D. A. Robertson <fc Co., the oldest
real estate agency in Minnesota.)
No. 7 McQuillan Block, cor. T_ir__.Wa.asi.aw.
BRISBIN & FARWELL,
LAW OFFICE.
ROOM 6,
Comer of Wabashaw antl Fourth streets.
Over Express Office. 270
i '
R. W. JOHNSON,
REAL ESTATE AGENT,
MANNHEIMER BLOCK, - - ROOM 11,
St. Paul, - - - Minn.
A. V. TEEPLE,
Real Estate & Loan Broker,
NO. 63 EAST THIRD STREET,
St. Panl, - - Minn.
Corn.., .-iii _ Mb,
—ON —
March 1st!
Will remove their stock of
Doors, Sash, Blinds, Etc.,
FROX
Warehouse, corner Eighth & Jackson,
TO
NO. 441 JACKSON!
BETWEEN SEVENTH & EIGHTH STS.
1 tt-70 \
ST. PAUL, MIXX, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 5, 1884.
MANKATO.
The Flourisliina: Metropolis
of Southern Minne
sota.
The Immense Wealth to be Found
in Her Stone Quarries.
How It is Being: Developed by Her
Enterprising- Citizens.
Bridge and Building Stone, Lime and Cement
of Superior Quality.
Some Account of the Manufacturing and
Wholesale Trade of the City.
Its Public Buildings and Societies — The
Center of a Growing Country.
I am well aware that by those of the many
readers of the Globe who are unacquainted
with the nourishing city of which I write, I
may be characterized as an enthusiast and
much of what I shall say may be by them re
garded as the creations of an over-wrought
imagination. I am perfectly well aware tbat
a certain class of newspapers of the present
day are ready to boom an individual or a
town "for a consideration." I have this, how
ever, to say concerning the following sketch of
the material interests of Mankato, that it has
been prepared from a personal knowlede of
the facts and figures quoted and is not the
result of an overwrought fancy aided by any
pecuniary remuneration, but is simply a
matter of news which, founded upon actual
facts must prove interesting to every one
who rejoices in the growth and prosperity of
this great commonwealth of whieh this city
and its tributary territory now form, and are
destinued to forever be, a very large and im
portant component part.
In order to more thoroughly understand
the real importance which this flourishing
city bears to the commercial system of the
state a few remarks concerning its location
and geographical position may not be out of
place.
Mankato is located upon the extreme
southern verge of the great bend of the Min
nesota river at the exact center of the state
east and west and about fifty miles from its
southern boundary. The navigation of the
river in the early days before the ad
vent of railroads in Minneso
ta, furnished means of communication
with the outside world, and hence Mankato
became, with the other river towns, a place
of importance. A glance at any sectional
map will show the observer that by virtue of
its location it becomes geographically a
strategic point. Situated npon a navigable
river but a little over 100 miles above its
confluence with the great river at St. Paul, on
the verge of the great belt of timber which
follows the river, on the northern edge of
the great prairie region of
southern and southwestern Minnesota and
had a railroad never entered the state, Man
kato must have been a central point for a
vast extent of territory.
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA.
The gre.t state of Minnesota is practically
divided, agriculturally speaking, into three
sections, viz: Its timber district located
mainly in the north northeastern portion of
the state, its central and northwestern or
wheat producing region, and southern Min
nesota, that vast and fertile section so well
adapted to dairying, stock, sheep, horse and
hog raising, the culture of corn, oats, flax
and other grains and to a diversified system
of farming. The geographical center
of this surpassingly rich and fertile region as
has already been shown, is at Mankato, and
what God and nature have marked out as its
destiny, art and man has ably seconded.
IT3 RAILROAD SYSTEM,
Early in the history of the railroad interests
of Minnesota Mankato became an objective
point for two of the great systems of roads
first projected—the Winona <fe St. Peter, an
east and west line designed to traverse, as it
now does, the state from east to west,and the
Minnesota Valley now known as the St. Paul
and Sioux City division of the Chicago, St.
Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha line,a road lead
ing south up the Minnesota river valley to
Mankato and thence southwest to Sioux City.
To these two great through lines, the one
leading east to Milwaukee, Chicago and oth
er points, and the other the great Southwest
ern line from St. Paul to the Missouri and a
connection with the Union Pacific has since
been added, a line to Elmore In northern
Iowa due south from Mankato where a con
nection is had with the Chicago & North
western railroad and the Southern Minnesota
division of the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul southeasterly and easterly
to La Crosse and all points east and south.
