The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-03-17
ELECTRO loads.
Twr g and Passenger
w. Lines Projected.
Interview With One of the Parties L.,
terested in the Move Now
Under Way.

1t present plans are carried to a sue
cessful termination, this city will be.
fore long have a couple of electric lines
running through sections of the coun-
try not touched by steam railways
These roads will carry freight. mail
and express as well as passengers, and
will be similar to roads that are being
constructed in different parts of the
country, particularly in the eastern
states and on the Pacific slope These
lines have proved successful wherever
I located, and new ones are being pro-
jected in different places There are
no such lines in operation in Minnesota
as yet, but it is predicted that many
lines will come within the next few
years
The people of Genoa, in Freeborn
county, are talking of building line
from that town to Albert Lea, and it is
estimated that the line will carry about
1000 tons of freight year. There
could hardly be a better territory than
| that around Mankrto for such lines.
Several Mankato parties have been
| considering the matter and gathering
( information during the winter One of
the parties interested is John B.
Meagher, president of the Mankato
Gas and Electric Light Co, and the
others are said to be well known and
substantial citizens. In speaking OF
the matter today, Mr. Meagher said to
a Free Press reporter:
1.-Two lines, each about 80 miles long
are under consideration, running in diff
ferent directions from Mankato through
rich and well developed country in
which the present roads are from 30 to
80 miles apart. We have proceeded far
enough in our preliminary examina-
tions and Investigations to satisfy our
iselves and outside parties of
the feasibility of the construction
of such ones and we are now waiting
| for spring to make surveys that we
may decide definitely just the shape our
project will take Such lines would be
of immense advantage to Mankato as
well as to the country through which
they would run 1t is no rash estimate
to say they would bring to the Manka-
to market three or four times more
farm produce than is at present mar
keted here Every steam railroad that
is built near us cuts off a certain am cunt
of our trade. New towns are established
and the farmer hauls to the nearest
market. With these electric roads a
farmer could load from his granery in
to the the car and everything would be
brought to Mankato to be sold and dis
triouted from here. The passenger
cars would run frequently enough and
the fares be low enough to crowd our
stores and streets with bargain hunters.
A large central power plant would be
built in Mankato to furnish the power
for the railroads as we'll as for lighting.
No doubt the project would include the
building of a city street railway as in
connection with the countey lines it
could be successfully operated
I'VE will not ask for franchise
from the city until our plans are fully
matured and we are ready to commence
operations. We do not feel like asking
the city to tie themselves up by grant
ing a franchise until that time. Then
when we do ask the city for franchise
we expect that our enterprise will be
of such Importance to the city that it
will be readily granted This project
has no connection with the public
meeting held few weeks ago It was
under consideration before that time
and additional thought and work has
been given to it since