The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-09-09
STREET CARS.
May Run in MankatO Before
July Next.
A Lacrosse Man Visits the City With the
View of Building an Electric
Line.

j. B. Canterbury well known La
Crosse real estate man, arrived in the
city Monday land spent Tuesday in
terviewing some OF our leading citi-
zens. Besides being real estate man,
he is street car man, and has assist
ed in the establishing of the electric
line at Lacrosse, the system at Belve-
dere, Ills, and the lines at other
places. Mr.. Canterbury is one of the
early residents of Lacrosse, and has
taken an active interest in pushing
that city to the front. He is acquaint-
ed with r. D. Hubbard w. L. Hixon
and others of this city, and it was at
the invitation Of Mr., Hixon and 81. P.
Christensen that he made his visit to
the city today. na
Mr. Canterbury's trip has been with
the idea Of sizing the city up with a
view of constructing an electric street
railway here. He expressed himself
to the Free Press as being much
pleased with the city. In talking
with reporter, he said:
| Il am willing to invest some money
here provided the citizens give the
project encouragement. l have the
inan cial backing and am here to talk
business. intend to ask your city
council for franchise covering the
streets Of the city and will agree TO
electric street cars running by July
1st next or sooner. l am investigat-
ing in regard to procuring the power
necessary to operate line, and this
is the most important feature to be
| looked after.
Il believe that street car line i'll
Man kato. with service not to exceeG
ten minutes apart and properly con-
Quoted, will pay. Almost all of the
street car lines over the country that
have proved to be failures have been
so from the fact that they have not
been built on merit and have not
been properly managed. L believe
that good street car line here would
be good investment for those inter-
ested."
Mr.. Canterbury states that he and
the parties back of him are willing to
take one-half of the stock in the COM
| pany, if one is formed. He desires
that our citizens shall take the other
half and control the company. The
stock will not be watered, but the
capital stock will.represent the actual
investment, and he believes that the
profits of the line will pay "a reason
bic dividend upon this. He would
put in about three miles of line at
present, with the IDEA Of extending it
later, and perhaps eventually extend
ing it to St. Peter. The first line
would extend from the stone quarries
to Sibley. park, and circle around
through the residence portion Of the
city. A good quality Of rails would
be laid, and good cars and other prop
erty secured, SO as TO make tirst-class
line.
Mr.. Canterbury intends to go back
to La Crosse tonight and will commu-
nicaGe with parties here, and make
several trips back and forth as neces-
sary. His first step will be TO secure
franchise from the council. He
seems TO be confident of the speedy
construction of line in case our citi-
zens will cooperate.
If an electric street car line can be |
secured, it will prove very desirable !
cquisition, and TO this end we wish |
Mr.. Canterbury success 10 rs en-
beavers, and commend his plans to the |
careful consideration of those whom |
he may seek to interestin the project. |
Corporal Mulligan, one Of the Man
kato volunteers, is home on leave of |
absence.
City Attorney Pau states that he
intends to proceed against the man.
agement of the packing house, to Sc
cure an abatement of the smell nui
sance, but that he has not yet deter
mined what course to take TIC bring
this about. He will act in few
NaVS