The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-12-28
WILL BE IMPROVED.
Council Takes Action on South
Second Street.
The MankatO Electric Street Railway
Light and Power Co.'s Franchise
Extended One Year.

Qen laylOr IN In6 absence OF mayor
Currier, and all of the aldermen were
present. The vice president is model
presiding officer and hustles business
along in manner that does not per-
NIT the minds of the aldermen to wan
der around.
The proposed improvement of South
Second street from Cherry to Byron
was given substantial boost.
DIR. j. W. Andrews appeared on be-
half of the South Second street pro-
perty owners who want the street i'm
proved and requested the council to
secure bids on three kinds of improve
ment. No matter what plan was
adopted, he hoped that the council
would improve the street in some
manner. He asked the council to act
favorably at this meeting and decide
afterwards which way to improve the
street. He had an agreement signed
by a number of property owners,
offering to pay their assessments when
ever the council asks for it.
Aid. Meyer moved that the board of
public works be instructed to advertise
for bids for repairing the street, first
with Indian Lake gravel, second with
four inches of coarse gravel and two
inches of Indian Lake gravel on top,
and third with four inches of broken
stone with gravel on top. This was
carried, Aid. Weed voting "no.
Aid. Meyer moved that Second street
be improved in one of the three man
ners asked for.
Aid. Weed said that crushed slate
can be put down for thirty cents
square yard.
DR.. Andrews said that crushed slate
has no advantage over our stone, and
that this was also the opinion of ex-
perts. He preferred buying our home
material.
Aid Jordan did not favor haste,
from the point of economy.
L. P Hunt urged that the motion
be passed, to settle the matter. No
street improvement in the city had
ever been asked for by so large a pro-
portion of the property owners.
Aid Weed said that he had signed
the petition for the improvement and
he wanted the work done in the best
way.
A recess was taken to permit the
matter to be talked over informally
between the aldermen and the property
owners present. When the council
reconvened, Aid. Meyer withdrew his
motion.
The board of public works reported
the bids for hauling Indian Lake
gravel to Second street. All were re-
jected,
Aid. Meyer offered resolution
prepared by City Attorney Daley,
declaring that the council considers
that it is a public necessity that South
Second street be curbed and guttered
and the roadbed improved between
Cherry and Byron streets, and refer
ring the matter to the board of public
works. This was carried without OPP
position, and puts the matter on a
legal basis, SO that the assessments can
be collected no matter in what way
the street is improved.
Extended the Franchise.
S. Wilhartz, secretary of the Man
kato Electric Street Railway, Light
and Power Co., presented an amend
ment to the ordinance granting the
company franchise, providing for ex-
tending the time within which the
company shall comply with the fran
chise The amendment requires that
work shall begin on the plant within
six. months Of Jan. 1st, 1901, and
within one year from Jan. list, 1901,
three miles of railway shall be COM
pleted and in operation within the
city limits, and within two years five
miles shall be in operation.
The ordinance was given its first
reading, the rules were suspended, and
it passed its second reading. Aids.
Meyer and Weed voted against the
amendment
Aid. Weed explained that he was
opposed to the ordinance as originally
adopted.
Other Business.
The application of Louis orlando for
liquor license was granted.
A letter from City Attorney Daley
was read in which he recommended
that the city pay Pau & Pfau's at
torney fees of $50 for services in de-
Tending Officer Frank Bienapf in Carl
Born's damage suit. Mr.. Daley ex--
planned that he himself had also de-
Tended Mr.. Bienapf and had not charg-
ed anything for his services, although
this was not in the line of his official
duties. He considered that Mr..
Bienapf had done no more than his
duty.
The matter was referred to the COM
mi ttee on claims and accounts.
The committee on claims and ac-
counts recommended that Lafay cite
Wilder be allowed SO for injury to
his horse by stepping through Gull
vert. A motion to allow this was car
ried.
Aid. Taylor made report of his
special committee on new char ter
meeting with Judge Cray. The coun-
Gil had been asked to select fifteen