The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-28

or the Chicago, Burlington & Northern
might want to come through the city.
If the request of the Milwaukee road
is granted, it will be practically i'm.
possible for any other road to &c
through the city. He suggested that
the Milwaukee road be given the right
of way on condition that other roads
have the right to use its tracks upon
the payment of a reasonable rental.
This is done elsewhere.
Mr.. Hewitt said that this was an ar,
rangement between the roads. His road
did not want franchise of that kind.
Mr.. Currier said that he was inter,
ested in having the Milwaukee exten,
sion made, but he did not want the
city to be put in such position that
no other roads can come through.
Mr. Hewitt said that the Milwau-
kee road was not seeking to bar out
anyone else In twenty-five years his
road might want to use it's tracks all
the time. 1t is hard to get through
the city under any circumstances, but
the Milwaukee road was ready to come
in now and was willing to spend
money to do so.
Mr.. Pau said that he was willing to
insert an amendment in the ordinance
making the company responsible for
all damage to the pumping plant, but
as the state law covered this it was
hardly necessary.
Mr.. Hewitt did not think that the
city pumps would be Jared by the
traffic on the line, but City Engineer
Thompson thought that they would.
An Authoritative Statement.
The following telegram was exhibit
ed to the aldermen to show that the
Milwaukee road was making the re-
quest in good faith and intends to ex-
tend to Pennington, and is acting in
conjunction with the Great Western ::
Chicago, ILL.,, June 81, 1901.
J. G. Moore, Mankato. Advise Mr..
Hewitt that there is no objections to
stating that the track we are asking
right for from the city between Plum
and Elm streets is to be part of our
main line to Pennington and that we
expect to connect with the Great
Western at Elm street or north of there
and have the joint use of their track
for few miles in getting out of the
city. We should have the right for
double tracks if possible.
r. r.. WILLIAMS,
General Manager.
Mr.. Young was asked whether the
Great Western had any objection to
the proposed right of way being grant
ed, and he replied that he had talked
with President Stickney and had been
advised that it had no objection.
After some further talk, the council
went into executive session, where it
remained for some time. When it
came out and reconvened, the commit
tee on ordinances asked for more time
to report, and this was granted. Other
business was proceeded with, while
the representatives of the Milwaukee
road remained closeted with City At
torney Daley, who carried on the ne
gotiations for the city.
After all of the other business had
been transacted, the occupants of the
back room filed out, and Mr.. Pau
read resolution directing the proper
city officers to convey an easement for
a right of way across the city lots, at
a distance of sixteen feet from the
station to the center of the
nearest track, the right of way to be
wide enough for two tracks laid as
near together as is safe for operating
trains. The city was not to waive it's
right to collect for damage to the
station. This resolution and
the ordinance were then talked over.
City AttorneyDailey added proviso
to the ordinance, requiring the road to
take care of the sewers and exhaust
pipes under its right of way and to
keep them open. Mr.. Hewitt refused
to accept this Mr.. Pau said that the
road is taking care of these pipes here
and elsewhere, but it does not want to
be bound by the ordinance to do so.
The law compels the roads to do it.
The city has not required this in any
previous ordinance.
The price for the easement, agreed
to between the city and railroad, was
$500. Mr.. Pau said that the road
considered this a high price, but
would pay it.
Mr.. Daley said that experience
which the city had had led the alder
men to believe that it would be wise
to insert something in the ordinanc
about keeping the sewers open, so that
it could require prompt attention in
case of necessity.
Aid. Leonard thought that the city
attorney was not asking anything un-
fair and that the council should stay
by him. If the company was willing
to do the work anyway, he saw no OBJ
lection to putting it in the ordinance.
Aids. Heinze and Taylor said that
they were willing to leave out the OBJ
jectionable clause.
Mr.. Currier thought that no harm
would come from leaving the clause in
the ordinance AS the ordinance
stands, he considered that it practically
said to the world that no more rail
roads could get through the city, that