To these lines already in operation with their
twelve full passenger trains arriving and de
parting each day, may be added that of the
Cannon Valley railroad from Red Wing
southwest, now completed within a few miles
of the city, and coming in this summer,
giving Mankato a connection with the Rock
Island system, making seven different di
rections in which one can arrive or depart
from Mankato by rail.
I have thus shown the geographical loca
tion and central position which this city at
the head of the Minnesota valley occupies
toward southern Minnesota, and how she
is bonnd to it by her bands of
iron reaching out over its broad area
of hill and valley, forest and stream, prairie
and upland. I shall now consider her
natural resources and agricultural surround
ings.
AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.
The agricultural resources of the country
immediately surrounding Mankato are both
rich and varied. To the north lies the heavy
timber belt, the last barrier between the
sweep of the ocean of rolling prairie and the
rest of the world, rich in its wealth of native
timber, oak, ash, elm, maple, basswood,
poplar and other woods, and of a deep, rich
and wonderfully productive soil, while east,
south and west the famous prairies
of unsurpassed fertility stretch
out like the broad expanse of the ocean, ca
pable of sustaining an untold population.
Within a radius of twenty miles from Manka
to the farmer from the heavily timbered dis
tricts of Michigan, Maine or any other
northern state, can find the counterpart of
his old home farm or can loeate upon the
broad prairie, of which he has heard so
much. In fact any kind of a farm suitable
for any species or system of agriculture can
be found here, and the agricultural resources
of the country surrounding Mankato can
fairly be said to be rich, rare and varied,
and without an equal in the
same extent of territory anywhere.
Particularly well adapted are the prairie
regions of this southwestern section of the
state for the support of the dairy. The rich,
luxuriant native prairie grasses furnish not
only a splendid pasturage, upon which the
cattle feed with the greatest relish, but the
quantity of the milk produced from a herd of
a given number of cows, surpasses that of
those pastured on the finest of tame grasses,
while the quality of the butter aud cheese is
of a most superior degree of excellence.
Vast quantities of hay are annually cut
and pressed for shipment, while
enormous quantities stand uncut
with each successive season. <.
MINERAL RESOURCES.
The formation at and near Mankota is a sub
ject full of the deepest interest to geologists |
and of vast importance to the city, as in the i
different stratas are contained the elements ;
of enormous wealth which are to be found at
DO other point in Minnesota or the north- j
west.
The most thorough, careful and painstak
ing researches continued for years have
failed to discover in this vicinity any evi
dences of drift. The unmistakable evidences
of the action of the glaciers and the deposit
which marks their presence elsewhere do not
exist here, and we are compelled to believe
that the glacial period must have been omit
ted for the purpose of leaving the formation
pure and free from foreign substances that it
might be made available for mean's use.
The formation may be termed "lower Siluri
an" with each strata as before stated free
from all impurities. Its rock clays and sand
form the chief elements of value.
MANKATO STONE.
The rock formation at Mankato has thus
far been utilized for three distinct purposes,
vis.: for building and bridge stone, for burn
ing lime and latterly for the manufac
ure of cement. The building
and bridge stone which the
quarries north of the city and partially within
its limits contains is in exhaustible in amount
and of superior quality to any stone found
anywhere in Minnesota or the northwest for
building or bridge puri oses. The following
talbe prepared by W. B. Craig <_ Co., de
scriptive of the severa; kinds of rock which
their Empire ledge contains, will be found
accurate:
kip bap. Wall Stone and Rip Rap.
coarse lime. Cou.se Limestone or Rubble
bubble stone. Adapted to Wall Stone
3 feet thick. Work, etc.
bed i.EDAE, Red Ledge, adapted to all
4 feet thick. kinds of Building, Bridge,
Color Rad. Base and Cutstone Work
Equal to Granite.
grey LEi-oE. Grey Ledge, adapted to
2 J. feet thick. Building and Bridge pur-
Color Light Grey. poses. Is a strong stone
and frost proof.
1>Xi>eet thick Range, building aud
l /• feet thick. Bridge Stone.
Soft Ledge adapted to
soft lein;*;. Building Purposes; easily
4 feet thick. dressed. Will stand 7,000
Color Rich Cream. pounds pressure. Will also
take a high polish.
