The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-07-12
THE ST. PETER ROAD.
THE COUNTY BOARD ASKED TO
IMPROVE 1T.
Four Aldermen Appear Before the
Board on Behalf of the "Prairie
Road" Want 1t Covered with
Stone at the Sandy Place and Offer
the Free Use of the Steam Roller
A Needed Improvement. = Trade
Kept From Mankato.

Aldermen Andrews, Zimmerman,
Peterson and Lille appeared before
the county board Wednesday and
asked for the improvement of the
prairie road to St.aPeter on the sandy
stretch of mile near Bradley's cross
ing.
Aid. Zimmerman acted as spokes-
man and called attention to the sand
hole between L. d. Saylor's farm and
the Omaha railway crossing. He said
that the road is almost impossible on
account of the deep sand, and instead
of coming to MankatO as they natu-
rally ought to and would, farmers take
advantage of the good roads built to
ST. Peter and Nicollet county. ST.
Peter has built splendid road south
ward to the Minnesota river, built a
pontoon bridge andmade fine gravel
road to KaSOta, which will bear all
kinds of travel in all kinds of weather
and is like paving. The result is that
farmers living five miles from Man
kato take their hogs and other produce
to ST. Peter and do their trading
there, not because they get better
prices there or better bargains in
trading, but because the roads are so
much better for hauling loads. Farm
ers from LeSueur county near the
woods, who ought to come to Mankato,
go to ST. Peter. If the county board
would take broken stone and gravel,
say fifteen inches thick, and put it on
the bad part of the road, the city
would take the steam roller and roll
down the gravel and stone and do
nice job and would not charge the
county cent, although the cost of
operating the roller would be, from S.
to 50 per day. The city would do this
because the improvement would be
benefit to MankatO. The stretch of
sand is about mile long or a little
less.
The county board stated that they
had been. invited by L. D. Saylor to
60 out and take dinner with him to-
morrow, and that they had accepted
the invitation, and would then take a
look at the road.
Aid. Andrews stated that he be-
lieved that the council would also
offer the free use of the steam roller
on the Matthews hill and South Bend
road improvements.
This brought on a question of
whether the steam roller could be got
ten across the Blue Earth river bridge
safely or without damaging the
bridge, and considerable doubt was
expressed on the subject.
Aid. Peterson stated that by laying
timbers and cross pieces on the bridge
the weight of the roller could be
spread over greater surface and the
roller gotten over safely.
After some further discussion, Aid.
Peterson said that the city council
should assist the board whenever
possible, and the county board assist
the council when it can. If more
good roads could be prepared, leading
from the city out into the country, it
would be better equally for the city
and the country.
The st. Peter road improvement
was talked over more in detail. and
the county board agreed to look into
the matter, whereupon the aldermen
withdrew, satisfied that the board
would do what was right in the mat
ter.
We are glad that the matter has
been taken up and we hope that it
will not be allowed to drop until the
road is thoroughly repaired. The
South Bend road improvement should
not be allowed to drag any longer
than is necessary. Keep the ball rol.
ling until both roads are completed.