The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-01-24

Alderman Andrews a few days ago
mailed a number of circular letters to
tax payers of Mankato bearing upon
! the value to the city of an electric
street railway. We annex hereto re-
plies from several gentlemen, and are
prevented from giving the opinions of
several others only from lack of space.
1t will be observed from perusal that
very large proportion of those
! quoted are in favor Of the council con-
tracing fortarc lights at an advance
of ten to fifteen dollars per annum
each for ten years over what the same
lights could be bought for, eliminating
the question of railway, the excess to
be used as bonus to induce the con-
struction and operation of an electric
line. Letters not published bear upon
the subject in about the same light as
those given.
Following is Alderman Andrews
letter and the replies thereto:
MANKATo, MINI, JAM Is, 1896.
0l IL.
City.
DEAR SIR:-Shall the City of Man
kato have an electric street railway
on the following conditions?
At least five miles shall be built
and in operation within three years
from July 4th, 1896, with twenty
year franchise to be given. This shall
be guaranteed to the city by bond
for S25, 900, said bond to be forfeited
by the company if five miles of road
are not built and in operation by the
time as above specified, provided that
the City of Mankato shall give to said
company the exclusive right to light
the city for ten years, the number of
candle mower. and as many more as
the city may from time to time re-
\ Quire. The price to be paid shall he
$40 to S15 more per light, per annum,
{ than the same can be purchased for
if not coupled with the street rail-
way.
You will confer favor upon me
/ and the city council if you will send
me brief, but definite answer before
, Saturday, Jan. 18th. Please do not
answer this hastily, but give it your
careful consideration, and consider
the following questions:
1st. How much will five mile
electric street railway, well equipped
and operated, benefit the City of
Mankato at large?
I'd. About what will be the extra
cost per annum, per tax payer for the
additional cost of lighting the city?
Sd. To what extent will the sub
urbs of the city be benefited by such
railway, not only as convenience to
the people, but in the way of advanc-
ing the price of property?
Yours very truly,
j. w. ANDREWS.
REPLIES.
VIM. Thomas: While l want to be
public spirited and feel pride in the
progress OF our city l doubt the
wisdom of bonus for electric street
railway directly or Indirectly. The
suburban owners of real estate should
= aid the lines to reach them by subsidy
of some of their property, as is usual
in growing cities and not ask the city
at large to contribute out of proper
tion. The lines will pay in built up
portion now without other assistance.
w. P. Spaulding: favor an electric
street railway, the extra cost per
annum, per tax payer, would be light.
- l believe it would advance the price
of property.
G. e. Musser: One and a half years
from July 4th, 1896, is long enough to
allow for construction. An electric
railway will benefit the city largely
and would advance the price greatly.
F. f. Powers: 1 would bind the
company to build, instead of "tive
= miles within three years from July
4th, 1885, one mile during the year of
1896, one mile in 1897, and the balance
in 1898. L believe company that
would accept the terms at all would
accept just as quick this way and it
would be much better for the city.
Unless this was done the average
company would not build ana until
1898 and then would put it ali in at
once. 1st. How much it would bene-
fit US, is hard question to answer.
Certainlymuch more than it would
cost US. I'd. j don't think it would
cost each tax payer more than Is cents
year extra taxes. Sd. The suburbs
would | think be benefited greatly. 1t
= is hard for me to put it in dollars and
cents. Probably 40 or so per cent.
Above all things l think the city of
Mankato does not want it's own light
ing plant nor street railway, Give
the job to al independent company,
our home men if possible. Give them
good, liberal honest deal, so they
could make reasonable profit. Ex-
act good service in return. If they
make money out of it the city will
benefit by it any way. l don't think
the city can begin to do it as cheaply