The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-10-11
STREET IMPROVEMENT.


given in our columns last evening, was
most comprehensive one, and merits
the reading by every taxpayer in the
city. The gentlemen have given good
account of their visit and if the right
course is pursued the city will profit
greatly by the move which resulted in
sending them there The ideas they
obtained are most valuable to the city,
and it is now up to our people as to
whether the trip shall prove beneficial
or not. The good feature of the report
is its practical nature. 1t is devoid of
theory from first to last. 1t points out
clearly how good roads may be OBJ
tanned, and the folly of following old
methods which do not produce results.
And certainly there is no city that
needs information upon the subject of
good Streets more than does Mankato,
for we do not believe there is city of
It's size in the entire northwest that
has worse streets, and few cities that
would tolerate such streets with so
much material for good roads to be
had within it's limits.
The trouble has been that Mankato
in its attempt to secure good streets
has not gone at the work right, and
nothing more clearly demonstrates
this, than the able report which the
mayor and city engineer made public
last evening. There has probably been
enough money spent by the city on
Front street in the past fifteen years to
have put down good pavement not
only on that street, but on Second and
Broad streets as we'll And this, too,
in violation of the provisions of the
charter. Money has been literally
thrown into that street to be washed
away and carried away in mud, and
our people have been wondering all the
time why they have not had a good
street. There is no question but that
Front street should be paved. That
would end the troubles which are con-
tinually arising therefrom. There are
several cross streets leading from it to
Second street which should also be
paved. Then if good macadam streets
were made over the rest of the city
they would answer every purpose and
be considerably cheaper in construc-
ton
And right here we wish to make an
other suggestion and that is, that all
improved streets should be. built by
the city out of general fund. In
other words, Mankato ought to start at
this matter of good streets in prac-
teal way by raising each year speci
fed sum on all of the taxable property
in the city and then use it in building
good streets, a certain number of
blocks Of which could be built each
year commencing where the streets
need it the most, and continuing IN
til the entire city is covered. Such a
tax would not prove burdensome to
any tax payer in the city at any time,
it would place the city council in a
position to go ahead and improve a
street that needs such improvement
m ost badly, ana sucn mtrA W. uss no.
be yinhpeded by the objections of GER
tain property owners who under the
assessment plan, can prevent needed
improvement unless the council takes
the bit between its teeth, the then
there is long delay in the payment
of the assessment. In this case the
city would have the money in the
treasury when it commenced the i'm
provement and would know just what
it could, do and how far it could go.
And it would also prove more equit
able division of the expense. Again
with the improvement of the principal
streets. the cross streets should also
be improved, but they would not be in
many instances under the assessment
plan, because the abutting property
holders are not able to meet the ex-
pense. Of course change in the
charter would have to be secured in
order to bring such change, but this
could be, done, and the work to that
end ought to be begun at once The
improvement of a street, or any part
thereof, benefits the entire city. Then
why should not the expense for the
same be betrayed from general fund,
to which all property owners contri-
butte? There is no reason whatever. 1t
is in fact, the only just way.
Recalling the manner in which
money has heretofore been spent in
this city on streets, and turning to the
report published last evening we find
this statement from Mr.. Campbell, the
minister of public works, Ontario:
"We spend our money without rule,
reason or design, and that the business
method we employ with our business
of road building would in five years
ruin the best construction company in
the country
This is particularly applicable to
our city. The method we have pur-
sued in the past in this city would
have ruined any construction company
in existence. Had Mankato started
a street building fund ten years ago,
the council could have paved Front
street and saved hundreds of dollars to
the city to be used on other streets.
The starting of such fund now will
result in we'll naved business streets