The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-07-18
new LIGHTING co.
Steps Taken to Organize One
at Once.
Merchants Protective Association TAX
es the Matter up--Invitation to
President Roosevelt.

The Merchants Protective associa-
ton took up the lighting question last
night and decided that the time was
ripe to organize another electric light
company, to afford competition in
commercial and city lighting. 1t was
the general feeling that the street
railway enterprise is dead, and that
there was little hope of securing a
municipal plant, with the present in
junction craze on.
The matter was talked over
thoroughly, and President Pond was
authorized to appoint committee of
five to have charge of the work of or
ganizing stock company, getting the
stock subscriptions. etc. Mr.. Pond
will appoint the committee in day
or two. The work will be taken up at
once and pushed, 80 that a plant can
be installed in time to take the street
lighting contract off the hands
of the present company, in case
it should obtain the contract.
The idea is to build the plant with
Mankato capital and without a bond
issue. The capital stock will be
$50, 600 to $75, 900, so as to ensure a
large enough plant to meet all re-
quirements. The reason why there is
to be no bond issue is because it is hoped
later on to build a street Car line in
the city and to St. Clair and Alma
City, provided those places offer sufi-
cient inducements. Those places have
no railroad and want the Car line,
while st. Peter has two railroads con,
Meeting with Mankato and does moi
want the Car line.
1t is said that good deal of the
money is in sight. One gentleman il
willing to Invest $4,000, another
So, 900, and there is another man who
it is believed will take $1,000 Of
stock. 1t is the intention to have al
many of the business men as possible
subscribe for small amounts, in order
to make the enterprise popular one
All present at last nights meeting
favored having another company.
At the suggestion of Congressman
McCleary, the association instructed
the committee on entertainment II
prepare a resolution of invitation t.
President Roosevelt to stop in thi
city on his western trip the latte
part of next September. This will b.
engrossed and sent to him. TIL,
board of trade and council will b.
asked to join in extending an invita-
ion to the president. 1t is not though
that he can make more than a brie
stop and SPEAK few words.
A proposition was received from tn
Hugo Shirt Co. to move it's plant t
Mankato. 1t will invest $50, 900 il
this city, and requires a bonus o
So, 900. 1t will engage in the manu-
facture of overalls The matter wa
| referred to the committee on manufac
lures. Representatives of the com
pany who have been in the city ar,
pleased with the old cracker factor,
building, corner Front and Popla,
street, as a location. Twenty-si1
people would be employed on thu
start.
The matter of union depot of al
the roads in the city was talked over,
and it was stated that there were
surface indications that the roads
were considering this. 1t was felt that
the Great Western ought to get into
the center of the city anyway. II
was the opinion that a union depot
of the four roads, if properly located,
would be good thing.
The matter was referred to the rail
road committee, with J. B. Richards
added. Jay Henry Long, who is to be
in st. Paul Saturday Hor Monday,
will look into the matter and report
to the committee.
The refusal Of. City Recorder. Will
liams to sign the contract for the pur-
chase by the city of the half block on
North Fourth street from the Omaha
road was discussed, and the recorder
was turned over a few times and
given toss in the blanket. His action
was warmly censured.
A resolution was adopted, to be pre-
sented to Mr.. Williams, declaring it
to be the sense of the association that
it was for the interest of the city that
the purchase should be concluded at
once. The city recorders act in re-
fusing to sign the contract was such
as not to be commended. He was
urged and requested to lay all tech
nicalities aside and sign the contract,
after the unanimous action Of the
council and the approval which that
action received from the people. If
the deal falls through on account of
his refusing to sign the contract. the
would be laid to him.
A certain gentleman who is engag
I'D in business in the city asked for a
loan of $500 from the association. The
request was turned down, as the asso
,iation is not money loaning insti-
;ution.