The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-02-15
BOARD OF TRADE.
Board of Public Works, New Schools,
Mankato Stone, Etc., Up for
Discussion.
List of New Committees.

List of New Committees.
The Board of Trade held one OF its most
profitable meetings Monday morning
and gave attention. to several ofthe most
important subjects that are at present
agitating the minds of our citizens. The
full board was present and occupied its
new quarters in the rear ofthe first floor.
This room has been Handsomely pa
pered and is somewhat larger than the
old room and was generally considered
an improvement upon the previous loca-
ton. President Barr occupied the chair,
first, however, thanking the board for
comforting the honor of reelection up
on him. He then announced the fol-
lowing standing committees for the en-
suing year there being many changes
over the old committees:
Manufactures-Jno. e. Noe, w. M.
Farr, +. G. Heinze, s. Lamm, M. u.
Willard, f. l.. Waters.
Roads, Bridges, Streets and Sidewalks
w. b. Walker, Jno. r. Jones, II. +,
Jensen, W. X. Geddes, DIR. 7. Follman,
Anton Busch.
Railroads, Freight and Transportation
-Jno. A. Willard, Jno. G. Wise, +. M
Pope, Jno. F. Meagher, Jno. Klein, K.
d. Hubbard.
Entertainment and Reception-Geo.
f. Brett, Geo. II. Clark, Z. A. Dieker, e.
d. TAYLOR, b. +. Pay.
Public Improvements--Jno. N. Hall,
Nj. o. Sundt, B futile, Geo. Nj. Palmer,
James Shoemaker, g. +. Piper.
Real Estate and Negotiation-H: Z.
man, w. g. Hoerr, Jno. Ii. Ray.
7 ar,olatin,, and To vufipn-S n Rar-
ney, j. L. Washburn, o. o. Pitcher,
Lorin Cray, Thos. Hughes.
Mr.. Barney, from the committee on
charter revision, reported what had
been done by the committee.
Mr.. j. A. Willard at once arose and
opposed the committees amendment
relating to board of public works. He
stated that no respectable man would
serve merely for the 5000 salary, while
deadbeats would run for the Office to get
their living. He wanted the salary high
enough for good men to do the work out
of patriotism and too low for deadbeats
to want the office. With 5000 salary,
he thought that the latter class would get
in, even if the Mayor did appoint men
at the end of his term, the pressure
would be 80 great.
Messrs. ]. N. Hall and J. G. Wise up
held the amendment, and Mr.. John
Klein opposed it.
Mr.. IL. P. Jensen wanted to have the
men who offered to work for nothing
appointed on the board.
Mr.. S. +. Barney defended the amend
ment. He thought that the men who
offered to work for nothing should draw
treasury. If the law was bad it could be
ranaals,A IN fun vaara
Mr.. j. A. Willard stated that he was
surprised that Mr.. Barney, who was us.
ually SO clear-headed, should make such
a proposition. Why should good man
turn the salary into the treasury when
he knew that his deadbeat successor
would draw his salary. He saw no use
in making a bad law for the sake of re-
pealihg 1t two years hence. He wanted
all the members of the board treated
fairly. AS one would certainly do three
times as much work as the other two,
he favored paying the one principal man
81 ,209 and the other two very little. II
he could be in the city himself he would
serve on the board free of cost, but he
did mot think it wise to setsuch prece-
dent. He wanted to pay what WAS fair,
for/other men might not want to serve
free.
Mr.. Barney thought that those who
offered to serve on the board free would
soon back out. He stated that the board
would save 5000 to the city the first
Saturdays FREE PRESS, and wanted to
say that taxes would not be increased by
the board. The total amount of salaries
would be increased only 500.
Mr.. Willard wanted men of talent on
the board, such as it would cost 81 800 to
81, 400 year If their whole time was
taken, but who could spend day once
in a week or two for a small amount and
still give the city the benefit of their tai
ent. He would consider it curse to
the city if only men of $500 talent were
on the board.
Several members favored the employ
ment of thoroughly competent engi-
neer, even if he cost 81, 500 year, be-
lievipg that it would be cheaper in the
end.
On notion of Mr.. John N. Hall the re-
port of the committee was accepted and
approved, those who would have voted
in the negative refraining from voting.
Mr.. F. G. Heinze and Mr.. Geo. E.
Brett, from the soliciting committee, re-
ported that 80 members had been secur-
ed in short time last Friday, and they
felt confident that as many more could
be secured.
Mr.. H, P, Christensen brought up the
subject of the falsehoods that are being
circulated in Minneapolis In regard to
Mankato stone, and urged that the board
do something in the matter.
Mr.. Geo. 7. Barr stated that he had
conVersed with Senator Clough, who Is
member of the Minneapolis county
and that tho loffar hoH
fS-omised to give the Mankato stone q
tho<ough investigation before any action
was taken.
OthefScembers spoke on the matter,
and it developed that Architect Haley
has signed letter which is being circu-
lated about, in which he states that he
has had more experience with Mankato
stone than any other architect in the
Northwest. He says the Blue Earth
county courthouse is one of his princi-
pal jobs with it, and that the construc-
ton of this building has proved that the
Mankato stone is totally unfit for the
purpose. This letter of Mr.. Haley was
branded as falsehood from beginning
to end by several members of the board.
Messrs. Barr and Pope were instruct
ed to use their influence in behalf of the
Mankato contractors.
Mr.. ii. P. Christensen brought up the
subject of the necessity for new public
school buildings, and strongly urged that
the members of the board use their in
fuence toward securing the desired OBJ
ject. He stated that applications of out
siders are all rejected, and that pupils
from the city who are absent for three
days lose their seats. He favored the APP
pointment of trustees, who should inves-
tigate the buildings and put them in or
der, change the school limits, etc. He
stated that he had sold numerous lots to
people who came to the city only to edu-
cate their children.
Mr.. Geo. E. Brett stated that he was
in sympathy with all that Mr.. Christen-
sen had said. He knew that the Pleas
ant Grove building was overcrowded,
and the teachers overworked. The chill
dren were obliged to do the greater part
of their studying home, which was
wrong.
Mr.. John N. Hall said that Mr.. Chris.
Jensen was correct. Real estate men
knew more about the matter than any
one else. He had had many people
come to him for homes in the city to edt
ucate their children. He said that the
city was as much behind in this matter
as in anything else.
Mr.. j. A. Willard wanted to know
whether the council was trying to fix |
the water works 30 that the water from |
the river and city wells could be mixed
He wanted no communication had with |
the river at all, because the people
would not in that case know whether |
they were getting pure water or the slop |
from the river, and would refuse to pat
ronlze the water works. Others COIN
Gliding in this view, he moved that the
committee on legislation and taxation
be requested to ask the council to delay |
taking steps in the matter of locating the
pumping station for two or three weeks,
for reasons that could not now be stated.
1t was not to antagonIze the council,
h o-ayar Torriad