The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-01-13
1880.
A. Brief Review of the Improvements
Made,in MankatO During the Year Re-
Gently Closed.

Dut as IL Is anyways Dctter DclnS late than
never, we consider the matter Of suflici-
ent Importance to justify its publication.
And besides as we enter upon the New
Year of 1881 it is well for us and our
patrons to look back on what has been
accomplished and see what has been
lett undone in the past year.
That there has much been done and
that it has been we'll done there is no
doubt. That Mankat0 has made Il sub
stantial progress in the past year no
body questions. The year 1880 is the
first year since 1872 that Mankato has
begun to feel the business activity
which belongs to town situated as it
is. The city has for eight years hung
under cloud of hard times, disease and
u plague. But it has been lifted and to-
day the only groans heard are those of
our business men and laborers, trying
to supply the demand for work and
material.
We think that little has been left TN
done. We think that the appearance
of our streets might be improved, that
systematic order Of pavcments would
add materially to the beauty OF the city.
We think that it is time some thing
should be done to light our streets at
night. The numbering Of our residences
and stores would aid strangers consider
ably. There are other things which
might be mentioned but We reserve
them for future issues.
Let us look at the condition of the
city itself and see how things stand.
The bridge across the Minnesota was
finished in the spring Of 1880, its cost
and size we give rs follows:
| Bonds voted
Blue Earth County 10,OOO w
Mankato City. ....... l5,No Oo
Total. ............... ........ 8 $500 90
Length Of bridge and approaches $40 feet.
| Length of swing span 1875 ="
Length Of two fixed spans, each. ..l59 "
Roadway tin the clear. .............. IL
Capable of sustaining rolling weight
Of 500 to the linear foot, built by the
wrought iron bridge company, Of Can
ton, Ohio,
a good deal of grading has been done
on the various streets of the city, Wash
ington, Fifth and others have all been
liked up at cost of $2,459.87, aside
from the ordinary street repairs by the
street commissioner, and considerable
improvement of permanent character
has been made by him.
We think we could count on our fin.
gers the number of dollars that has been
expended on our sidewalks. Our cOun-
ell has received much unm crited abuse
for the condition Of our sidewalks.
The difficulty is more in inadequate and
defective ordinances than in want of
disposition on the part OF the council to
make repairs. We are glad to know
that the aldermen in conjunction with
our Senator and city attorney, d. Buck,
are this winter making an effort to re-
wise these ordinances and make them
what they should be.
Our fire department is in fair condi-
ton, aud SO far has been able to cope
with any of the pranks of the fire tiend.
The department consists of two hose
companies and one hook and ladder
company. There is 1000 feet of new
nose and about 500 feet of old. The
nose carts are new and kept in good
condition. The city engineer has charge
of the water works. The hydrandts are
in good working condition. The water
has been Analysed and found purer than
the average water i'll our wells. 1t is
10 be hoped that our citizens will soon
begin to use it for household purposes
The cost is only So year for a house OF
nine rooms, which is lower then other
place in the State.
Our police force needs increasing VIC
think. For day force We have CHIEF
OF police and one assistant The night
force consists of three watchmen.
The number of arrests this year is
about eighty. This speaks we'll for the
good order that is maintained in oul
fair city. The Two justice of the peace
courts turned into the city treasury
about 500 in 1880.
The Improvements last year outside
. of what the city has done, has been yer,
5 great, in fact, most everybody seemed
: possessed with laudable desire to i'm
prove things. We give below what ha
been done as near as we have been abb,
to find out:
:. ST. r. g. S. c. R'y wheat elevator leased