The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-05-06
MANKATO & NORTHEASTERN.
The Ordinance Giving it a Right-Of-
way Finally Passed.
Amendments Made Which Fully Pro
tect the City's Interests.

The consideration of the ordinance
relating to the proposed Mankato &
Northeastern Railroad was taken up
where it was left off Monday night.
Aid Hubbard moved an amendment
to section one, providing that the
Mankato g. Northeastern road be
granted right-of-wayfrom Washing
ton street to lot 1, block 156, thirty
feet wide and hugging the westerly
side of the Omaha right-of-way as
plated and presented to the council
Monday night.
B. d. Smith stated that five mem
bers of the council, excepting Aid.
Hubbard, had met at his Office in the
morning, and that the amendments
prepared were agreed to by these
members.
Mayor Willard stated that the stand
taken by the representatives of the
road was surprise to him, and that
it was a still greater surprise that five
aldermen should agree to such a
thing.
Aid. Hubbard said that this was
just his sentiments.
Aid Longini stated that Mr.. Smith
had misrepresented him, as he had
not agreed to the amendments.
Aid. Peterson explained that I'M
less it could be shown to him that the
land should be saved fer other roads
he would favor giving the land asked
for to the Mankato & Northeastern
road.
Mr.. Smith read the ordinance
through with the proposed amend
mentS.
Aid. Saulpaugh stated that he ia
vored both roads and did not want to
be misunderstood. He favored CIV
ing the NJ. & n. E. the depot grounds
asked for.
Aid. Hubbard objected that there
was no definite knowledge of where
the opposed right-of-way will be. The
Omaha road came before the council
with plat, while this did not.
Mayor Willard stated that the point
was that there was fear of conflict
between the locations of the two
tracks or rights-of-way, as the NJ. &
n. E. merely describes it's right-of-
way by distances from certain fixed
points.
1t was shown that the narrowest
point is at the pumping station, where
the asked for right-of-way takes up
all the available ground.
Mayor Willard referred to this and
said that the point at the pump house
was the only important one. Several
gentlemen have for a couple of years
been quietly working to secure the
Great Northern road, but if this land
is given entirely away there will be
no place to let the Great Northern
in. Such road as the Great North
ern would be of vastly more impor-
lance to the city than one in any 9TH
er direction. A road to the north
would open up new field for our nat
ural and manufactured products. We
have two-thirds of the spokes in the
wheel of railroads, but none to the
north. Mr.. Hill will not build to the
of the city, nor will he come
in over road upon which he must
pay four per cent. of its cost per an
mum. He does not do business in that
way.
Aid. Hubbard suggested that there
would be no trouble if the depot
should be located south of
the bridge, according to the original
plan.
Mayor Willard took the same
ground, and said that the way the or
dinance now is it might as well be en-
titled IAN ordinance to keep railroads
out of Mankato."
Aid HubbaTd'S amendment was
adopted by the following vote: Ayes,
Aids. Longini, Hubbard and Saul
paugh: No. Aid. Fowler: Aids. Peter
son and Schlingerman excused upon
their request.
Aid. FoWler's amendment as amend
ed by Aid. Hubbard's amendment
was then adopted: ayes, Longini, Pc
terson, Hubbard and Saulpaugh-
noes, Fowler and Schlingerman.
The first section was then adopted
by unanimous vote.
The second section was taken up
and Aid. Fowler offered an amend
ment reducing the right-of-way to fif-
ty feet, except between Washington
and Walnut streets, where it shall be
thirty feet wide. This was unani-
mously adopted.
The section was then adopted. The
third section was adopted and section
four was stricken out, as it located the
depot upon the levee. The remaining
sentions were adopted. one amend
ment being adopted, changing the
date upon which fifty miles of road
must be completed from Dec. l, 1894,
to July l, 1894.
The ordinance as amended was then
read and was passed unanimously.
Lorin Cray stated that owing to the
absence of Mr.. Winters from ST. Paul,
Mr. Spencer had been unable to have
the Omaha agreement signed, but
that it would be signed and forwarded
in few days. He presented certain
amendments to his ordinance.