The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-04-18
ST. PETER IN Line.
Mass Meeting Votes for Street
Railway.
Sentiment of Business Men as Ex-
pressed Last Night was Largely
One Way.

the mass meeting held there FRIDAY
to consider the question of granting
franchise to the Mankato and st. Peter
Railway and Lighting Co., put them
selves on record in favor of the enter
prise. Over hundred leading citi-
zens of st. Peter were present, and
among the others present were }. h.
Collins and Directors Clark, Hixon,
Willard and Widell, of the company
The meeting was held in the council
chamber and lasted two and half
hours. Ex-Nayor Henry Moll presided
and stated the object of the meeting
Mr.. Clark was introduced first, and
went over the entire ground, telling
what has been done up to the present
time and what it is expected will be
done He said that all that was asked
of st. Peter was reasonable franchise
to allow the road to get into that part
of the city best situated for the hand
ling of freight. No stock subscriptions
were sought or lighting contracts ask
ed for, as in Mankato. 1t was propos-
ed that two members of the board OF
directors should be from ST. Peter.
Referring to the report that some of
the st. Peter retail dealers were OPP
posed to the road on the ground that
it would build up Mankato trade at
their expense, Mr.. Clark said that
there are now five trains day run
ming between Mankkato and St Peter,
over the railroads, yet the merchants
of st. Peter have not lost much trade.
The merchants of st. Peter can buy as
cheaply as the Mankato merchants,
and if they don't sell as cheaply they
ought to do so. If they DO sell as
chesplv as the Mankato merchants
they have moth ing to fear from com
petition, which would result to the
advantage of the merchants in both
cities.
Messrs Hixon, Widell and Collins
spoke upon the matter
Mr.. johnson, of johnson Bros, ex-
pressed himself as being much in
favor of the road coming into St.
Peter.
Phillip Dick, another merchant, was
strongly in favor of granting the road
a franchise. He said that he got bust
ness from Mankato and North Man
kato and could compete with the mer-
chants there with or without a street
car line. He was not afraid of losing
trade by reason of an electric road to
MankatO.
&c. Miller, editor of the st Peter
Free Press, spoke in favor of the road.
Jno. A. Johnson, of the Herald,
spoke at some length, not taking any
decisive stand.
Mr.. Evenson said that Mankato had
never been solicitous of the welfare
of st. Peter, and he was not in favor
of an electric road to that city.
Chas. Fay, the miller, was not en-
thusiastic over having the road conn
to st. Peter.
Mayor W. 81. Muller was in favor o
the road, and thought that the tow
would have gone ahead faster if Their
had Teen more funerals during tn
past twenty years.
This stirred up Mr.. Miller and quit
a controversy followed.
Several other st. Peter men spok
on the subject, nearly all being il
favor of The road.
1t was noticeable that no one presen
came out as squarely opposed to tn
road, while the great majority wer
strongly favorable to it. 1t was dem
onstrated that the sentiment of 81
Peter is over whelmingly il favor {
the road. ..... .
A motion was offered that it ws
the sense of the meeting that reason
able franchise be granted to the con
pany, and this was carried without
dissenting voice. ...
The Mankato gentlemen returned
the evening train.
J. h. Collins left Friday for Chicag
when he returns he expects to LOO
into the feasibility of an electric ROT
TO St. Clair, the citizens of that vi
lage being very anxious to have &
road run there, and will to give
bonus of $50, 900 to secure it.
st Clair has no road at present al
an electric line there would get
large business, particularly freigt
At the same time, it would bring
good deal of trade to the city that nj
goes to GAINESVILLE. There are Sol
who believe that a line there wor
pay better than one to st. Peters
1t is said that one of the st. Pc
aldermen is opposed to granting
franchise, claiming that the re
would build up Mankato at the
pense of st Peter.
Before the meeting of the cour
Thursday night, Mayor Petersen
Aids. Taylor, Leonard and Will
withdrew their subscriptions for st
in the street railway company. 7
was for the purpose of complying W
the charter provision which requi
that no city officer shall be interes
in a company securing contl
from the city. This action, WI
perhaps not necessary under a c
struction placed upon the provision
attorneys, was safe and proper th