The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-04-17

! Matters.
| At the meeting Of the board OF trade
! Monday morning communication ad-
dressed to the mayor by E. G. Mccall,
! of Rochester, n. Y, was read, stating
| that he has some articles which he
has just perfected and which have
special application to the Northwest.
He did not state what these articles
are, but ventured the suggestion that
the business would be good invest
ment for Mankato capital, as he had
none. He wants rented building to
start with, and said that $4,000 would
turn out quite stock and samples for
the market. The secretary was in
structed to find out what the manu-
featured product is, and whether there
are millions in it.
A communication was received from
Theodore G. Search, president Of the
National Association of Manufact-
urers, urging the board to pass resolu-
tons favoring the passage Of the bill
introduced by Senator Frye in the
Senate for the establishment of de-
partment of commerce and manu-
! featuring. 1t was referred to the COM
mittee on legislation.
The union depot committee report
ed the letter received from the Mil
waukee road giving the reasons for de-
clining to go into the union depot. 1t
recommended that all efforts to get
the road into the depot cease, and that
the committee be discharged The
report was adopted.
Much discussion followed on this
point, the generally expressed opinion
being that the reasons given by the
road were puerile and that the road
was not serious in it's promise to look
into the matter fairly.
Engineer Haynes was of the opinion
that Hickory street ought to be cleared
out so that it can be used to get to the
union depot, by getting the company
to remove it's depot from the
present location, as it promised to do.
John Klein called attention to the
meeting held Saturday night, which
had decided to favor the acceptance
of the proposition made by the Man
kato Gas and Electric Light company
at the last meeting of the council, pro-
vided it made reduction in the price
of gas from $3.50 a thousand feet to
$3.50. He thought that such reduc-
tion would bring about a large in
crease in the use of gas. The meet
ing did not expect to secure a better
quality of gas than now being fur
nished.
w. NJ. FAIR said that he doubted
whether the gas could be made for
81. so a thousand feet.
Mr.. Klein answered this by saying
that the company had started in by
charging $3.50 when the gas was made
of coal, as the ordinance provides it
shall be made, while it is now water
gas, which is made more cheaply. The
meeting had thought that if the city
puts in it's own plant it would be an
injury to the company, which is COM
posed of our own citizens. But if the
company does not come to time, it
was in favor of a city plant. 1t was
thought that when the five years con-
tract was up, there would be many
improvements and machinery for a
city plant could be bought more
cheaply. If the city should put in a
plant and then find it was not saving
money, it could sell the plant, but he
was sure that money could be saved.
M. G.. Willard thought that during
the next five years many improve
ments in machinery would be made.
Mr.. Farr moved that it was the
sense of the board that it is to the in
terest of the city to make contract
with the local company for five years,
if prices can be agreed upon.
f. G.. Heinze said that he had put
in a meter and that the bill at meter
rates for his thirteen incandescent
lights was S25, which was higher than
it had been before. He thought that
the city ought not to agree to pay the
company for street lights at meter
rates, as it would be expensive light.
ing for all night lights, especially
in winter. He favored fat rate
The meter goes like race horse, and
at ten cents thousand watts, the in
candescent street lights would be very
expensive, for in winter they would
be turned on at $3.50 or 400 p. M, ano
burn until late in the morning.
NocCrc Rucob and Elaip caid fbo1