The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-03-13
THE NEW COURT HOUSE,.
General Baker Makes o Proposition
Touching the New Court House,

6ouexA 6okor MbkeB U 6EoPSsAuSA
Touching the New Court House
JAMES B. SWAN, Chm Board County
Commissioners:-As It seems to be the
probable purpose of our people to build
new court house, desire respectfully
to submit q proposition: :,
] offer sufficient plot Of ground, elig.
IDLY and appropriately located in West
Mankato, as free gift to the county for
the purpose of site for the proposed
new structure. My reasons are these:
The present grounds are undesirable
from two causes. First, the ground Is
wet, springy, and in every way insult
able for walls, as shown by the damp
easements and the springs In and about
the cellars Of the present county build
ings. Second, the present site 10 in no
way suitable for an imposing building.
Grounds with such declivity can never
be satisfactory in regard to tast and dec
orative purposes. They are unsightly
and side hill will he forever inconyen-
lent for the public purposes intended.
Besides other public building, such 40
are sufficient of the kind for adornment
of that hill. We should distribute our
public buildings more over the growing
city, to equally embellish every part
The old public park would have been
far more suitable for court house and
grounds than those now occupied, but
that opportunity is gone beyond recall,
or only ut an expense ut least of half the
estimated cost Of the new court house
itself. What is wanting for the building
intended is site with O desirable
ground-plot to give tone and character
| to the edifice, suitable for all the pur-
poses intended and for all tins. Such
plot of ground cannot now be had in
the confines Of the old part Of the city.
In considering the question, look to
the future of Mankato. Those who take
narrow view Of the matter may be con-
tent to squeeze the new court house in
to some unsightly, narrow or unsuitable
ground, for temporary reasons or selfish
purposes, where, too, 1t may be liable
to be burned. Those who take the
broader view of the question will desire,
while opportunity Is again offered, to
procure grounds at once commodious
for all purposes, and susceptible of all
reasonable decoration. Look five or ten
years ahead. The site offered will be
all the cid Park Block IL now. In this
larger view, who will say that such IA
choice is not the part of true wisdomP
The Van Brunt slough will practically
soon disappear A two-foot ditch would
even now drain il. There is dirt in the
neighboring hills to level it. 1t has al
ready filed foot or more, at the street
now across it, Other streets will be
readily and cheaply pushed across, and
in five years, with the street cars run
ming from the quarries TO the Cement
Works at the Bule Earth river, the
slough will have become mere tradi-
ton.
The Cement Works are soon to be
doubled, and the tile and fire brick man.
ufacturies are but the forerunners OF
could be erected at the crossing of rail-
roads near by. Indeed the coming I'm
ion depot may vet be erected on this
same filed slough ground. The results
Of ten or twenty years will bring this
site offered nearly or quite in the center
of the city, which will then extend from
the stone quarries to the Blue Earth
river.
Consider again that it is the people OF
the whole county who are to be served,
and not the city alone. The great bulk
of the county population will be better
served with county buildings at the place
offered, than where 1t now is. The
northern line of Lime township is the
limit of the county to the north, and is
only four miles away, while far the
greater number of our people from the
rural districts, actually pass and repass
the site now offered every time they Wis
1t the present county offices. When the
of county travel will naturally pass the
proposed new site.
Looking then to the future of our city,
and to the whole people who are to be
served, is il not better now, in time, to
secure ample and slightly grounds while
yet they may be had fer nothing.
| Just bordering on the Van Brunt
slough, high and dry, with maple and
oak trees yet remaining, free from rock
or springs, and in full view of railroad
travel, | own twenty-five (22) acres of
land. / will give any four acres of that
plot of ground, formerly known as the
Bias Moreland tract, to the county as
free gift, on which to locate the propos-
ed new court house. The present
grounds, comprising ten full lots, will
sell for about IS, 900, which can BIO added
to the binding fund. will further
guarantee that the Cement Works will
furnish the cement for the new building,
of our city, the suggestions herein con-
tanned are surely worthy of considera.
ton. am aware that some bar-room
statesman will say that this is plan to
sell the rest Of my land. 1t may work
this result. But what matters that to
any man of sense If far better location
is secured for absolutely nothing, the
city extended and embellished, the peo-
pie of the county more conveniently
served, and thousands of dollars saved?
Respectfully submitted,
]. II. BAKER.