The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-04-13
A LARGE SUM.
Great Western Will Expend
$l75,O0O in MankatO.
Property Owners Want $50, 900 for Three
Half Blocks, Which is Considered
Too Much.

w. e Young, who has been securing
prices on property wanted by the Chi
cago Great Western road if it extends
into the city, has completed his work
for the present. and expects to make his
report in person at the company's Office
in ST. Paul on Saturday. He has Sc
cured figures on all of the pieces of
property comprised in the three half
blocks east of the Milwaukee right of
way and running to the alley west of
Front street, from Hickory to Poplar
streets. The railroad company has
estimated the value of this property at
$50, 0O0 while Mr.. Young has thought
that s35, 1000 might have to be paid.
The selling price put upon the various
pieces of property by the owners foot
up to $4,000
Mr.. Young states that the Great
Western is willing to pay liberal
price for the land needed. 1t will pay
the full market value and as high as
twenty per cent additional, but it does
not propose to be held up. He believes
that some of the property can be Sc
cured for less figure than has been
asked. If the greater part of the land
can be purchased, the land of the few
who hold out for exorbitant prices
will be condemned, but the road would
not feel like proceeding to this extreme
with any great number of property
owners, as it desires to be on good terms
with our people.
Mr.. Young states that three courses
ale open. The road will come into the
city if the land can be purchased at a
reasonable figure. If the land cannot
be procured, the road could cross the
river and come up through North Man
kato, where the right of way will not cost
anything. Third, it can leave the depot
where it is and abandon the proposed
improvement. Which course is adopted
will depend upon the final figures
placed by the owners upon the land re
quired.
The object of the road in procuring
so much land is believed to be with the
idea of constructing machine shops up
on it. As previously stated in these
columns, the proposed union depot will
be located upon land now occupied by
the Milwaukee company in the rear Of
hn cd INV "a
Hub clothing house 1t is proposed to
erect depot as handsome as the union
depot of the Omaha and Northwestern
companies. The total cost of the right
of way, grading, shops, half the expense
of the union depot. etc., is estimated at
s175, 900 for the Great Western road
This large expenditure is independent
of any that might be made south of
Poplar street in case the road is to be
extended west. as expected. 1t will be
made during the present year if no OBJ.
stacle is placed in the way.
The principal buildings on the three
half blocks sought to be purchased are
J. Fl, Michel's livery barn, Dougherty
Bros. blacksmith shop, the Laird Nor
ton Lumber sheds, the N. P. Lee estate
barn occupied by Geo. Atchison's hack
and bus line, and the machine shop of
the Mankato Manufacturing Go. Some
of the prices asked are undoubtedly ex-
orbitant, while others seem reason
able. 1t is to be hoped that the COM
pany will not hesitate to condemn the
land needed if it cannot acquire it by
purchase.
The removal of the present occu
pants of the three half blocks in ques-
ton will stimulate demand for other
business property and tend to keep the
real estate market lively. The COM
pany will have to acubire some right of
way in the north part of the city. but
no difficulty is anticipated on this
score,
There is a strip of land thirty feet
wide lying between the Omaha and
Milwaukee tracks along the narrow
part of the levee from Main street
north that can be used by the Great
Western. The Cargill Bros elevator
will haye to be removed. The Great
Western wants to come up to its yards
on the east side of all other
tracks. 1t feels that if other
tracks have to be crossed in order to
reach it, it might as well go across the
river, where the right of way will cost
nothing.
No further developments are expect
ed to occur before next week
Attorney Frank E. Putnam, of Blue
Earth, was Saulpaugh guest Monday
night.