The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-07-08
CITY COUNCIL.
The City Fathers Refuse to Confirm
the Minnesota Street Agreement.
The Grading of Glenwood Avenue.

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after the aldermen arrived. Vice
President Hubbard presided. Aid.
Longini was absent.
In regard to the Minnesota street
matter the Board of Public Works re-
ported an agreement with L. G. NJ.
Fletcher for the opening of the crook
ed street to Cherry street, upon
proposition made by the board that
Mr.. Fletcher receive 81 800 as damages
and deposit the dirt from his eXcava-
tion upon the street. The agreement
required confirmation by the council.
The amount which can be assessed
upon the property benefited is 1920,
and $500 is to be paid by the city.
A remonstrance against the propos-
ed purchase and asking that the city
proceed to condemn the land now
used as street was received. This
had twenty-eight signatures, all the
property On the street being repre-
sented.
w. r. Geddes appeared before the
council on behalf of those upon the
remonstrance. He spoke of the great
objection to anything but straight
street, and of the objection to the
high figures placed upon the street by
Mr.. Fletcher. They would rather go
out through an alley block away
than pay such high assessment. He
believed that under the charter the
people would have no redress but
must pay the assessment. He urged
that the only business-like way is to
condemn the land. In Mr.. Fletcher'S
suit against the city on the matter he
was right and so he won, but he would
not be right in this case. These poor
people should not be made to pay a
large amount in order that the city
may avoid law suit. They would
give S400 to $500 to help the city in
such suit. This was received with
applause by the people present.
Mr.. Fletcher stated that an agree
ment had been made and that upon
the strength of it he had made some
Improvements there, such as building
foundation and filling in. The price
is not too great. Toward the assess
ment he pays Sis himself, besides
having done lot of filling, amount
ing to $3.50 to $500. In the ligitation
he had put in s400 to $500, while the
city had paid the cost of the people
living in the addition.
Aid. Schlingerman did not like to
see jog in any street.
Aid. Peterson had voted for the
proposition under the belief that the
81 800 was for the straight street. He
would never vote for such PROPOSE
tion.
Aid. Hubbard stated that the coun-
Gil had not acted upon the petition of
the people, and had acted upon
nothing, in the belief that the people
wanted street of some kind, there
De1nB QO TeulOnSUFdnco.
A question arose as to whether the
council had given the Board of Public
Works power to consummate an
agreement with Mr.. Fletcher, and if
so whether such action was legal.
Aid. Saulpaugh had thought that
the board was either to purchase or
condemn the straight road.
Aid. Hubbard thought that the
board was to do what seemed best.
But he said that he had had new light
on the matter and was willing to be
one of the six councilmen to pay out
of their own pockets the amount
which Mr.. Fletcher has expended, as
they had made mistake. This was
greeted with applause by the specta-
tors.
Aid. Schlingerman thought that
Mr.. Fletcher could not recover cent
by law.
Engineer Haynes stated that as a
member of the board he had thought
that the council had wanted the
crooked road, but that the council had
to confirm the boards action.
City Attorney Young understood
it the same as Mr. Haynes.
Mr.. Swan said that Mr.. Fletcher
had understood that the matter come
back to the council.
Aid. Fowler moved that the report
be adopted. The motion was unani-
mously voted down.
Judge Severance appeared before
the council on behalf Of the Wilkin
Post monumental committee and ask
ed that the city furnish water free for
the proposed monumental fountain,
and that the city take charge of turn
ing the water on and off. and give the
committee permission to connect with
the sewer. The matter was left over
until the regular meeting.
Engineer Haynes presented the map
and profile Of the new Bunker Hill
road up the Silver creek ravine. He
estimated the cost at ST, 500 to 81 800,
of which $3.50 had been raised by pro-
perty owners. Nearly all the right Of
way is donated. The maps were ac-
cepted and the matter referred to the
Board of Public Works.