The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-07-25
ACTING WITH CARE
The Council Avoids Increasing
Floating Debt.
Judge Cray's. Decision Delays. Fourth
Street Purchase NEARLY Defeats
Needed Sewer Extensions.

| A good deal or business was Trans
acted by the council at its meeting
Friday, ALI of the aldermen were
present, and Mayor Petersen presided.
The minutes. of the last five. meet
ings were read and approved.
A.petition was received, asking that
the Clark street sewer be extended
thirty feet east from fits proposed
termination. It was referred to the
committee on sewers.
City. Recorder Williams read COM
munications. in which he = gave his
reasons fol. not. signing. the. contract
for..the purchase. of half block on
North Fourth steet from the Omaha
road. = He said that it was illegal to
increase. the floating debt, but he
would sign warrant for the purchase
of the property outright.
jay. Henry. Long said that as Mr..
Williams refuses to sign the contract
some other. way should be provided to
purchase the half block, as the price,
80, 500, is very low. The land could
be-. sold Immediately. for "a, 600, but
the time will come very soon when it
will be needed. Its purchase by the
city would wipe out an eyesore. If
the contract was changed SO as to
have it countersigned by the city at
torney or the aldermen the railroad
company would probably accept it.
Possibly Mr.. Williams is technically
right, but if SO half the business done
at every council meeting is illegal.
The Clark street sewer connot be ex-
tended thirty feet. as that would be
creating an Indebtedness beyond the
legal limit. He was going to st.
Paul in the morning and would like
to- have the matter settled.
- The recorders communication was
ordered placed on file.
.. Aid. Heinze thought the council
should be careful about increasing it's
indebtedness in view of Judge Cray's
decision, but he would regret to see
so good an opportunity to buy the
property go by.
= Mayor Petersen felt that the oppor-
tunity to buy the and should not be |
to slip by. If the council
signed the contract and had to pay for |
the property it would be good in
vestment. He would like to be part
ner on that deal.
Aid. Taylor hoped that the matter
could be fixed up.
City Attorney Daley was asked for
an opinion but said he felt that he
was under cloud. He had gotten the
city council in boat once and he did |
not want to do it again, he remarked, |
jokingly. He did not favor signing
the contract, however, as the council
would in that case go before the COM
munity as violating the law again.
The recorder having called attention
to the illegality of the act, the council
ought not to jump in and do the thing
which is illegal.
The matter was dropped here.
Mrs. E. s. Hair called attention to
the bad condition of Baker avenue,
and it was referred to the street COM
mittee. The flushing of the water
main has caused the trouble.
The claim of @. z. Willard for $50
damages for injuries received in run
ming into barbed wire fence on
Clark street July 10th was presented,
and it was referred to the committee
On claims and accounts Aid. Heinze
said that he understood that Mr.. Will
ard had crossed and recrossed the
spot the day before, in broad daylight,
and knew what was there. He did
not think Mr.. Willard had q good
,laim against the city.
Aid. Heinze' for the committee on
ways and means, reported that all the
funds have money in them except the I
current fund, which is overdrawn
3, 44S. GA. This ought to be replaced.
lie moved that 90, 600 of the unappor-
Toned liquor license money be placed
n the current fund, and this was car !
led.
Health Officer Hielscher said that ,
here is much complaint of the lack
# sewer and water mains on Van
3runt street. The tub factory Pushes {
rs boilers on the street once a week, ,
nd the pools of water breed mosqui- ,
oes and form scum that smells.
The mayor remarked that the city
onnot create any more Indebtedness,
nd nothing could be done. Ii
Aid. Taylor said that it was too bad :
hat the people there cannot have a :
ever. He wanted to know whether !
he people would not be willing to s
,ay the assessment in advance. I
Aid. Wilcox said that Mr.. George >
lad told him that he was willing to
lay his assessment in advance and
bought the others would. Members
f his family have been sick for .
nonths, and the doctor says it is due
o the condition of the street.
, President Porter said that the :
oard OF public works had hesitated .
bout securing bids, as it was uncer- :
ain when the contractor would be :
aid. He did not know whether the ]
ity recorder would sign certificates I
f Indebtedness If the contractor
Guild be paid cash, as in the past, it :
would save something like twenty per I
ent In the bid. The sewer On Locke
treet and the grading of Wilton street !
re In the same condition for the same I,
eason. Some of the property owners
q Van Brunt street will not pay un-
il the assessment is made.
DR.. Hielscher said that Van Brunt /,
treet is in very unsanitary condi- I
ion. Wells are within fifteen feet of :
arth closets in places. The street is
hickiy settled. and such condition
9 very bad. The Creamery Package
20. has no objection to paying for the !
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