The New International Encyclopædia/Austin (Minnesota)

AUS′TIN. A city and the county-seat of Mower County, Minn., 100 miles south of Saint Paul; on Red Cedar River, and on the Chicago Great Western and the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul railroads (Map: Minnesota, F 7). It is the seat of the Southern Minnesota Normal College, and contains Lafayette Park. Among prominent buildings are the public library (Carnegie), central high school, county court-house, and Saint Augustine's Church (Roman Catholic). The city is surrounded by fertile prairie land, the products of which are principally live stock, butter, wheat, barley, flax, grass seeds, etc. It exports extensively, and has meat-packing establishments, flouring-mills, brick and tile works, foundry, railroad shops, cement-works, creamery, etc. Manufactures are promoted by excellent water-power. Settled in 1854, Austin was incorporated as a village in 1868, and in 1873 was chartered as a city. The government is administered under a charter of 1887 which provides for a mayor, annually elected, and a city council. The city owns its water-works and electric-light plant. Population, in 1890, 3901; in 1900, 5474.