The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-09-04
NO CHANGE NECESSARY
Commission Turns Down Proposed
Change Of Ward Boundaries.
1t Was Thought Best Not to Burden
New Charter With 1t.
From Saturdays Daily.

of the members being present. Those
present were Chairman Currier, Secre-
tarv Schmitt. DIR. Andrews and Messrs.
Severance Bashaw, Coughlan, Monks,
Roemer, Young, Petersen, Long, Martin
and Halstead.
The special order was section three,
chapter one, establishing seven wards
and their boundaries. Mr.. Schmitt NOV
ed that the section be adopted.
Judge Severance said that he was OPP
posed to seven wards and that he would
reduce the number to five if he had the
power. St Paul, with twenty times
the population of Mankato, has but
eleven wards, and there is no need of
seven here.
w. L. Comstock said that he had been
asked to appear before the commission
by bluff residents, who want to have
a ward of their own. Their interests
have been sadly neglected in the past.
1t is a growing region and contains at
least 200 voters. There is no politics in
the suggestion. Many of the residents
would favor being left out of the city
limits rather than continue to pay taxes
and get so little from the city. The hill
side streets have been neglected.
ton should be divided to facilitate bust
ness, and he moved that the city be di-
Yided into seven wards, as a substitute
for the motion before the house.
Mr.. Halstead thought that there would
be more economy i'll having seven wards
than in dividing several of the present
wards into precincts.
DIR. Andrews was in favor of seven
wards, but said that if the number was
left at six the city should still be re-
districted, as the population of the wards
as at present constituted is very I'M
equal.
Judge Severance said that he would
like to hear a good reason for having
seven wards. He did not know of any
that would not apply equally to having
seventeen wards.
Mr. Young told why the changes had
been proposed, and thought that it would
make a more equitable division of the
city.
Mr.. Currier said that in case of a tie
vote, the ward that the mayor lives in
has two votes. He did not think that
the mayor should have vote on any
question.
DIR. Andrews asked what reason there
was for not dividing the city into seven
wards
Judge Severance said that he would
not do anything not necessary. Five
aldermen would be enough to transact
the city's business.
Mr.. Schmitt favored adopting the re-
port, as being fair division of the city
into wards. Mr.. Petersen was opposed to
the motion unless he knew just how the
city was to be divided
Mr. Long said that the commission
had decided to have the city attorney
and assessor elected by ballot of the
people instead of by the council, which
would do away with secret ballots in
the council, and the mayor would not
have to decide any more ties in such
cases. An additional ward and alderman
would make more expense upon the city.
If there was so much difference of opin-
ion in the charter commission on the SUBJ
ject, what about the people at large?
He thought that as few changes should
be made in the charter as possible.
DIR. Andrews said that an extra alder
man would not cost over 800 a year,
and the extra election expense would
not be greater than dividing a ward into
two precincts.
Mr.. Petersen did not see where the
benefit would come in to the second
ward.
Mr.. Long said that the commission
could change the boundaries at any time.
Mr.. Bashaw favored having a ward on
the bluffs, as he said that the people
there had been neglected. The present
ward boundaries could then be left prac-
tically as they are.
Judge Severance said that the present
council is neglecting various parts of the
city and ought to vacate office at once.
If a street car line were to be built in
the city and should run UP the cemetery
ravine, a large population would grow
up suddenly there, as that is the only
place to move to now
Mr.. Young: ''To the cemetery?"
Several members feared that to make
a change in the ward boundaries would
stir up enough opposition to help de-
feat the new charter
DIR. Andrews declared that a good
many people want the boundaries chang
ed, and he said that if the provision is
not placed in the charter it would help
defeat it.
Judge Severance said that if anything
was absolutely necessary for the proper
government of the city he would put it
in, whether the people voted it up or
down, but would put nothing else in.
MIR. Roemer saw no need for dividing
up the city again. The outside wards
will soon fill up.
DIR. Andrews substitute motion was
lost by vote of five ayes and eight
noes.
Mr.. Schmitt then renewed his motion
to adopt the report of the commit
tee.
Judge Severance said that if he really
thought that the people want seven
wards he would vote for it, irrespective
of his private opinion
This motion was lost bv the same
vote as was the other one.
The committees report on chapter
three was then. proceeded with, COM
mencing with the duties of city recorder.
The fiscal year of the city was made to
begin Jan. lst instead of April LIST, as
at present.
The provisions for the liability of the
city recorder and his bondsmen was
eased up little from last years new
charter, and made to read as follows:
"And the said city recorder and the
sureties on his official bond shall be
liable to the city of Mankato for the
present amount of any warrant or other
claims paid by said city which
shall not be a just or legal
claim against the city of Mankato,
which shall have been negligently or cor
ruptly, and contrary to the provisions of
this charter, approved, audited or ad-