The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-12-23
THEY WANT 1T.
New Auburn After the MilWau.
kee Extension.
Enthusiastic Meeting of Citizens APP.
points Committee to Confer With
the MankatO Committee.

New Auburn. MIMI. mas Iallen Ia
line and is out for the proposed ex-
tension of the Milwaukee road from
this city to connect with the Hast
ings & Dakota division. The visit Of
the Mankato citizens committee to
Chicago started the ball rolling.
A dispatch from New Auburn says:
An enthusiastic meeting of the citi-
zens of this place was held in the city
hall Tuesday evening. The subject
of having railroad was discussed
with great interest. The people of
the village and surrounding country
are unanimously in favor OF road,
and are willing and ready to give a
liberal bonus TO any company VINO
will build and operate road through
the village. A committee OF five was
appointed to confer with committee
recently appointed at Mankato, who
are to interview General Superinten-
dent Williams, of the Milwaukee on
the subject of extending the Wells
branch from Mankato to Cologne, a
station on the Hastings & Dakota
branch forty miles from the city. An
extension of the Milwaukee is eagerly
looked for. But to extend through
Gaylord and New Auburn and con-
meet with the Hastings & Dakota
branch at Glencoe is the desire OF the
community. The St. Louis or any
other road would be received with
equal favor, and liberal traffic would
be assured. 1t would not only open
territory covered by the Milwaukee
and the ST Louis railroads to the city
shippers, but to the MankatO shippers
also, and would undoubtedly prove the
most profitable investment yet made
by any road. And whichever road
moves first will receive the lasting
gratitude of the comm unity and in
cidentally a large amount Of business.
Jacob Rooms, chairman Of the COM
mittee referred to as having been ap-
pointed by the meeting Of New
Auburn citizens, has written letter
the committee of this city, 10
which he says that he believes that it
would be big mistake for the Mil
waukee road to build down the valley
to Cologne, between the two other
lines, when.,by running north from
Mankato upon thesold survey via Gay
lord to New Auburn, thence to Glen
coe, the road would then be running
over fine section of country where
the traffic would be double that of the
proposed line. Such route would be
the shortest, he.tsays, and could be
built for half of the amount required
to make the proposed extension. The
Milwaukee has stub line tG Hutch
inson, which would also be great
help to the company if it had con
nection' with Glencoe. The New
Auburn people would like to have a
road through.to St. Cloud and thence
to Duluth.
Regarding the meeting held at New
Auburn, Mr.. Rooms writes;
"After reading of your meeting and
that you had sent committee to
Chicago to interview the officials, we
called railroad meeting for Monday
evening, the 10th. There was large
turnout of all the business men and
farmers. All were enthusiastic and
in favor of action of some kind at
once. After reading the report of
your meeting, motion was put and
carried to select committee to con-
fer with your committee when it re-
turned from Chicago, to find out if
anything can be done towards secur-
ing a road through this section. The
committe consists of myself, chair
man, Mr.. Reimers, VIM. Hahn, J. G..
Soper, and VIM. Mansfield, and pend
ing the deliberations of this commit
tee I am instructed to write you to
ascertain what we can or
should do, or if anything
can be done. The meeting favored
bonds, if necessary. A fund was sub
scribed to pay travelling expenses of the
committee in case it was necessary to
meet with your committee. !"
1t is likely that this committee will
be asked to attend the meeting of citi-
zens in this city when the local commit
tee presents it's report on its visit to
Chicago. Other towns interested may
also be communicated with.
uou