The Jewell County Monitor on March 20, 1925, reported the following:

The worst thing which has happened to Mankato in a long time was the loss of the large modern Metz Packing Plant on North High Street by fire Sunday morning. The fire evidently originating in the furnace corner of the basement, just how, when, or where was not known as the fire had gained such headway before being discovered that the basement could not be checked.

The Formoso Fire Department was called and reached Mankato in 29 minutes although the roads were bad to assist in preventing the spread of the fire to the large oil...