The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-02-14
BETTER STREETS.
Board of Trade Endorses the
Action of Mayor and Council
Passes Resolution to that Effect.---Al-
so Considers Matter of City Light
ing Plant, But Defers Action
to Next Meeting.

The board Of trade held q lively
meeting Monday and put to flight
the assertion of some of it's critics that
it is a sleepy body
A letter to Mayor Petersen from
Jerome F. Morgan of st. Paul, was
read by Secret ary Taylor asking for
information in regard to establishing
a canning factory here. He claims to
have much experience in that business
and would like to have company or
ganized among our business men, and
take charge of the same. The matter
was referred to the committee on
manufacturers.
A communication from the CONNER
cial club of ST. Paul was read object
ing to the bill of Congressman Morris
of Duluth, providing for the opening
ND of the Chippewa reservation which
lies around the head waters of the
Mississippi, covering some 800, 600
acres some 300, 900 acres of which is
water surface, and which would result
in the cutting off of the timber at
once. The attention was called to the
effect of such work on other large
rivers and what is being done to cor
rect the mistakes already made regard
ing them. The Mankato board was
asked to join in the protest against the
reckless clearing off of the timber on
and around these headwsters. The
matter was referred to the committee
on legislation.
DR.. J. W. Andrews presented the fol-
lowing preamble and resolutions:
Resolved, By the board Of trade,
Msnkato, that we are favorable TO
municipal ownership of lighting and
other franchises provided it is de-
monstrated.
list. That the city can give better
service for less money than private
individual, company or corporation can
do, provided
Cd. That it will not increase the
city's Indebtedness to that extent that
it will burden the tax payer and de-
preciate values, but
Whereas, The bonded indebtedness
of Mankato is now 1896, 600, and the
floating Indebtedness about $22, 600,
making total of 1917, 600, or nearly
a quarter million and
Whereas, From reliable informa-
ton we are led to believe that NUM-
cipal lighting plant adequate to the
not be installed for less than from
20 no
ated for less than about $65 per arc
light of 1, 200 candle power, therefore,
be it
Resolved. By Mankato board of
trade that we believe it would not be
a good business transaction or in the
interest of economy and wise city
government, for the city of Mankato
to install municipal lighting plant
at this time, or at any future period,
until the city's Indebtedness shall have
been very materially reduced.
Resolved that we believe the NUM-
cipal lighting of the city of Mankato
should be given at reasonable price to
some company that will in connection
with city lighting install and operate
an electric street railway.
The above drew out some discus
sion, but the general feeling was that
as the council had not yet received a
report from the expert whom it has
had looking over the field, that action
on the same ought to be deferred until
the next meeting. This was finally
agreed to and the resolutions went
over.
DR.. Andrews then read the follow
ing resolution:
Recognizing the fact that the streets
of Mankato are but little if any bet
ter than the ordinary country roads,
and that Mankato cannot rank in i'm
portance with other cities of equal
size in the northwest until our streets
are made better and believing, too,
that good paved, or macsdamiZed
streets appreciate the value of property
far greater than it will increase the
tax, therefore
Resolved, By the board of trade
of Mankato, that we hereby endorse
the efforts being made by Mayor
Petersen, City Engineer Thompson and
the city council toward the inaugur-
alton of substantial street improve
ment, and hereby pledge our moral
support and influence to that end, and
we recommend that our city council
cause, at least, onehalf mile of street
to be improved during the summer of
1902 with such material and in such
Wanner as in their judgment, after
careful investigation, can be used in
he interest of economy and durability.
This latter resolution called out a
very spirited discussion, quite num-
Der of the members of the board pre-
sent taking part Several strongly
objected to paving on the ground that
it was too expensive and thought
that macadam would answer every
purpose and we had the material right
at hand for that.
M. B. Haynes said that macadam
was not suitable for our streets, the
business sterets at least. Said he had
often wished that 80 afr as our streets
we're concerned, our limestone
quarries were far removed. He believed
they had been positive damage to us
in that respect 1t has been repeat
edly demonstrated in the last twenty
years, he said, that the material we
have here is not fit for street making
where there is heavy traffic. It grinds
up and is washed off, or is carted off
as mud.
Hickory street was cited as an in
stance where mscadam was all right,
and A. @. Meyer said it demonstrated
the fact that macadam 70 be good
should be put down right He regard