The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-14
SOUTH SECOND STREET, AGAIN.

proceeding with the Improvement &C
cording to the present plans. This 1
admit will make very pretty street,
for the first few months after it is
completed, but it will not be two
years before it is worn full of holes
covered with dirt carried in from
other streets, and the freezing, thaw-
ing and travel together will render it
is less than two years worse than Front
street is noM Speaking of Front street,
lit reflect discredit upon the beautiful,
SO called progressive little city of
Mankato
| have recently taken little pains
to ascertain the cost of work an re-
pairs upon Front street during the past
five years and while much has been
expended upon it in the way of haul
ing off dirt, mud and other debris, that
l can but imperfectly estimate, l find
that it has cost the property owners
during the above mentioned period
$317. so for every &C feet. This of
course means each side, For every &c
feet of street it has cost double that,
or $685.. The street could have been
paved with the best kind of pavement
for not to exceed 1915 or $3.50 for each
&C feet or one-third of that for each %
feet. Let it be understood that thous-
ands of dollars have been expended up
on Front street in repairs, and paid out
of the general road found that do not
reckon in this estimate. Now, the
reader will observe, 1st, that Front
street has cost the property owners
more already than it would have cost
to pave it in first class shape; I'd that
it is not much better today than a
country road. l am afraid this will
be the history of South Second street.
I, myself, have made brick pave
ment something of study and I have
| taken up the suggestion made by DR..
Andrews and at an outside figure the
property owners on South Second
street could make beautiful street for
an expense not to exceed $3.50 per lot
for each &C feet. The driveway is so
feet wide (too wide). DR.. Andrews
suggestion was that park IA feet
wide be made in the center of the
street, which would leave sc feet
driveway, or Is feet each side of the
park. Now, to pave this IS feet with
good brick pavement, substantial and
permanent, would not as L have above
stated, cost more than $3.50 to each Sc
feet, and believe it could be done for
$135. This would not only give
the property owners on South Second
street beautiful and creditable street,
but it would be permanent and their
children would enjoy it when the pre-
sent property owners will each be &C.
cupying a space 2 by and feet
deep, in Glenwood cemetery or else
where. l have seen some beautiful
streets in larger cities where the brick
pavement extends only to the gutter,
which was laid with stone Just like
the gutter now being laid on South
Second street. This would reduce the
brick pavement each side of the park
to about ~ to II feet. This would
make an excellent street and the effect
would be real pretty and would
materially reduce the cost. The IA foot
park in the center would extend only
from one cross street to the other.
These little parks could be seeded to
grass, and in the summer flower beds
made in them, and a few nice shade
trees in them and they would indeed
be very beautiful. believe that DR..
Andrews offers to donate to one of
these parks, the one between Cherry
and Warren Streets fountain. No
doubt Judge Cray, DR.. Harrington, or
DR.. Warner would put in one in the
park between Warren and Liberty, and
1 am sure L. P. Hunt would put in
one and thus would have street that
would be veritable advertisement to
our beautiful and rapidly growing little
city. l would suggest that the pro-
perty owners on South Second street
have the street parked, whether or not
they pave it.
| think it was truthfully said by L.
| P. Hunt that there is no section of the
city where an equal length of street
could be paved with so little hardship
to the property owners. They are al
most all fully able to do it, and while
at first it would be little hardship to
| some, it would in the end be economy
and money well and judiciously spent,
and it is notable fact that many OF
those who oppose the paving are the
ones best able to pay. But Second
street will probably not be paved dur
ing the life of the present generation
| unless the council orders it done in the
| face of opposition, because the time
| will never come when all will unite
upon plan of pavement. One pro-
perty owner now objects to having the
street paved because he may want to
move house, and he thinks he could
do it better on dirt road Another
thought the Indian lake gravel would
be dusty and thought they ought to
move the black dirt back on the street.
Another objected to the plan of park
ing the center of the street because IS
feet would not be sufficient width for
two hayracks to pass each other, and
so it goes.
In closing 1 am going to make a
suggestion to our city council.
If they do not feel willing to order
Second, street paved. let them order
Jackson street paved from Front to
1 Second and Cherry street from Front