The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-03-08
PURCHASE is MADE
Wampler Estate Accepts the
$500 Offer.
The Council Decides to Take the Land
After an Animated Discussion
by Citizens Present,

The city council Friday night voted to
purchase the two Wampler lots on
South Broad street between Walnut
and Main as site for the public
library. The offer of 81, 500 made
Thursday night by the joint meeting
of the library board and council was
accepted by telegraph by theWampler
heirs, this to be net figure and no
commissions to come out of it. The
council will pay cash for the property,
taking the money out of the current
fund.
The purchase was not directed to be
made until after full discussion of
the matter by aldermen and citizens.
The latter filled the lobby of the coun-
Gil chamber, and included leading ad-
vocates and opponents of the Wampler
site.
The sub ject came up under report of
committees, and as soon as Mayor
Currier announced that the library site
matter was in order, President M. B.
Wood of the library board arose and
said that number of people had
SIP oxen to him during the day about
the Wampler property, saying that
there is quicksand under it that would
give way and allow the building to
crack in ten or fifteen years, when it
ought to stand uninjured for hundred
years. The fire station, located near
there, is cracking. He had spoken to
W. M. Farr, who estimates that it
would cost So, 600 to pile the ground.
If the council is willing to stand this
in addition to the cost of the lots,
there was nothing to say, because Mr..
Carnegie would hardly want his money
to be expended for that purpose. The
quicksand had been encountered at one
corner of the Presbyterian church.
| 81. P. Christensen said that DR..
Wood had last evening told him that
he was authorized to offer 81, 500 to
him as representative of the Wampler
estate for the property. He had wired
A, j. Wampler and this evening had
received the following reply:
| Chicago March III. P. Christen-
sen: Forty-fve hundred cash to net
the estate is best all parties interested
will agree to. You must get your COM
mission in addition to amount refer
red to. A. j. Wampler.
] Mr.. Christensen said that he consid-
cred the contract closed. The pr ice is
very low, as the property has never
been offered for less than So, 900. Mr..
Christensen said that his commission
would not stand in the way of the sale,
but he hoped that the council would
be liberal enough to allow 800 for this
purpose. The renter, Mrs. Smith, has
been allowed two months to move out.
Fred Kron said that he had built
his building on quicksand and it has
never cracked. With it's contents it
weighs more than the library will. If
the sand cannot leak away, he consid-
cred it the best kind of foun dation
A five-foot pier holds the entire corner
of his building. The trouble with
the fire station is that it was built
while the frost was in the ground and
it heaved. There would be no trouble
about foundation for the library if
it is built right.
| DR.. Wood said that he wanted to be
on the safe side, and not be criticised
afterwards. If piling is necessary, he
wanted the council to know it. The
Saulpaugh is built on piling at large
expense, and the library board does
not want to spend So, 600 or So, 900 for
piling.
R. D. Hubbard said that if the
foundation is all quicksand it will be
all right, but if part quicksand and
part gravel or clay there will be a
break unless piling is done or broad
foundation is laid. He advised de-
ferring action until the nature of the
soil is known, else the donation fro m
Mr.. Carnegie might be jeopardized.
Geo. Pass said that he had worked
in the worst kind of quicksand, and
he did not think that there would be
any trouble, as it was only a question
| of broad enough foundation. The
trouble with the fire station is that the
excavation ended in the quagmire
and should have gone two feet further
to solid ground If soil of the same con-
sistency is struck there will be no
| trouble.
l.. Patterson said he thought the
library board and council a little
hasty. He would defer action, be
careful, forecast the future of the city,
and obtain the feeling of the people
more fully. A little delay would not
lose the $40, 900.
City Engineer Thompson said that
he could make soundings and report in
few days as to whether the ground
| is all of one kind.
Aid. Meyer saw no objection to
granting delay of a week or two
Aid. Jordan said that at the Thurs
day night meeting with full repre-
sentation it seemed that there was
nearly unanimous sentiment in favor
of the Wampler property. 1t was Curl
GUS that so many objections have arisen
in twenty four hours. The fire station
was not constructed right A proper
foundation on quicksand will carry
any load. IF delay is granted, the