The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-07-05
AS TO A STREET RAILWAY.

Gil this evening and ask for an extern
sion of time in which to begin opera
tions. This is the third extension asked
for, and as yet, while much has beer
said as to what will be done. there
done not seem to be anything tangible
in sight as to having plant in oper'
alton in the near future. Representa-
tives of the company appeared before
the members of the council Wednesday
evening asking for such an extension,
and it is currently reported that they
obtained the informal promise of d
large majority of that body to grant
such an extension. Last evening the
committee of the board of trade, which
was appointed some time ago to look
into the matter and see what could be
done toward Immediately securing the
mush desired line for the city, met the
aldermen and asked for some consider
alton of the matter of street railway
franchise. This committee has been
actively at work since its appointment
and has secured a great deal of data
relative to street railway systems in
small cities, and have succeeded in
interesting capitalists and setting
influences at work, which will nc
doubt result in placing street railway
system in full operation within oul
limits within the next ten or twelve
months, if it is not blocked by the ex-
tension of the present franchise. The
committee presented its work to the
aldermen as fully as could be made
public at this time, and asked that
considerable consideration be given the
matter by them. The gentlemen of
this committee do not seek to crowd
out the holders of the present fran
chise. They stand now, and have at
all times, ready to aid in every way
possible any movement that will result
in securing street railway for Man.
kato. They do not guarantee, as we
understand it, that their scheme will
be successful, but they do guarantee
that if granted a franchise, active
operations to make it success will be-
gin at once.
When the committee met the alder
men last evening, a representative OF
the holders of the present franchise
was present and is reported
as saying that if the council re-
fused an extension this evening, that
they would hold the franchise any way
by fulfilling its provisions and COM
mencing operations before July 1st. II
this is the case, then the council will
be very foolish to grant the extension.
What the people want is railway
line. They care not who builds it.
The city has been tied up long enough.
What the council should do this eve
ming is to cut the knot, and allow
things to shape.themselves so that some
thing tangible can be developed from
this street railway talk. If the extern
sion is refused, and the holders OF the
present franchise go ahead and com
mence active operations on line, as
they say they will, why all right.
Such move will be welcomed by our
citizens. If they do not, then the fran
chise will become void as it should
and clear the way for others, and the
Free Press is of the opinion from what
it has heard that an application for a
new franchise would be made within
thirty days by other parties, and that
active operations would be made
at once afetr the granting of the same,
to put in a system.
One thing at least is certain if the
extension is granted it should only be
after a provision has been inserted that
at least 81, 600 in cash be put up to be
forfeited to the city in case nothing
is done in putting in the plant in the
specified time. The holders of this
franchise ought certainly to be willing
to make some showing as to their in
tentions 1t is only right that the city
should not he longer tied up so that moth
ing can be done, when there is capital
that can be interested in such ven
ture. The gentlemen have talked a
great deal about what would be done,
but nothing tangible comes to the pub
lie about it. This is the third extern
sion asked for. Each time before an
extension is asked for, person is said
to be in the city looking over the field,
but no one sees or meets him. Local
capitalists have had no conferences with
him. Why should this state of affairs
continued Why. we ask should the
city remain longer tied up by a fran
chise under which so far as the public
knows, nothing is being done2
The plain duty of the council this
evening is to decline an extension. II
the holders thereof then take active
steps to hold it, it will be most pleas
ing to our citizens. and we feel safe
in predicting that our people will ex
tend every aid possible to make the
venture a success. If they let the mat
ter drop, then the way will be opeI
for others who wish to take active
steps toward getting system int
operation at the earliest date possible
T n Mt