The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-09-27

night at the rooms Of the former wa
well attended, and the gathering wa
representative of the business mel
and tax payers Of the city.
w. M. FAIR was elected chairman
and J. B. Ogle secretary.
Lorin Cray stated the position O.
the Omaha road at length, carefully
going over the ground up to the
present time. He said that in exam
lining the title to the levee property
he was satisfied that the city coulC
not give title, as Willard & Barney
are interested, how much he did not
know. At least, he would have tC
have the cooperation of both before
he would advise the expenditure OF
money on the river front by the road
&c. Noe had seen Willard 81 Barney
and learned that they had an interest
in it and that it was not for sale, but
that they would donate part OF it
for a union depot, provided definite
arrangement was made to allow all
the roads to occupy it. There is no
assurance that any road but the Q. q
n. w. and Omaha will invest dollar
in union depot at the present time.
These two roads will not put up such
a costly building as they propose eX-
cept upon ground which they abso-
lutely and unqualifiedly own. To fill
in the proposed depot location on
the levee will cost $4,000. The
speaker said he would regret to have
other roads shut out, but neither he
nor Mr.. Willard were prepared to say
that they would be shut out. A. M.
Haynes had staked out the line dur
ing the day, but neither had seen it.
If the demand of the Omaha road is
irrational, and other roads are not
barred out, and the enterprise falls
through, he did not want this to
happen until everybody knew the
circumstances. If title to the ground
cannot be secured, talk of putting the
depot there might as we'll stop.
Then what can be done next, and
and the road keep within the amount
of money authorized to be spent?
The management must cOntine itself
to this sum, or not put dollar into
the ground. The speaker had laid the
matter before Mr.. Winter, and to say
that the latter was surprised and
flurriedwould be putting it moderate
ly. The title had been talked over,
and another trip made to st. Paul
with Mr.. Spencer, and Mr.. Winter
then said that the road must have
absolute title to the ground or the
depot will not be put there. He said
that the depot would never be placed
elsewhere, where it was not within
the money limit or not practicable and
satisfactory to the people Of Mankato.
When the plans are changed the
whole matter would fall through. At
the suggestion of the speaker and Mr..
Spencer, the matter had been left
where it is, to see what could be done.
The location of the present G. & N.
w. depot was talked of for the new
depot, but it had been intended to
put the freight depot there. More
land would have to be purchased to
the north and the freight depot
showed that way. Mr.. Noe had OBJ
tanned figures on land for this, and it
amounted to $4,000. This was not
in the original estimate. The cost of
the fill on the levee, S13, 800, could be
saved and Mr.. Winter thought that
$1,000 more might be saved by chang
ing the track and crooking it, and
would put this money into buying
more land. The matter is now sub
mitted to the meeting. Can you by
committees or in any other way scale
down the values of property enough
so that with the SIS, 800 the additional
land might be purchased? Would
such change be more or less salts
factory to the people? The Omaha
company wants no bonus, but will
pay reasonable prices for all the land
it needs, If this cannot be brought
about, and we are not allowed to 90
on the river front and secure title, we
will and must stay out. The news
papers have done properly in agitat-
ing for reasonable values on the right
of way and the result has been good.
The speaker read letter from two
gentlemen offering their land at lower
prices than they had placed on them.
as result of the newspaper talk.
Can others be induced to do likewise
and to discount their prices? There
has been no secret kept from other
roads, but the papers have pub
lished everything, and the other
roads have active agents here. If
the other roads are ready now to 90
into union depot project it can be
done without much difficulty.
John A. Willard said that Willard
& Barney do not want anything differ