The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-07-27
WHEN WILL THE END GOMEZ

| 10 to 2, on motion of Mr.. Hoerr, to tr,
another experiment on their quicksanc
we'll in lower town and this, too, aftel
all the fixtures had been removed from
the we'll and the city engineer stated
that he had put gas pipe twenty fee
below the bottom of the well into the
sand without finding bottom, only
Aldermen johnson and Jorgenson vot
ing no. Alderman Dougherty who
spoke against further spending the PEG.
ple's money in such experiments stated
that he thought neither the aldermen OF
engineer knew anything about water,
and thought man should be obtained
who did know something about it. Al
derman Zimmerman said "as long as
there was any water the experiments
would be kept right up." We presume
that only needed little qualification to
make it true, that is, he should have
added after the word water, 'and can
control a majority of the council"
Alderman Patterson proved that though
he may be careful manager of his own
business and able to pump good profit
out of his grocery business, he has little
regard for the reckless waste of the peo-
pies money in fruitless efforts to pump
poor water for the public use from q
quicksand sink hold that is unfit for any
thing but putting out fire. And Mr..
Patterson votes with the nine other
men to keep these Experiments right
up." z,
Now, Mr.. Editor, what other city is
there in Minnesota where a city council
would have been permitted to expend
from $4,000 to $40, 900 of the peoples
money per year for a series of years in
such experiments as has characterized
the action of the city of Mankato since
the water works question has been
prominently before the people and in
the hands of the council? The Bunker
Hill bore, where water would only have
to be pumped, from an untubed bore,
80 to IS feet into areservoir, 80 high that
the water, of excellent quality, could be
carried over the highest building on the
bench, was abandoned because it would
require an engine and pump to
raise it into the reservoir, and
then mains were laid to force the water
up hill and s., 500 per year paid to pump
it up hill, taking the lowest place in the
river then convenient near the big mill,
and water unfit for anything but fire
has been the result, which has
not been improved by the sand well ex-
periments. For the last few years the
effort to pump winter
cholera, diphtheria and typhoid fever
to every family, the river and sand hole
have been persisted in with steadiness
of purpose th&t would be commendable
in a good cause. The result of the Min
experiment to pump up the
drainage ofthe city for the citizens to
filter through their own stomachs once
more in the publication process has been
kept up and 10 out of IL
voted to continue the experiment as
long as they can find water. The peo-
pie have exhibited q degree of patience
In this matter that must look to an out
slider as though they had looked at this
monster of such frightful mein" so long
that they had passed the hating, endur-
ing and pityipg stages and now 80 famil-
lar with it grown they are ready for the
and 1t is not wonderful that
the council have come to believe that
only croskers condemn their folly, to
call it by no harsh name, or who protest
against the further usesof the peoples
money in vain experiments to crafty
the determined purpose of a majority of
the council, who have for years shown
their determined purpose that the peo-
pie of the city shall be furnished with
water from certain locality without re-
gard to quality, or 60 thirsty.
The matter has reached point where
every tax payer in the city and every
press IN the city, every man who cares
for its reputation as healthy city and
the necessity of pure water
to that end, should raise united and
indignant protest against the further
prosecution of this desperate folly.
Money enough has already been spent
to have cleaned out and tuDed the well
on Bunker Hill and built the reservoir.
But probably the experimental end
has not been reached, the credit of the
city not entirely exhausted, and poster
ity not sufficiently burdened with debt
for actual folly. Yours, o. B.