The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-10-27
MANKATo TO THE FRONTS
Our City To Be Supplied With Gas.

, Last week THE FREE PRESS took &C
, casion to remark upon the inactivity o
our city in the direction Of securing gas
anda telephone exchange. This week i
. affords us pleasure to state that arrange
ments have been entered into whereby
, the former deficiency is to be supplied
, and for this should We. rs city, be
heartily thankful. 1t has been re-
marked time and again, by strangers
coming to Mankato that il was SO I'M
usual to visit town of this size where
gas was not consumed. 1t has given
these same individuals sufficient excuse
to seek farther for location, upon the
hypothesis that city of 1000 inhab-
itants that could not or at least would
not sustain gas works, was not up to
the times of this progressive age, hence
they cared not to commingle in business
where so little enterprise was manifest.
On Friday last Messrs. G. w. Kauke, of
Wooster, Ohio, and A. G. McCurdy. of
Van Vert, the same State, arrived in
the city for the purpose OF negotiating
with our people upon the feasibility of
starting gas works here. They had
stopped at Rochester on their way, look
ing over the ground there, and while
favorably impressed with the beauty Of
the town and the apparent prosperity
of the people, did not see future in
the town that warranted them in enter
ing into negotiations of any note. Ar
irving in Mankato, and not discovering
even lamp posts upon our streets, they
naturally concluded that this point pre-.
sented rather of u barren outlook for
the successful Inauguration Of their
business. Being acquainted with Cash.
Ter Clark, of the City Bank, the gen.
tlemen called upon him Saturday, and
had fully made up their minds to seek
other points without even consulting
any considerable number of business
men. But Mr.. Clark, after conversing
with them for time and getting at
what they were DESTROYS of doing,
turned them over to Mr.. G. G.. Burt for
further consideration. Mr.. Burt kind
ly took possession Of the young men,
escorted them around among our bust
hess men, all of whom, to their credit |
be it said, spoke only words Of en-
enlargement for the enterprise, ana
they were induced to spend the Sabbath
here. Monday night the Council was
called together to see what action
could be taken. The strangers an
nOunced that they desired ten years
franchise for manufacturing and sup
plying gas to the city, and the only
guarantee of patronage they demanded
was that our Council agree to take not
less than Is street burners to start with.
To cut :he matter short, the very rea-
sonable requests were complied with,
the necessary papers properly executed
ard signed, and the gentlemen left for
their homes Wednesday morning. This
was taking hold of matters in bust
ress-like manner and doing things up
in creditable way.
The contract requires that work
shall be commenced on the first of May,
1888, and completed within six months
thereafter.
ANY of our citizens who had the
pleasure of meeting Messrs. Kauke and
McCurdy cannot fail to have been I'M
pressed with the business.like way |
they had of putting this gas question
before them. neither could they fell to
observe that they were young men of
far more than ordinary ability. Backed |
by ample capital, young and full of
vigor, Manksto is to be doubly con-
graduated upon having been favored
by their determination to locate here.
The impression that they gained when
first arriving in our city, that we were
dead and beyond redemption, was i'm
mediately dispelled by an acquaintance
with few business men and citizens,
and when they left were only eager for
the time when they should return to
make MankatO their future home.
The building that will be construct
ed for the manufacture of gas is to be
2Sx3O feet, 20 feet high, constructed Of
brick and with slate roof. The capa-
city Of the works will be $4,000 cubic
feet of gas per day, or nearly double of
what the immediate consumption will
demand. Everything connected with
the works will be constructed upon the
most modern and improved plan, and
instead of useing washers six feet high
as is usual, they will put in those meas
uring ten feet, making the gas purer in
quality and clearer in Illuminating bril-
liancy. The rule of light made from
gas is IA sperm candle light power to
the jet, while these gentlemen guaraD-
tee at least sixteen, giving more light
for the same or less money than nine.
tenths of the gas companies in the coun-
try. The prlce to consumers will be
put at the very moderate sum Of $3.50
per 1000 which is the same as is paid
in st. Paul and Minneapolis where fif-
ty times as much is daily required.
The cost of the works will depend
greatly upon the amount of pipe that
will be required to supply patrons, but
the immediate outlay will not fall short
of from $4,000 to $4,000.
We teel confident that with such
promising young men at the head of
our gas works in this city, the venture
will prove successful in pecuniary
sense to the proprietors, aud be of in
valuable benefit to Mankatn- Evor,
business man in town should, and it is
generally believed will, patronize the
institution when it begins operation,
aud lend the gentlemen all the en-.
couragement possible.
Mr.. Geo G. Clarke, father of our
towpsmsn Geo. A. Clarke, died at his
residence il Kssota. Sunday mo rning
last, Oct. 22nd. For some days previ-
Gus to his death, Mr.. Clark had suffered
greatly from pneumonia, and being a
man of eighty years Of age, it became
apparent 10 bis family aud immediate
friends that death would be the iuey.-