The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-08-29
THE c1r1zEn,s MEETING.

Ell At the meeting of the Board of Trad
last Monday morning, the matter {
; the Cannon Valley road was introdut
ed, and some discussion INDUCED i
$ concerning the present outlook, and tn
steps TO be taken in reference thereto
The opinion prevailed with some tina
our Senator and Representatives wer
somewhat careless, in letting bill
pass the legislature of 'S3, giving thi
l company fee of their land grant as sool
; as the road was completed to within
the "town of Mankato," instead of tn,
Getty" as was the intent in the previous
bill granting the land, and it was de
cided to call a meeting of the citizens
for the purpose of further considera
ton, and to have hearing from Sena
tor Fletcher and Judge James Brown
our representative. Such meeting
was called at the City Hall Wed,
nesday morning at nine O'Clock,
at which time about so of the business
men Assembled and proceeded to con-
slider the business i'm hand.
Mr.. j. &. Noe called the meeting to
order and nominated Mayor Palmer to
act as chairman of the meeting. The
Mayor took the chair and briefly stated
the purpose of the assembly. Mr.. Noe
first took the floor and reviewed the
state of affairs, and the proposed plan
of work. He thought that the last
legislature in amending the old bill,
had unwisely changed the phraseology
of the bill 80 as to read town of Man
katO," instead of "to the Minnesota
river in the city of Mankato." He
thought that some of the members of
the legislature might be able to ell
tighten the meeting on that point.
Mayor Palmer called Judge Brown
to the floor, who proceeded to give a
detailed account of the circumstances
connected with the passage of the bill
in question. He said the first intina-
ton he had of such bill being before
the house, was given him by Mr.. J. f.
Meagher, who was present at that
time. Mr.. Meagher interviewed Cor
don +. Cole, the introducer of the bill,
and that gentleman told Mr.. Meagher
that the bill was all right, and that il
would not affect the interests of Man.
kato. This was told Judge Brown by
Mr.. Meagher, and then Mr.. Brown
went over and asked Mr.. Cole III per-
son whether this bill would have any
| effect on the western terminus of the
road, and was given the assurance of
that gentleman that it would not
change the existing law as to the roads
terminating in Mankato.
On these statements of Cole our re-
representatives. did not watch the bill
closely, AS it was rushed through in the
hurry of the last days of the session. If
any ERROR was committed on his part, it
was in placing too much confidence in
MIR. Cole. Mr.. Brown reported that
Senator Fletcher had stated that he had
submitted the bill to a Mankato lawyer
then present in the Senate chamber
before it passed the Senate and on the
opinion of that gentleman, that the bill
contained nothing adverse to our inter-
ests, did not oppose it in the Senate.
At the close of Mr.. Browns remarks,
a number of parties present asked
numerous questions regarding his &C.
ton at that time, which led to some
severe discussion and considerable re-
partee, which had little bearing on the
business of the meeting, and could but
leave the impression with disinter-
ested parties that personal rancor was
not wholly absent from the meeting
1t is never the part of wisdom to let
individual dislikes and feuds score a
point where the commuriity's interests
are concerned, and much will be adj
ded to the force of future meetings of
this kind, if the executive gavel will
assume to rap all such parley to silence.
Mr.. Meagher having come into the
room, was called upon, and on hearing
Mr.. Browns statement remarked that
it was substantially correct.
Mr.. NJ. Il. Willard then took the floor
and expressed his opinions at some
length and gave all the information he
had accumulated, concerning the Can
non Valley road, which remarks were
all proper and of value, had personal
rancor been left out.
Mr.. Wise followed next, and as a
member of the committeethat conferred
with Mr.. Hatch some time ago, report
ed that they had urged upon that of
fetal very earnestly the necessity of
running the road to Mankato, and
enumerated all the local inducements
to try to influence them to do so. Mr..
Hatch intimated that the city should
do something about giving right of way,
but did not speak of securing bonus.
Mr.. Wise also stated that other towns
along the line had been giving them
heavy bonuses, and other points of IN
terest obtained at this meeting were
laid before the assembly.
Here great deal of talk from differ
ent parties was endulged in, and some
seemed to think it was "free for alp
talk. A great many good things were
said and some excellent suggestions
put forth, but it would not be of gener-
al interest, hence We deem il unneces-
sary to reproduce the same.
Lysander Cook was called to the floor
and explained all he knew about the
passage of the bill. He substantiated
what Mr.. Brown reported, as to the
opinion of a Mankato lawyer on the
bill; saying that he took the bill to j
A. Willard, who was in the Senate
chamber at the time, who read
it, and pronounced it all right, af
ter which Mr.. c. paid no attention to
it, and Senator Fletcher gave it no OPP
position.
Seeing that no good could be derived
by further talk, a motion to appoint
committee to confer with Mr.. Cole ant
the railroad officers prevailed. Messrs
l.. G. NJ. Fletcher, Judge James Brown
J. F. Meagher, Mayor Palmer, NJ. q
Willard, Lysander Cook and &. q
Spaulding were selected as such com
mittee.
The meeting adjourned to come to
, gether upon call of the Mayor, to hea
the report of the committee. What
ever be the outcome of this agitation
it cannot be doubted that the proceed
ings of the railroad company are Int