The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-09-11
Postmaster Haycraft Gives an Account
Of the Trouble There.
Sometimes the Patrons Could Not Even
Light The Lamps.
Had to Wrap Rags Around Them to
Make Them Burn.
Practical Gas Company Refused to
Extend the Bond.
From SATURDAYS Daily.

j. E. Haycraft, attorney for the village
of Madelia, who was in the city yester-
day afternoon to have papers served up
on bond, because of the alleged poor gas
furnished the village of Madelia, was
seen by Free Press reporter last eve
ming, and gave the following history of
the trouble in his village:
"a. w. Dawson & Co. of Mason City,
Iowa, put in gas lighting plant in 1901
for the village of Madelia, in accordance
with contract with the village coun-
ell. The village paid the company $4,000
for the plant, which supplied gasoline
gas, and the company guaranteed it to
furnish good light and that it would
continue to do so for two years after its
installation. 1t gave a bond for $4,000
for the faithful performance of the con-
tract, to be liquidated damages.
''The light was very good at times
but at other times it was not good
light. The company was notified of the
poor service which the plant was giving
and it sent G. I. Tenney, member of the
firm to Madelia. He spent several days
there last winter, but what he did did not
help the plant any. In the subsequent
correspondence the company refused to
extend the bond or to do anything, and
finally did not answer letters.
"The present suit is started to col
lect on the bond We were unable to
find any of the members of the firm I'M
til today. Mr.. Bower was a member
of the firm of Dawson & Co., which firm
III l.
company of North Chicago. believe that
this latter company was later succeeded
by the Practical Gas Construction COM
pany of North Chicago.
"The village let the contract for the
main gas plant to A. w. Dawson & Co.
of Mason City Feb. 5th, 1901, for S.
900, and ON April Goth, 1901, it made a
contract with the Practical Gas company
of North Chicago, successor of Dawson &
Co., for additional mains, costing
about $500. Up to April last the letters
sent the company were answered by the
Practical Gas company. Bower and
Tenney were members of both of these
companies. 1t was the Practical Gas
company that sent Tenney to make the
repairs. He dug up the pipes for days
and poured alcohol into them. l never
heard that he was refused permission
to make excavations, until l came to
Mankato today, and hardly think it can
be so.
To illustrate how poor the light was,
it was hardly possible to light them at
all times. If they could be lighted, they
did not throw any light, and it was
necessary to have kerosene lamps in the
postoffice. The only way they would
burn at all was to wrap wrags around
the lamps, which kept the air out. There
seemed to be too much air for the gas,
for when we took the rags off, the light
would Immediately go down. The gas
pipes were placed only two or three
feet. under ground. The light is better
in summer than in winter.
"Your lighting matter in Mankato is
no concern of ours. The only way that
we could get service on the company was
when Bower came to your city, and we
awaited our opportunity. We had in
tended to serve the papers on Tenney,
and the last time he was here l saw him,
but he said that the company would
rent and operate the plant, and that he
would be in Mankato the next Tuesday
to remain several days. This threw us
off our guard, and when l came to the
city on that Tuesday named found that
he had left the state the afternoon be-
fore. Not until Bower came was there
anybody that we could serve papers on"