The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-05-19
WORTH CONSIDERING
A Plan to Utilize the Blue Earth
River for the Benefit
of MankatO.
Is it Feasible and Would it be
Profitable?

A plan Of great scope whereby Une
city can be immeasurablY benefited
has suggested itself toseveral citizens
and has been talked over. 1t is wor-
thy of the consideration of all resi-
dents and property owners. To some
it may seem Utopian plan, but this
is an age of progress. and much more
remarkable things have been done in
other localities, even further west than
is this city, and in less recently set
tied places.
The plan Of turning the Van Brunt
slough into lake has for some years
been considered and advocated by
many of our citizens The advantages
of this have been fully explained aid
talked over, how it would beautify
the city and enhance the value OF sur
rounding property, how the banks
could be terraced and Sodded how the
lake could be spanned with rustic
bridges, how the waters could be USED
in summer for boating and bathlng,
and how in winter the ice could be
used for skating and ice boating. The
many beautiful points projecting into
the water and the delightful irregu-
larity of the shore line have
been shown. 1t has also
been explained that the damming up
of the lake would afford fine water
power at the outlet near the Mime
sofa river, where manufactures would
spring up, and West Mankato be
turned into manufacturing center,
with the consequent rise in the value
of property.
Whenever the subject has been
brought up IN the past it has been
upon the basis of private ownership.
The latest plan talked of is that OF
municipal ownership. 1t is proposed
that the city shall issue bones to CIV
er the Improvement and shall do the
| work well. But the most interesting
and practical part of the plan is that
the city shall utilize the water power
to operate a powerful electric plant,
translating the forces of nature in
form adopted to the uses and control
of man. From this immense plant
the streets should be lighted and prl-
vate residents supplied for lighting
and heating purposes. 1t has been
demonstrated that the steady heat
| furnished by electricity is the best
for cooking purposes and eau be in
stantiy regulated to suit the require
ments. Besides this, the street car
system could be operated by the city
and electric railways extended where
ever needed or the revenue to be de-
rived would warrant. There would
Still be enough power to supply manu-
features either with water power
or electricity. 1t is proposed to take
power from Niagara and transmit it
hundreds of miles to run machinery
in distant factories. The water
power supplied by the Blue Earth
river, or such portion of it as would
be diverted into the lake, would be
sufficient for home use.
Whether all this would be practical
BILE would be for skillful engineers tC
determine We believe there is NJ
question but that an inflow can be
taken from the Blue Earth river, and
a fall of eight or ten feet or more Sc
cured. The city could rent lake priv
) ileges in summer and winter and fine
many little sources of revenue. There
, is little doubt but that the revenue
from all sources, particularly the cleo
trio lights and street cars and power
rentals, would pay interest on The
bonds and form good sinking fund
The subject is worthy Of considera
tion. Much greater and more Difficult
projects are forming food for thought
I,nn