The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-12-11
THE NORTH MANKATO MATTER.


on foot. Because some of the people
there prefer annexation to the city of
Mankato, to Incorporation the Herald
proceeds at once to Jump
upon Mankato as the- instigatior OF
the whole trouble. Not only that but
it claims that the people of this city
are working up a scheme to have the
bed of the river changed, so the river
will run along at the foot of the hills
and leave the little village in Nicollet
county on this side and SO easier made
a part of this city, Here is its story
The following conditions can be
youched for. Before Congressman
McCleary left for Washington, certain
of the business men of Mankato
consulted him about taking steps in
congress to have the course of the
Minnesota river at Mankato changed,
SO as to throw it along the foot Of the
hills iu Nicollet county, thereby set
ting off all of the fiat which North
MankatO is located from NicOllet
county over to Mankato and Blue
Earth county, and that is one Of the
UIidU 10 III" III WV iii'ANS ~
certain Mankato men, and it is they
who have induced Mr.. Wheeler to
drop the move to incorporate and
take up the visionary and Impractical
BILE plan OF showing part OF Nicollet
county over into Blue Earth. Another
plan that these same MankatO men
have in tow, is to get the coming leg
iSlature TO submit The question or
no limo MlnZ4tO
without changing the river, to the vote
of the two counties, as is required by
state constitution. thinking that
Mankato and Blue Earth county can
out vote Nicollet. 1t is well known
fact that the growing and prosperous
village Of North MankatO is Sapping
all OF the substance out Of the outly-
ing additions TO the city. people pre-
ferring homes ia North Mankato to
homes in the OutermOst districts OF
the city proper, and when it was as
ceTtained that the incorporation move
ment was on in North MankatO,
there were certain men in MankatO
who began systematic effort to check
mate il with other schemes and to
aim to divide the people Of North
Mankato into factions for the purpose
Of gaining time to ''push" their scheme
through the legislature or through
congress. Those who consulted Con-
gresham McCleary are reported to
have said that that gentleman prom
ised to take the matter up, but we
have 1t on better authority that he
said that if it were the wish of the
people of North MankatO, he might
favor the movement. The people OF
Nicollet county will now have fair
idea Of what is being brewed in the
minds Of MankatO people. They are
very much averse to the growth of
a healthy village in this county right
under their nose and desperate efforts
will be made to hog" so healthy
chunk of this county, in order to have
that much more wealth to tax to aid
the city and county in paying their
bonded Indebtedness, amounting to
about half a million dollars. If we
know anything of the temper of !
North Mankato citizens, it will be
difficult to get them to consent to be |
slid over from a county that has no
Indebtedness into county so debt |
ridden as is Mankato and Blue Earth |
county. We are surprised that so
good a citizen as Mr.. Wheeler should |
be at the head of movement against |
the interests of his own community |
We are told that annexation to Man |
kato is not at all agreeable to North |
Mankato people. One thing is certain,
and that is that our people, and par
our Legislators. shoulda waken
to the situation.
Now when the above is shorn of the
things that are not so, there is but
little to be vouched for.
In the first place Mr.. McCleary was
not consulted by certain business men
Of this city. He was consulted, how
ever, by one of the leading business
men of North Mankato and by
prominent citizen of this city regard.
ing the matter of having the bed of
the river changed, and expressed a
to do what he could in the
matter if it was the wish of the Cit
liens of both sides of the river that
the matter be taken up.
Farther than this Mr.. Wheeler has
not been induced to drop the move to
by certain Mankato men,
but is one of the leaders in the PROPOSE
lion to annex, as he realizes the many
benefits which will accrue to that
suburb from annexation.
The Herald is certainly mistaken in
its intimation that the business men
Of this city areshatching up scheme
10 get North Mankato annexed to this
city. Nothing of the kind is being
aone, Outside of two or three citizens
Of this city who are heavy property
owners on the other side of the river,
We cannot say that any active interest |
has been taken in the subject by the
people of this side, either as to in
or annexation.
The statement of the Herald that
North Mankato is sapping all of the
substance out of the outlying addi-
tions to the city, is laughable to those
who are intimately acquainted with
the conditions here, and there has
been no movement here. systematic or
or otherwise, to checkmate the in