The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-01-22

adopted by a vote of five to two, and
this ought to have settled it. If the
lowest bidder does not get the
contract, our contractors may get left
in other places There are many
things to be considered before we IN
do thing wrongfully There is only
one way to do it, and that is TO re-
sind the whole thing and adopt the
Kleinschmidt plan and give the con
tract on that basis. But this
would not be right or gentiemanly
after the vote has been taken, the
result reported to the council, the
bidders present, the contract given
the lowest bidder, and he going
away with that understanding, and
all the rest of the bidders having
withdrawn their plans and specitica-
tions and checks and going away.
This would be ungenerous.
Aid. Lille Thought that as many
people agreed with him as with the
other side.
Aid. Peterson said that majority
of the council had gone back on a
promise made to him before the last
meeting to give the work to home
contractor. The Haynes plan had the
influence Of a whip on the bidders.
They think that city engineer has
deciding influence over council.
They probably laugh in their sleeves
at the Haynes plan and think it a
poor plan. Mr.. Haynes is obstinate,
and no matter how good plan is, he
will never admit that another is as
good as his. | voted under misap-
prehension at the last meeting,
thinking that 1 was voting on the
Kleinschmidt and not the Haynes
plan. The .Kleinschmidt bid is the
cheapest. l voted for the Meyer
| plan because the engineer said as
plainly as he could that it was the
best plan.
Aid. Lille said that the other
side had four votes and ought to
have stayed by what they thought
was right, and there would not have
been the present trouble. He ought
not to be blamed for it.
Aid. Bradley said that the trouble
was that one of the four had refused
to vote at all Aid. Lille had spoken
of being blamed, but the speaker
said that no man could influence him
1.-THE speaker) from doing what he
thought was right.
Commissioner Roberts said that the
blame would rest on the entire coun-
Gil and the city would suffer. Just
as many people would find fault if
some one else had gotten the con-
tract. You should not be Influenced
| by outside talk. What is the use of
the county commissioners and Bel
grade supervisors coming here, if four
men in the council must decide the
matter, when it is given out that the
matter is to be talked over by all, and
the wish of the mixed meeting car
ried out? The business way would
be for the council to carry out the
majority vote of the conference.
Aid. Peterson said that the alder.
men acted on their individual beliefs.
1t was funny that not more than
one commissioner and no supervisors
were present, when they were so much
interested when they wanted the
money for the footwalks pledged. The
county and township had pledged $500
of the 1900 raised, but only one rep
resentative was present.
Aid. Lille said that if the city did
not want to pay over $500, it must
stay as near 81, 300 in the contract as
possible.
Aid. Zimmerman said that at his
request Chas. L. Brown had examined
the Haynes plan and had pronounced
it all right. 1t looks as though the
council were in deadlock, and fur
ther talk is useless in that event. He
would not change his vote.
Aids. Peterson and Adams said
they would not change their votes.
The aldermen returned to the coun'
Gil chamber and Aid. Peterson report
ed that the council could not agree
and that the vote stood two and three
Aid. Zimmerman moved that the
matter of awarding the contract be
left entirely with the county commits
) sioners of Blue Barth county and sup
ervisors of Belgrade. This received
no second, and as nobody had anything
further to offer the regular order Of
J business was returned to.
Other Business.
A petition signed by liz persons
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