The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-01-17
ELECTRIC RAILWAY.
1T WAS INFORMALLY DISCUSSED
FRIDAY NIGHT.

The Aldermen and Electric Company
Officials Come Together--The Man.
kato Gas and Electric Light Com
PAW Makes an Offer Based on an
Agreement Being Reached in Re-
gard to the Price of Electric Street
Lighting--A Favor Street
Car Line.
In accordance with the arrange
ment made Wednesday night be-
tween the council and the officials OF
the Mankato Gas and Electric Light
company, an informal conference was
held Friday at The Saulpdugh to
talk over the situation and try to ar
rive at an understanding upon which
the company might be able to submit
a proposition to the city. All OF the
aldermen were present, and the COM
pany was represented by L. Patterson,
Jno. f. Meagher, r.. d. Hubbard ana
r. e. Brown. There were also pres
emit @. L. Alleman and 5. h. Snow.
The matter was gone over at con-
siderable length and in detail as much
as possible. The officials sought to
ascertain definitely what the alder
men expect to be submitted IN
proposition, such as the number OF
miles of street railway, number OF
electric street lights wanted, how
long a street lighting contract would
be given, length of the franchise, etc.
The aldermen generally spoke on
the basis of five miles of. street rail-
way and eighty arc lights of 1000 can
die power.
AS a result of the talk, Mr.. Meagher
stated that his company would be
willing to make proposition to the
city that it would put in at least hve
miles of electric street railway and
have it in operation within five years,
provided that a contract for lighting
the city for ten years was received, on
prices TO be agreed upon between the
company and the council. The fran
chise which the company was to re-
ceive should also cover commercial
lighting and power. Commercial
electricity should be charged for at
meter rates. The company would
give bond for $25, 900 that it would
carry out its offer in regard to the
street car lur The city was to take
at least eighty arc lights and what in
candescents are needed.
Aid. Zimmerman took the ground
that street cars would not pay in Man
kato for some years. In order to make
them a financial success a bonus
would have to be given in the extra
high price for street lights. He did
not think that street cars could be Sc
cured unless the city paid 1925 year
for it's arc lights. He held that peo-
pie would not find it to their advan-
tage to live in the outskirts and
patrQnize the cars, as the difference in
rents would not be great enough in
this city. So far as the bond was con-
cerned, nobody would want to fore
close on it even if it was forfeited by
the failure of company to build the
road.
Aid. Andrews thought that the
most of the taxpayers of Mankato
would be willing to pay trifle higher
taxes in order to maintain the rail-
way until such time as it may prove
paying investment.
Aid. Bradley thought that the coun-
Gil ought to make a definite plan up
on which proposals should be invited,
as otherwise nothing could be accom-
plished.
All of the aldermen except Aid.
Zimmerman spoke in favor of street
railway, and they thought that public
sentiment was very largely in favor of
securing one, if possible.
The aldermen endeavored to secure
some expression from the company as
to about what price it would want
the city to pay for street lights, but
they were unsuccessful.
AID. Andrews asked whether the COM
pany could put in the street Car line
if it secured the lighting contract for
Sis an arc a year. The officials would
not reply definitely. Their object in
not doing SO was to prevent
other prospective bidders from know
ing what they would do and then bid
ding under.
Aid. Bradley said that he would
never vote to give the contract for
street lighting at S115 light.
Messrs. Meagher and Patterson
spoke up and said that the city would
never get street railway if the alder
men took that stand.
Messrs. Alleman and Snow took a
part in the discussion, and were asked
what they would do, but were non
committal. They said, however, that