Blue Earth City. A Description of the Capital Town of Faribault County – Its Attractions, Thrift and Prospects. [Special Correspondence of the Globe.] Blue Earth City, Sept. 24. – The people of Southern Minnesota claim perhaps with some reason, that this section of the state has been to a certain extent neglected by the newspaper press of St. Paul, or at least a portion of it. That while the country north and west of this city has been lauded to the skies the beautiful lands watered by the Blue Earth, the Zumbro, the Minnesota and Cedar have been comparatively "unhonored and unsung." It is not the design of this article to give a description of all that portion of the state, but to speak particularly of one of the many flourishing towns to be found in Southern Minnesota.
Blue Earth City is the county seat of Faribault county, and has a population of 1,200. It is situated at the forks of the east and west branches of the Blue Earth river, amidst a profusion of natural and artificial shade trees, which give it certainly the appearance of a forest city. Its natural location is excellent, its water power ample for manufacturing purposes, its market facilities good, as the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha runs direct from north to south. The streets run at right angles, and are clean and well graded. The private residences are neat and substantial, and in some instances very elegant and attractive. The public buildings are the court house, sheriff’s residence and jail, built in the same block on a beautiful natural eminence in the northwestern part of the town. The court house is two stories high, built of brick, and is substantial and complete in all its appointments. The sheriff’s residence and jail – one building – is built of Mankato brick, two stories high, and has more the appearance of a gentleman’s private residence than of a public office.
The court house block is nicely laid out, and adorned with evergreens and natural shade trees, which add greatly to its attractions. The public school building is of brick, two stories in height, and contains seven large rooms. The cost of buildings and grounds has been between $14,000 and $15,000. The school is in charge of Prof. George, principal and superintendent, who has occupied his present position for several years. The yearly enrollment nearly reaches 300, the daily attendance 230 to 240. The English branches, natural sciences, higher mathematics, Greek and Latin are embraced in the course which prepares the student for the state university. It is a good school, of which the people are justly proud. The churches are the Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, German Evangelist Association, Episcopal and Lutheran. All of these societies, except the Lutheran, have large and commodious edifices, particularly the Catholics, whose building is of brick built at a cost of $15,000. There are two public halls, that of Ericsrud & Hagen and G. S. Converse, the latter having a seating capacity of 300. The opera hall in the upper story of the Ericsrud & Hagen block is the finest that can be found outside of our largest cities.
It is not too much to say that, excepting St. Paul, Minneapolis and Stillwater it is unequalled by any other hall in the state. It occupies the whole upper floor, 40x60, with a stage 40x16, and has a seating capacity of 400. The scenery is grand, the appointments complete, and the acoustic, properties of the hall perfection. It is the most beautiful little opera house we have ever seen.
Public Library. The city has a public library of over 500 volumes, to which additions are made from time to time. Two newspapers, the Post and Bee, both Republican in politics, furnish the local news. The practicing attorneys are J. H. Sprout, D. F. Goodrich, G. W. Buswell and S. W. Graham. The resident, county officials, Hon. J. A. Kiester, judge of probate, who, by the way, has a complete history of Faribault county ready for the press; W. W. White, auditor; A. Anderson, treasurer; H. J. Neal, clerk of courts; S. P. Brown, register of deeds, A. Cummings, sheriff, and R. W. Richards, county superintendent.
Manufacturers. Smith & Gilbert, W. H. Bates and F. A. Saxton are engaged in the manufacture and repair of wagons, buggies, sleds, etc. The "Blue Earth" wagon of W. H. Bates is well known all over the state. There are two flouring mills, one steam and the other water power, each manufacturing by patent roller process and doing a good business. One brewery of limited capacity, and the usual number of carpenter, blacksmith shops, etc., finishes the list in this department. There are two lumber yards doing quite an extensive business, and three elevators, viz: railroad elevator, that of C. M. Sly, and Pfeffer & Kingsby. The stock dealers are Temple & Kamran and Smith & Kobbs. The mercantile interests are represented by S. Teskey, Anderson & Son, G. S. Converse, Ericsrud & Hagan, F. W. Wilmert and Cole Bros., dealers in general merchandise. Hardward stores of South & Bishop and Kaupp & Rabe. Groceries, A. F. Eastman, Wm. Dillabaugh, B. Woolrey and Jas. C. Pratt, groceries and fruit. Furniture, W. S. Drake and H. C. Geise. Butter and eggs, S. M. Hawes.
Druggists, A. Shuler, C. W. Constans, H. E. Constans and Ailing Hirsch. Each of the firms named, in their several departments, carry a full line of goods, but we wish to notice as especially worthy of mention the business block of Ericsrud & Hagan, Cole Bros., South & Bishop, and Anderson & Son. These buildings are large double stores, built of brick; those of South & Bishop, and Anderson & Son, having plate glass fronts. There are three harness shops, L. N. Nichols, Wm. Driblo and F. Amdt. Two merchant tailors, Jno. Weir and E. Kenstee. One barber shop, J. H. Voleker, whose skill as a tonsorial artist is unexcelled. Two skating rinks and three hotels – the Constans house, the Baker house and the City hotel. The traveling public can be well accommodated at either of these.
We must not omit a notice of the poultry establishment of C. F. Franklin. It is one of the new enterprises in this enterprising place. Though not two years old it promises great returns. Mr. Franklin has two incubators, one with a capacity of 500, the other of 250. In these he hatches his eggs, by keeping them at a temperature of 102 Fahr. These incubators are his own invention and answer the purpose admirably. He keeps all the best breeds of chickens and has now about 1,000. His eggs and poultry are marketed in St. Paul and Minneapolis. His enterprise in this direction has added a new feature to the industries of Blue Earth City. Taken as a whole, Blue Earth City is (a) strong healthy growing town. It is backed up by a farming community that intelligent, moral, industrious and law abiding. It has never outgrown its surroundings, and has not therefore experienced the reaction which comes to towns of abnormal growth. The surrounding country is pleasant and fertile, and those wishing homes in a favorable location can suit themselves here, if any where. (The Saint Daily Paul Globe, Friday Morning, September 26, 1884, Volume VII, Number 270, Page 2)