The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-28
REQUEST GRANTED
Milwaukee Road Secures Right
of Way.
1t Will be Responsible for Damage to
Pumping Station, and Pays the
City $500.

Saturday morning, the city conucil
passed an ordinance under suspension
of the rules granting the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul railway COM
pany right of way across Plum,
Washington and Spring streets and
across the two lots owned by the city
and upon which the pumping station
and tool house are located. The coun-
Gil acted Loyalty to the interests of the
city and in every way sought to pro-
tect its future welfare, while DESTROYS
of granting the Milwaukee road all of
the rights that it asked.
Under the terms of the ordinance,
the city can hold the railway COM
pany responsible for all damage which
the running of it's trains may occasion
to the delicate and expensive machin
cry in the city pumping station. By a
resolution adopted after the ordinance
had passed, the city conveys an ease
ment for right of way across it's two
lots for $780, The right of way is to
pass about thirteen and a half feet
from the corner of the pumping sta
tion, and will be wide enough to safely
accommodate travel on two tracks
All of the aldermen were present
and the action of the council was
unanimous. When the aldermen came
to the meeting they did not seem to
have their minds made up as to ex-
actly what they wanted. They didn't
want to bar out any other road from
coming into the city and they wanted
to protect the pumping station. Ac-
cording to the first talk had, the right
of way was to run twenty-five feet
from the pumping station, but the or
dinance reduced the distance about
half The aldermen did not like this
very we'll. After holding several Sc
cret conferences, the aldermen finally
got together. City Attorney Daley
stood steadfastly for the city's inter
ests and stiffened the backbone of the
aldermen.
A. R. Pau ST.. presented the ordin-
ance to the council granting the Chi
cago Milwaukee & st. Paul railway
a right of way over streets
and alleys and public grounds. He
said that expeditions action would be
as the road wished to
know what was to be done, so that it's
present actions might be Influenced by
it. The road was about to extend it's
line from this city to Pennington, &C
cording to we'll sustantiated reports.
Mr.. Pau also presented a resolution
the road to go over city
ground
The ordinance was read and referred
to the committee on ordinances. 1t
provides that in case the main line of
the Pennington extension is not con-
structed across the property within one
year the cession of rights reverts to the
city. The center of the nearest track
is to be sixteen feet westerly from the
pumping station.
F. NJ Currier asked whether the
other side was to be given chance to
be heard.
Mayor Petersen said that the meet
ing was public and everybody could be
heard. No star chamber session was
A recess was taken and the alder
men and city attorney withdrew to
talk the matter over. The council had
had the subject under con-
at secret session held be-
fore the meeting opened, when the
entire subject was gone over.
The damage to the pumping plant
and the price to be asked for the right
Of way across the city lots were talked
over.
Finally, Right of Way Agent Hewitt
and Messrs. J. =. Moore, A. R. Pau
Sr. and W. E. Young were called in
and the objections which the aldermen
mad to the track going so near to the
pumping station, both on account of
;he fear that the machinery would be
injured by the Earring due to the
rains passing and on account of other
roads having no room to get into the
,ity, were stated.
Mr.. Hewitt said that the track would
be further away from the
station than indicated, and the sixteen
foot line was the nearest that it would
come in any event. The track was to
curve out there to get onto the other
track
Mr.. Pau said that under the state
law, the railroad company could be
held liable for all damage done to the
pumps.
Wants an Open Door.
Mr.. Currier was invited in after
the discussion had continued for some
ime and the plat had been examined.
He explained that he and A. E. Clark
had been selected by the board of trade
to represent Mankato as directors of
the Duluth, st. Cloud, Glencoe &
Mankato railway company. The city
wants north and south line, to afford
VIA the lakes and thus Sc
cure reduction in freight rates as
we'll as opening up new field for our
jobbers. The D., st. c., G.. & M. road
does not ask bonus of the city but it