The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-04-03
THE oouNTY's INTERESTS.

A few years ago when the present
county buildings were erected they
were, in sense, temporary, and OF ne
cessity, limited in capacity and archi-
tectural design: with full knowledge
that the standing of the county and It's
business would eventually outgrow the
structures in every particular. The de-
positories provided for the safe keeping
Of the multitude of records connected
with the various offices were limited in
their receiving capacity, and the manner
in which they were put in, leaves them
dark, dingy and damp; wholly unfit for
the safe keeping Of archives 30 impor-
tant as are those of commonwealth like
that of Blue Earth county. That time
seems to have arrived, and the commits
sioners, in response to solicitations from
many of the most enterprising farmers,
and heaviest taxpayers, have taken the
preliminary steps to lay the matter be-
fore the people of the county in prop
er and legal light so that they may have
the privilege Of making such provision
for the safety of their own valuables af
is necessary. Who is there in the coun'
ty that owns real estate, the record o.
which is entrusted to the care of county
officials, that would not willingly pay
, the meagre sum of increase in taxes, al
figured out in the last issue of The FREI
/ Press, to insure the safe keeping OF TIT
only evidence which they can hanc
down to posterity Of their right in and ii
j tie to the property they leaveS 1t seem
. scarcely necessary to answer "none.
{ There are many other very logical rea
--..- -i-y ti-;- r--r--it;---- -tA"iA NO
: meet with opposition, which a careful
D reasoner can determine for himself, an
4 which we do not deem necessary to re
+ late; but it occurs to us that there ar
I some arguments advanced against tn
{ project on grounds so unreal, If not IN
reasonable, that they need but be touch
7 ed upon TO be dispelled forever. Tn
r matter of q change of site has create
Il considerable uneasiness, which, we ar
?. happy to say, is all useless. The CON
& missioners have never contemplate
e such step, being perfectly satisfied this
g the present location accommodates tn
i. public more fully than could be done i
Z any other part of the city where suffic
IS ent grounds are available. Any propC
y sitions that have been received lookin
o toward such move have been promp
3. ly tabled, without extended considers
u ton. Another objection raised is thi
n $75, 900 is to great an amount for the pu
" " pose, but it must be borne in mind thu
n this is simply maximum sum, beyon
4. which the cost cannot 60, and the actu
u u funds necessary may be much less tina
a, this. Blue Earth county ranks secon
=, 70 to none in the state in reputation, an
ii no one county can equal it in diversit
Dr. Of resources, a circumstance which wi
rs place it in the zenith ere many yea
10 more. 1t is meet, then, that the spir
ut of improvement should keep pace wit
40 the development Of our county in gel
"a eral. When all is carefully put upC
il the balance of rational judgment
I. would seem that on May yth the prop
h sition now before the electors of Il
u county will get an overwhelming affirm
m alive vote,