Bridge Ledge, adapted to
bridge lewie. Bridge Purposes. Strongest
and best bridge stone in the
.................. wegt _ Under test standing
oieeitnica. 7000 p oanda pre98Ure t0
square inch. Is frost proof,
j n or on( . Q , wa t er
Color Straw.
SHALE OF CEMENT. _„_1_ „. /^„,„„.
2-eetthiet. Shale or Cement.
cut stone ledge, Cutstone Ledge, suitable
4 feet thick. for all kinds of Cut and Di-
ColorBuff. mensior. Stone. Guttering
.and Curbing. Frost proof.
For a number of years,and in fact ever since
the settlement of this section began the Man
kato quarries bave been regarded as the best
in the northwest, but it has been within the
past few years that their real wealth and vast
commercial importance has been fully appre
ciated or their resources anything like prop
erly developed.
During the past year the enormous amount
of 12,000 cars of stone for building and
bridge purposes have been shipped from the
different Mankato quarries to all points in
the northwest. A large bridge across the
Missouri at Blair, Nebraska, the great four
track viaduct bridge at Minneapolis over the
Mississippi, the Seventh street bridge at
St. Paul and numberless public and
private structures have drawn their
material from the inexhaustible
and incomparable Mankato quarries.
Besides Wy B. Craig & Co., Capt. J. R.
Beathy and some smaller dealers, the several
railroad companies who run in here have
quarries of their own and take out a vast
amount annually for their own use. The
supply is ample for hundreds of years to come
and the quarrying and caring of their natur
al resource employs a host of men which is
being augmented year by year, as the de
mand increases and the facilities for handling
and shipping become better. All companies
and individuals now handling stone are ex
pecting to increase their force the coming
year and turn out more rock.
XIME.
The most valuable lime for brick or stone
work burned in Minnesota is the celebrated
Mankato lime. The elements which produce
cement seem to enter into the rock forma
tion all about here to a greater or less degree,
and hence for building purposes the lime is
invaluable as its adhesiveness is so great.
Capt. J. R. Beatty, one of the heaviest deal
ers, expects to burn three times a3 much as
usual this year.
MANKATO CEMENT.
For over thirty years Capt. J. R. Beatty,
who has been engaged in the stone and lime
business has studied the character of
the formation and has constantly been mak
ing experiments to test the quality and value
of the ledges which exist here. Long years
ago he discovered that the lime which he
burned possessed greater adhesive qualities
when placed in contact with stone or brick
than any lime in this section. He also dis
covered unmistakable evidences of the ab
sence of drift in the formation which, to
gether with the adhesive qualites
of his lime and the desire to invent a con
crete that would withstand our severe winter
frosts led him to experiment and investi
gate still further. He became convinced
that the rock formation contained the ele
ments of natural cement to a very marked
degree, and experiments revealed to him the
fact that his quarry contained a layer of thin
shale that was cement itsdf. This, however,
he found to be of insufficient quantity and
not easily enough accessible to be made avail
able. Being convinced that ledges of cement
rock must exist somewhere in this vicinity
he continued his researches, and was at last
rewarded about five years ago with the dis
covery of a cement stone ledge.
His diacovery was followed up by careful
tests, which were so eminently successful in
their results as to at last attract the attention
of the Standard Cement company, of New
York, who came upon the ground and ob
tained the property upon which the ledge
was located, and began last week the erection
of very substantial and valuable cement
works. The company have built their build
ings of stone, with iron roofs, and have ex
pended in buildings, kilns and machinery
(Elnbe.
i *?S3,000. The buildings consist of a ware
, house r>0x2o0, cement mill, 40x80, engine
and boiler room, 40x40, cooper shop, 40x1*25,
all two stone** high, beside office, blacksmith
shop, room for twisting engine, etc. The
kilns, live in number, have an aereregate ca
pacity of 1,000 bbls. per day while the mill
j has a capacity for 1.500 barrels. The motive
power is furnished bv an engine of 200-horse
| power, and tbe fuel is deposited at the side
of the kiln from the side tracks of the differ
ent roads which enter their yard. The prae
tic 1 tests in quantities have fully equaled
expectations of the company who began to
manufacture towards tbe close of last sum
mer, and the coming year will see lively
times at the cement works. The following
chemical analysis, made by Prof. E. T. Cox,
state geologist of Indiana, and a competent
analytical chemist, assisted by some Englisu
|"c_ien of six different brands of cements,
ding five Portland cements of English
ierniau manufacture, and the Mankato
nt is herewith presented:
c
S
o p o -* _;
« a _ 3 _ _
a v a n S _.
