Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/726

 631 IlISTnKY OF GOODHUE COUNTY exclusive designs for its patrons. Forty salesmen are kept con- stantly on the road carrying this line into every state in the union. In the factory two hundred hands are employed the year round, while an office force of sixteen people is required. The Red Wing- Gas, Light & Power Company has sixteen miles of gas mains. It manufactures 35.000.000 feet of gas per year and 375.000 kilowatts of electricity; also 1,000 tons of coke and 900 barrels of gas-coal tar. The capital invested is $250,000. The company was organized in 1872 for the purpose of lighting the streets, public buildings and private residences, under the name of the Red Wing Gas Light Company. The company com- pleted its preparations for furnishing gas. and the streets of the •ity of Red Wing were first lighted by that material on the even- ing of February 11. 1873, an important event duly celebrated by the citizens. Later an electric light plant was introduced, and the company was reorganized under the present name. At this writing arrangements are being made to bring power from water- falls at Fan < Laire, Wis., and surrounding points, to Red Wing, which is likely to revolutionize manufacture and do much to build up the future and greater Red Wing. The Ballord-Trimbell Lumber Company has had a branch here since 1906. I hiring that year the company purchased the retail department of the Betcher establishment, and placed John Comp- ton in charge. The company deals in building material and also does mill work. The plant is well equipped and is located at 502 .Main street. The Red Wing Wagon Company was established in 1882 and had a capital stock of $95,000. The plant, valued at $40,000. was purchased in 1891 by the Led Wing Sewer Pipe Company, and was destroyed by fire in 1902. At the time when the company (dosed its business and disposed of the plant the officers were: President. F. W. Brooks; secretary. L. A. Hancock; treasurer, F. Busch. During the days of its prosperity the firm was an impor- tant one. turning out about fifteen wagons a day. Gust Lillyblad, who started business in 188S by purchasing the Berglund stone quarry and limekiln in South Red Wing, is now the sole representative of the lime burning industry which in former years has been most important. Mr. Lillyblad now operates one of the original Berglund kilns and also another at the foot of Sorin's Bluff, having a capacity of about 250 barrels per day. Lime burning was firsi started in Red Wing about 1853 by Phineas Fish, who operated just east of the south approach to the high wagon bridge over the Mississippi. He used large frag- ments which had fallen from the face of Barn Bluff. For a time