The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-10-04
BUILD THIS FALL.
Nine Miles of Street Railway in
Three Loops.
Secretary Wilhar.z Returns from New
York and Gives Out an Interviews.
Cars to Be Run by Super
Heated Water.

kato Electric Street Railway, Light
and Power Co. returned Sunday
from New York City after an absence
of three weeks, and brings some well
come information with him. If pre-
sent plans are carried out, as outlined
by him, Mankato will have a street
railway system in operation before the
year is out. 1t will be operated by a
new system, the stored power of super
heated water. This system is not yet
in operation anywhere, and Mankato
will be the first city where it will be
put into practical use.
Mr.. Wilhartz was in very cheerful
frame of mind when seen at his Office
at the Standard brewery this morning.
He was willing to take the public
completely into his confidence-to lay
bare everything that has been done to-
ward securing a street railway line for
Mankato, together with present hopes
and prospects. He went over the en-
tire ground with the reporters, start
ing in at the point where the Man
kato Electric Street Railway, Light
and Power Co. sold all Of it's interests
to the Barr Construction Co. of New
York, just prior to the first extension
of the franchise that was asked for,
something more than year ago. When
the sale was made, mention of it was
made in the papers, but the name of
the purchaser could not be ascerUained.
AS soon as the transfer was effected,
all of che officers of the old company
resigned and the designations of all
except that of S. Wilhartz, the seere-
tary, were accepted. The new company
desired Mr.: Wilhartz to retain his
office, and he. did so. The Barr Con-
struction Co then arranged with the
firm of John Shore & Sons Of New
York to finance the enterprise by
selling all of the bonds on the proposed
city and country lines, naming the
Bowling Green Trust Co. of New York
as trustees. The arrangements with
John Shore & Sons was made subject
to an investigation OF the property.
After the company had made this in
vestigation it turned down the pro-
position, for what reason is not known
unless parties in this city made repre-
sensations to the effect that the propos-
cd line would not pay.
Shortly after that, the Barr Con-
s5ruction Co, opened negotiations with
the Stone & Webster Electrical Co. of
Boston, which sent it's representative
to ManAato last June. This represen-
tative vas A NJ. Robertson of Mime
polls. whose presence was mentioned
in the papers at the time. This gem
tlsman reported favorably upon the en-
tire proposition except that the two
months extension of the, franchise Sc
cured from the council was too short
to allow the making of full detailed
report N time to commence operations.
Also, he did not think that the country
lines would pay as large a per cent as
the company's prospectus stated, but
he wanted to look into this feature
more carefully when he would likely
find that, the prospectus was, right.
Succeeded, at Last.
The Barr Construction Co. then TOOK
Up the matter withathe Storage Power
Co. of New York, whose officers COM
prise some Of the wealthiest men in
That city, and which has d patent On
new motive power, that of super
heated water. These negotiations were
successful, and the Storage Power Co.
wants to build the line, as it would be
the first Of its kind and sample for
future business. The company has
one car in successful operation on the
New York Central railroad.
The Storage Power Co. opened ne
gotiations with the Dominion Securi-
ties Go. of New York to float the
bonds for the construction Of the road,
| with what success is indicated by the
following letter received by Mr.. Will.
| hartz from A. L. Meyer, secretary and
treasurer of the Dominion Securities
CO.:
S. Wilhartz, ESQ.,, Seey. of the, Man
ksto Eletcric Street Railway, Iigh
and Power Co., Mankato Mimi. Dear
Sir: have examined the prospectus,
maps, ETC., of your company. While
can not recommend at the present
time the construction and equipment
of the entire line proposed by your
company. 1 can conscientinously, an6
will recommend to my company, The
Dominion Securities company, ths
construction and equipment of that
part of the proposed line in the city o
Mankato proper, being line of min,
and one-quarter miles in length. Tn,
proposition will be placed before the
proper committee for consideration a
the earliest possible moment, probabl,
very early next week.
1 feel reasonably sure that our peopl
/ will undertake the construction ant
will proceed at once to build the en-
tire line of nine and one-quarter miles
Yours truly,
A. L. MEYER.
This letter was dated at New Yorl
last week. The Dominion Securitie
Co. is expected to hold meeting to
day or tomorrow to act on the matter
and Mr.. Wilhartz expects to receive
telegram or letter Immediately after
wards. saying that the material for tn
construction of the line has BEEF
ordered.