_* _; y *_> i _. «■<■
and ;
esia59.88: 59.18| 55.83 ( 50.9- 61.27 59.52
Silicia... 24.071 23.81 22.92! 22.Bft 21.12 25.03
Alumina 6.92; 9.38 8.00J 9.03J 11.42 9.52
_-__d7o- i
iron..., 3.41 5,22, 5.46 6.14 2.50 5.38
Soda Pot-j
ash, Sul
phates 5.72J 2.41i 7.79 5.05' 3.69 0.55
Water &
Loss
IlOO.j 100.1 1UQ. 100. 100.! 100.
careful inspection of this table will
r that the Mankato ground stone cement
pares very favorably with the best made
land cements, possessing but 55-100
cent, of the worthless substances while
it has an average of essential parts equal to
the best of the cements **ith wbich it is
combared. The recent test at the office of
Bubam, Burr & Co., who handle cement,
er pipe, etc., at Minneapolis, made upon
city testing apparatus with a briquette
ten minutes in air after mixture and 18
hours in water broke at 180 pouuds tensile
strain to the square inch.
The following similar tests made by differ-
I persons at different places show as fol
hour in air 20 hours in water 159
ouisville cement when subjected to siui
tests shows from 80 to 100 pounds. A
mt test of Mankato cement at the dairy
l's association the briquette broke at
, while at Bedloe's Island N. B., made by
i. Stone, U. S. Engineer corps broke at
The splendid qualities of this article
ing no more to manufacture than the
rest grades in the world must inevitably
se it to be prefered, and the company
e before them the exclusive
:>rption of the market,
he property upon which this valuable for
;ion exists covers an area of about 100
?s and is at least twenty-five feet thick,
. no estimate of its quantity can be made,
ept to say that with the most extensive
anfacture possible the supply is simply in
austible. For all purposes to which this
ele Is applied the Mankato cement is far
re valuable than any American cement
r discovered, and the importance to
nkato of the operation of this industry
I the conversiou of this dormant material
) a merchantable article cannot be esti
ted. In the language of Judge Severance,
; certain to be the most important indus
in southern Minnesota. Mr. F. N. Mer
of Milwaukee, constructed the works and
rates them as the company's manager,
ring thus at some length considered the
mt wealth fast becoming developed which
akato possesses, we next come to the con
jration of
MANKATO CLAYS.
The many substantial and well preserved
brick buildings to be found in Mankota,
some of them erected long years ago, attest
the valuable nature of its clays for brick'
making. The clay banks are absolutely pure
and free from any deposit and have not a
trace of limestone or other substances in
them, and produce a very superior
character of ' brick. A number
of companies have been engaged
in the manufacture of brick, among which
Willard & Polchow aud A. R. Mather, who
made last year some 5,000,000, lead the van.
From seven to ten million were made last
year wuich amount will be very largely in
creased the coming season, a number of new
yards being under contract.
MANKATO STONEWARE COMPANV.
This institution purchased by John A.
Samborn last spring was operated by him at a
capacity of some 50,000 gallons and which
turned out goods equal to the best Ohio ware
and which sold rapidly and well. The com
pany is to be reorganized this season and en
larged by the addition of large capital and its
capacity more than doubied. The clay used
for the purposes of their manufactory is of
the most desirable quality and guarantees
snecess.
MANKATO CLAT WORKS.
Among the most interesting and valuable
discoveries of the latent wealth of Mankato
has been that of the existence of a most su
perior quality of "fire clay," in what has
been for years considered a worthless bank
of chalk white material. Early last spring
Mr. S. F. Alberger, a gentleman from New
York wbo has large experience in the manu
facture of fire brick, came to Mankato, and
after prospecting for some little time, came
upon this mine of hidden wealth and at once
began experimenting. So satisfactory were
his tests that a company has been formed,
with the above caption, who,in addition tothe
manufacture of fire brick will continue the
manufacture of drain tile, so successfully
accomplished last year by Mr. Alberger, and
also no doubt manufacture well tubing,
sewer and culvert pipe and hollow brick. The
works at present occupy a building near the
Sioux City depot, formerly used as a wheat
warehouse, which has been converted into
use as afire brick factory and furnished with
all the necessary machinery and steam for
power and heating.
