The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-08-30
VERY DANGEROUS.
Blasting Rock Endangers Life
and Property.
The Council Considers a Petition From
Property Owners and May Pass
an Ordinance.

All of the aldermen were present at
Tuesday nights adjourned meeting of
council, and Mayor Petersen presided.
The first business taken up was a
petition signed by nine residents liv-
ing in the vicinity of 7. R. Cougklan' S
stone quarry, asking that something
be done to lessen the danger from the
blasting being done by the Barber
Asphalt Co. The petition declared
that the blasting is dangerous to life
and property.
Mayor Petersen said that many COM
pleints had been made to him for
weeks past of the blasting that is be-
ing done. Flying stones have fallen
through roofs and people have had
close calls from being hit. Aid. Dee
bach's child was recently playing on
his porch, when piece of rock came
and broke the porch near the child.
Soren Nelson was nearly hit while in
his yard by rock that broke off "a
piece of his fence. A man named
KIingel has reported that fragment
of rock broke through the roof of his
house, where his family had gathered
for safety.
Aid. Deebsch said that the blasting
is dangerous for the people living in
the vicinity. A piece of rock as large
as his two fists had passed within
three or four inches of him one eve
ming. A neighbor living two doors
away had picked up two quarts of
sharp fragments of rock that had fallen
on his porch. The man who conducts
the blasting for the crusher is care
less
Aid Heinze spoke of a citizen who
was driving by on the street with his
family when a rock tore through his
buggy top and passed within few
inches of his little girls head.
Mayor Petersen said that he had fire.
Quently called upon and cautioned the
men who have charge of the blasting,
and had sent the chief of police TO
them, but it had done no good.
Aid. Deebach thought that the Bar
Der people should be required to use
more precautions in their blasting or
else be closed down.
Aid. Leonard said that former en-
plOye of the company had told him
that the loud blasts are not the dan
gerous ones. Dynamite and powder is
+Opotbor xpor,lI ho h1a 70
use smaller charges and do as we'll.
The alderman thought that the COM
pany should be required TO take more
precautions or else use smaller charges.
Mayor Petersen said that he believed
in supporting home industries, but not
if they endangered life and property.
He had done all that he could, but
could not better the matter any.
Aid. Leonard said that it is an aw-
full thing to have to live in the vi
cinity, owing to the dust and noise.
City Attorney Daley presented an
ordinance on the subject which he had
prepared, framed like one in force in
st. Paul 1t requires that permits to
do blasting within the city limits be
secured from the mayor before blast
ing can be done The ordinance was
read and referred to the committee ON
ordinances
The aldermen expressed the opinion
that cord wood or brush piled over the
rock would prevent it flying when
blasting is done.
The council then proceeded W it'll the
reading of the new charter.
No Special lection.
The reading of the charter was COM
pleted, and the comments of the alder
men were anything but favorable upon
some of it's provisions and upon the
document as a whole. Indeed, it
seemed to possess no friend in the
council or among the city officials pre-
sent. The section making it the duty
of the aldermen to make the special
assessments was particularly often
sive, especially as the salary of the al
dermen is limited to $50 year.
After the reading was completed,
the aldermen passed witticisms back
and forth at its expense, and no one
offered motion in favor of holdi ng
special election to vote upon it. The
opinion seemed to be unanimous that
the present charter is the better of the
two, and that no special election
should be called to submit the new
charter No action was taken, and the
council adjourned. 1t will probably
not meet again until the regular meet
ing on Friday night of next week.
One of the aldermen observed that
under the new charter the city would
have to buy the superintendent of i'm
provements an automobile in order
that he could fit about from one place
to another to personally oversee all the
improvements going on in the city.
Aid Taylor, speaking about the mat
ter today, stated that he has talked
with a number of property owners and
they are all opposed to the city going
to the expense of having special
election. He is of the opinion that
the charter commission should have
followed the idea that was in favor at
the time of it's appointment, which
was that few simple amendments to
the present charter would make it
nearly perfect for present purposes. A