The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-03-13

Length--W. n. Farr Throws New
Light on the Street Railway Bust
ness Where Companies Have
Failed, Over-CapitaIization Has
Been the Cause--Electric Cars
Would Pay Expenses i'm Mankato.
The board of trade held an interest
ing meeting Monday.
A communication was received in
relation to the Trans-Mississipp and
international Exposition to be held at
Omaha from June to November, 1898,
asking the board to pass resolutions
requesting congress to pass needful
legislation in recognition and aid
thereof. 1t was referred to the COM
mittee on legislation.
On the recommendation of the COM
mittee on membership, f. M. Currier
was elected director to fill va
cancy.
Geo. T. Barr made a report in re-
gard to the good roads convention to
be held in this city March 18th, and
asked the president to appoint three
delegates. and the board to appro-
pirate $40 toward the expense of the
convention. The report.was accepted
and adopted.
John Klein made report for the
committee on city scales that the
council had not yet done anything,
although urged to act, but that the
committee would continue it's efforts.
President Shoemaker stated that
since the last meeting he had been
asked to appoint committee from
the board to meet with the council on
the electric light matter, and that he
had appointed W. M. Farr, John
Klein and Thos. Hughes. The ap-
pointment was confirmed by the
board, and the committee continued.
The lighting and street railway
situation was then discussed at length.
M. B. Haynes suggested that the
local papers have coupon vote on the
matter, as the twin city papers do on
important questions.
Mr.. Klein favored giving the local
company chance to supply street
lighting at given price, but in case
it declined he would have the city put
in plant. He characterized all the
delay as shameful.
M. G.. Willard did not think that
bonus for street railway was neces-
Sary, as the times are no worse now
than when the former street car COM
pany had plan on foot to put in an
electric line. He called on w. M.
Farr for his ideas on this subject and
any information that he might have.
Mr.. Farr said that year ago last
spring the local street car company
had made partial arrangements for an
electric line, and had the matter all
figured out. There would be no profit
on the electric railway, but the ex-
penses would about equal the receipts,
leaving no return on the money in
vested. With city and commercial
lighting and power there would be a
fair return on the entire investment,
even with lower rates on street lights
than the city had been receiving
That would be the only way to put in
a road and have profit, as the road
alone would not make a return. If
there had been any chance of an in
vestment in a paying railroad the old
company would have made it, In
time the street railway would be made
to pay. The old company had con-
suited with the best electrical engi-
neers and best financial concerns.
The figures had been made on the
basis of eighty 2,OO0-candle power arc
lights. Mr.. Stewart, who represented
the Siemens & Halske Electric Co., ex-
pected to take in the franchise of the
old railway company and absorb the
Mankato Gas and Electric Light Co. s
plant. If the council had granted
the franchise asked for, there is no
doubt but that the Siemens & Halske
Co. would have put in plant. Many
had poo,hooed Mr. Stewart, but he
knows more about the business than
anybody the Northwest. The Or
dinance was never reported to the
council.
Mr.. Willard said that it would be a
fine thing if foreign company could
be gotten to come here and invest it's
money, which would release local
capital to go into oJher things The
Siemens & Haiske Co. is strong one,
and Mr.. Willard suggested that it's
proposition might be resurrected.
Mr.. Klein said that people who pa
tronize street Car lines are now riding
bicy Giles, and it is ridiculous to talk of
a street railway, as long as towns
larger than Mankato cannot make
them pay. 1t should be dropped now,
and we can get a street railway in ten