The present capacity of the works 13 about
500 brick per day, which in summer will be
increased to 10,000. The indistructability of
this clay may be shown from the fact that
subjected to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit a
degree of heat so intense that the human eye
could not look atthe substance, it sustained
its form and substance and refused to melt.
This industry thus established becomes of all
the more importance from the fact that no
fire clay of any degree of value
not works for the manufacture
of fire brick exists anywhere nearer than
St. Louis and Chicage. Permanent works
are to be erected this summer by the com
pany nearer their clay supply, and an exten
sive business will thus be inaugurated.
MANKATO S.LND,
A grade of sand said by experts to be of
the character necessary to make glass has
been discovered, and samples sent east for
tests bave produced the mo-t satisfactory re-
suits, and a glass, factory will be established
here at no very distant date.
Having thus briefly passed in review some
of the natural resources of the earth forma
tion at Mankato I shall next attempt a par
tial review of its general manufacturing in
dustries or the production of articles of a
merchantable character from different sub
stances. The ones just passed may be styled
'■the production of something from noth
ing" or the manufacture of crude substances
of but little or no value in that state. Those
to follow are of a finer grade or produced
from more valuable material.
In this enumeration I am well aware that
I have reviewed very many institutions of
comparatively small capacity individually
but which aggregate largely in making up the
sum total of the city's industries and which
help to swell the volume of her wealth. I
have made no mention of retail institutions,
some of which are of a magnitude and im
portance which dwarf some of the
wholesale houses mentioned, but I
have included in my sketch those
institutions which either by manufactur
ing or wholesaling to other towns contrib
ute toward the increase of material wealth of
the city by drawing their support in a large
degree from outside points.
The result of my investigation and exper
ience is to the effect that it takes three
things to build a good town here in the west,
a city of importance and of a population
whieh approximates something near to the ex
pectations and wishes of its friends and these
are agriculture, commerce and manufactures.
I have noticed that a purely agricultural
town seldom remains prosperous after the in
troduction of over 5,000 people into its cor
porate limits. I have also seen that the
wealth and population of a manufacturing
city depends very largely upon the variety as
well as the extent of its factories, and also
upon the production of articles of merchant
able value from cheap material. The estab
lishment of extensive manufacturing es
tablishments in any place similar to
those now launched and in opera
tion at Mankato brings with
it of necessity a certain amount of commerce
or wholesale business, and while these two
industries go hand in hand and in a great
measure depend one upou another, they eau
and sometimes do exist in localities removed
from fine agricultural surroundings.
At Mankato, however, the three great ele
ments combine to produce a great city,and a
great city they are fast producing. I now
pass to the manufacturing establishments in
question.
LIN3EED OIL MILL.
Tbi3 may justly be said tu be the most im
portant of all of Mankato's manufacturing
institutions as well as the pioneer. It was
established in the year 1872 and has been op
crated continuously ever since aud is to-day
the most successful institution west and uortb
of Chicago, Not only does it form a very im
portant industry of Mankato but providiug as
it does a borne market for flax, a
crop admirably adapted for cultivation
in Southern Minnesota it is an institution
which is of vast importance to the entire sec
tion. When lirst built not a bushel of flax
was raised in the territory, and seed had to
be imported. The owners of the mill bought
300 bushels of seed which was loaned to tbe
farmers and 30,000 busbels of a not very fine
quality was the returp, most of which was
manufactured, a part, however, being again
returned to the farmers for seed. They have
purchased of the crop of 1833 the enormous
amount of 280,000 bushels at an average
price of $1.35 at the mill,
$1 being . the least price paid.
The present capacity of tho mil! is 1,200
busbels daily, which makes an average of
2,500 gallons of oil, or over one car load
daily, and twenty-three tons of oil cake. The
storage capacity of 100,000 bushels, which
their fine brick elevator contains, has long
since proved inadequate, and the company
have sought storage elsewhere about town.
A new elevator of 200,000 bushels capacity
will be erected the coining year. The mill,
elevators, office, boiling rooms, and other
buildings are of brick and are quite valuable,
over $90,000 having been expended in their
construction.
The present engine being of insuffieientjea
pacity a new one is to be put in the coming
year of 120-horse power, which, with otber
new machinery aud buildings, will nuke this
one of the largest mills in America. Tbe
manner of extracting the oil is by the hy
draulic pressure system, which renders their
oil cake a very superior article of cattle food.
The new presses just put in will double tbe
capacity, which last season turned out 0,800
barrels of oil, using 160,000 busbels of seed,
and producing the consequent amount of oil
cake. They received 517 cars of seed and
have shipped 418 cars of oil and
oil cake, most of the latter
going direct to England. With the increas
ing interest manifested in tbis portion of the
state, and the general desire to abandon ex
clusive wheat raising for this branch of farm
ing, and for stock raising in general, but
little time will elapse until this most desir
able nutritious food will find a home market
which will in time no doubt equal the supply.
During the great financial crisis of 1873, cars
of oil cake brought money the moment they
were loaded, the shipper being instructed to
draw on London or Liverpool as soon as
laden. The fact that no explosion can ever
result under the pressure process in use in
this mill, as was the ca3e with the St. Paul
oil mill some time ago, renders this one very
popular, and the people of Mankato point to
it with pride. The company have the follow
ing officers: J. A. Willard, President; G. F.
Pipes, secretary and superintendent.
Both raw and boiled oil are produced.
FLOURINQ MILLS.
The "Mankato" flouring mill, one of the
largest and best mills outside of Minneapo
lis in Minnesota, operates forty-nine pairs of
rollers and five run of burrs, and has a
capacity for the manufacture of 700 barrels
of flour per day, and consequently must con
sume 3,500 bushels of wheat. It is a model
mill, built to make money, and necessarily
contains the most perfect and improved
machinery.
The building Is of brick,stone trimmed and
cost its owners $120,000. The mill com
pany have an elevator on the Chicago and
Northwestern track as well as Southern Min
nesota railroad, which has a capacity of 285,
000 bnshels. The mill manufactures five
distinct brands or grades of flour, and turned
out the past year 135,000 barrels. The larger
part of this has to be shipped here from the
west by rail which with the shipments of
flour requires a large number of
cars in the course of a year—
35 men are employed about the mill
A Corliss engine of 275 horse power moves
the vast machinery of this mill, while in the
same engine room may be found the engine
and great force pump for supplying the city
Holly water works system. Five boilers fur
nish the steam for the two engines, and also
for steam heating the mill, and eight to nine
tons of coal are required per day. The mill
is under the active management of Mr. F. L.
Waters, and does admirable work,
turning out flour which commands as ready
a sale and as good prices as any in the west.
MANKATO CITT MILLS.
This mill with a capacity of 100 barrels
per day has been recently refitted and is now
in excellent order. It is owned and operated
by Mr. J. Bierbauer, and is a roller mill.
NO. Qo.
Much of its products fined a ready market...
home while the remainder goes east.
IRON* AND NOVELTT WORKS.
The Mankato Iron and Novelty works oper
ate as their name wonld indicate a machine
shop and foundery. They do a general hns
iness as would be expected of such an insti
tution, but like many individuals they have
their hobby and that is an iron farm fence.
Though the vast belt of timber
adjoining Mankato furnishes nature
own material for fences at a
very reasonable _£-*ure yet the more remote
prairie districts tributary to her find it not
only expensive by reason of transportation
but also from lack of durability, cost of con
struction and liability to destruction from
prairie tires. I was much surprised to lean
that the timber farmers in this vicinity are us
ing barbed wire for fences with an abund
ance of timber on their own land.
The Mankato Iron Fence Novelty works per
ceiving the great and growing demand for a
perfect, cheap and durable iron fence have
procured an invention and are now manu
facturing an iron farm fence which combines
all the elements desirable to make it popular
with and useful to tbe farmer. It consists
of a tubular wrought iron post with a three
flanged cast iron base which, when the post ia
driven into the ground, cornea
just above its surface and thus
secures the post from the rust which would
soon destroy it were this part also wraught.
The posts being tubular offer a much greater
resistance for the amount of iron they con
tain than in any other form and are designed
to be set or driven in the ground just four
rods apart. To these posts, whieh rise four
feet three inches above the surface, three or
more barbed wires are attached by means of
small bits of tie wire inserted iu holes drilled
through the posts. Between each two are
thiee iron stays which are firmly attached to
the wires by means of iron staplus wbich
effectually prevent their becoming sepa
rated should any one of them become more
slack thau the rest or should they be attack
ed by stock. When once tho fence is set
and the wires attached there is* no slack or
sagging except between posts, a distance of
four rods, us the wires are so attached
as not to move upon the posts.
The posts lieiiiiT set this distance apart offers
less actual resistance to pressure of stock
than if uearer and being more flexible is less
liable to be brokeu easily, resuming its posi
tion as the stock gladly retreat from the
quick remonstrance of the sharp iron barbs.
The entire cost, wire and all, of a three wire
fence of this kind is but tifjy cents per rod or
thirty cents per rod for posts and stays alone.
The indestructibility of this fence which
neither rots down nor can be burned up, Its
perfect protection to crops or resistance to
attucks of stock, its cheapness and the rapid
ity with which it can be set, removed or
transferred renders it at once the most de
sirable farm fence imaginable and must iin
inediately come into general use.
The company referred to and which have
undertaken its manufacture were organized
July, lH'S'.i, with the following officers:
President—J. A. Williard.
Yiee President—C. D. Taylor.
Treasurer —George II. Clark.
Secretary—S, F. Barney.
They have a paid up capital of $2.*>,000 and
besides doing a general foundry and ma
chine shop trade they will build a large
amount of this farm fence anil ornamental
dooryard fence this seasou. They employ a
large force of men and will enlarge their
works to suit the necessities of their trade
which in the farm fence Hue cannot help but
prove enormously large as the practical testa
already made show lt to he the most desira
ble farm or railroad fence ever Invented.
MANKATO MANUFATURING CO.
This company was organized in July, 1873,
and has been most successfully operated ever
since. They do a general foundry and ma
chine shop business and manufacture steam
engines, both stationary and portable, and
all kinds of saw and flouring mill machinery.
They have some very complete and expensive
machinery, operate four large power lathes
and two very large iron planers. Iu a city
like Mankato where manufacturing indus
tries are already assuming such large propor
tions, although as yet but in their infancy,
such an institution as this must be one of
the most vital Importance and fortunate
enough is the city to possess
it under a management not only able finan
cially to meet all business requirements, but
alive to their necessity, aud ready to adapt
their manufacturing to ail demands, regard
less of the amount or class of work desired.
During 1883 the company have turned out
over $*_3,000 worth of work and have em
ployed nineteen men. The coming year's
business bids fair to be much in excess of
last season's, and their works have been
somewhat enlarged, the necessary wood shop
having been put on the ground floor. The
company have $30,000 cash capital all paid
up, and are officered as follows: President, J.
A. James; secretary and treasurer,!.. Roberts;
superintendent, 11. K. Lee.
It is decidedly a home institution, having
been founded and being now operated wholly
upon home capital. The perfection and ex
cellence of their work is rapidly building up
something more than a purely local trade,
and orders from adjoining towns are of fre
quent occurrence.
MANKATO BOILER WORKS.
This institution, a very necessary adjunct
to such an establishment as the one just de-
scribed, is located npon an adjoining lot,
and was established March, 1883, by J. D.
Harding & Co., for tbe manufacture of
steam engine boilers. During the
season they turned out ten new
large boilers at Qa cash value of $10,000,
among which were the boilers for the Man
kato cement works and other city manufac
turing establishments and several shipped to
adjoining towns, besides a large amount ot
repairing which they have turned out as cir
cumstances have required. They employ an
average force of about fifteen men and are
the beginning of an establishment which one
day will be of no small local importance.
MANKATO C**»OP_BAGE.
With the establishment of so many manu
facturing concerns and lines of business at
Mankato using upward of a million barrels,
casks, kegs and tubs annually and with such
an inexhaustible and excellent supply of all
woods necessary to their construction close
at hand in It no matter of wonder that the
cooperage of the city has already assumed
very large proportions although like many
other industries still new.
With flouring mills in operation the
the year round with a capacity of from 800
to 1,000 barrels per day, the cement works at
present using 700 per day during their sea
son, the egg trade and other industries a
large number, and the butter trade an Innu
merable number of tubs and cooperage
ought to be a good and very prominent busi
ness. One of the most important concerns in
this line of manufactory in Mankato as well
as in Minnesota is that of Messrs. Woodward
and Marsh and is known as the
MANKATO BUTTER TUB FACTORY.
This institution now owned and operated
nnder the flrm name of Woodard & Marsh,
was started by W. W. Woodard In August,
1882. Noting the rapid tendency toward
dairying in the southwest and perceiving at
once that . • sort of package or
race] ' • in which to store and
ship butter must U* pro..-*Kl