The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-09-25
]. A. Bower Secures the Right to Erect
and Operate Gas Plant.
Lighting Talked Over, Made Special
Order for Thursday Night.
President Patterson TO Submit PROPOSE.
tion for Five Year Contract.
Water Meter System Adopted, to Be in
Full Effect Nov. LIST, 1904.
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
The council put IN the longest and
busiest session last night that it has
yet held, and transacted a large amount
of business. All of the aldermen were
present, and Mayor Taylor presided.
The gas franchise ordinance was taken
up early in the meeting, and the lobby
was filled with interested spectators un.
til this wa disposed of. The franchise
ordinance was passed under suspension
of the rules practically as reported by
the committee on ordinances. The street
lighting question came up later in the
evening and was gone over, but final
action was delayed until a special meet
ing to be held next Thursday night. The
council voted to put the water meter sys-
tenn into effect by Nov. lst, 1904, and
other Important matters were disposed
of. .
The ordinance committee offered the
amended gas franchise ordinance. Aid.
Plymat explained that a $4,000 bond
had been required from the company, and
of this S. 900 was to be %liquidated dam
ages. Pipes can be laid OF paved streets
except Front street, for ten years under
the direction of the city engineer, and
after that on such streets as the coun-
ell permits. The committee was opposed
to granting the franchise unless the city
could regulate what streets could be
used, but it had been decided to waive
this for the first ten years, in view of
the possible inability of the company
to finance the enterprise and in view
of the Importance of the enterprise and
the hoped for advantage to the city.
1t had also been amended so that pro-
cesses can be served on any person in
charge of the plant. With the amend
ments the committee would recommend
the passage of the ordinance.
The ordinance was then given its first
reading. The plant is to be completed
and ready for business within twelve
months after the acceptance of the fran
chise, barring unavoidable delays or
accidents. Thirty days after the passage
of the ordinance is given for filing an ac-
ceptance, and when the latter is done the
bond for $4,000 must be filed. The
plant must be large enough to supply
not less than one thousand consumers.
The rules were suspended and the or
dinance was given its second reading.
E. Young appeared for j. A. Bower
and asked that the word direction be
stricken out where it is provided that
the mains shall be laid under the direc-
ton and supervision of the city en-
Aid. Plymat said that the committee
had waived every objection of Mr.. Bower
except this. The streets and alleys of the
city have been turned over 70 Bower I'M
der the ordinance, and it is highly i'm
portant that the city engineer can have
the direction of the location of the mains
on the streets and alleys.
Mr.. Young said that it was feared that
the direction might sometime be arbi-
trary. 1t might affect the financing
of the company if this word is left in,
as a small portion of the money must
be borrowed. 1t is known where the
rest of the money is coming from.
Mr.. Springer, representing Mr.. Bower,
said that the word direction" might
affect the obtaining of capital. A part
of the capital has been assured on con-
dition that the franchise is acceptable to
their attorney and that the necessary
number of subscribers be obtained. This
one word would greatly ~endanger the
whole project. 1t would give one man
absolute control of where the pipes
should be laid. A good many concessions
have been made by Mr.. Bower.
The ordinance was passed, without
striking out the word direction, by a
unanimous vote. The council felt that
the city should not entirely surrender
the streets and alleys to Mr.. Bower even
if the latter did ask it.
Street Lighting.
Aid. Kleinschmidt brought up the mat
ter of lighting the streets, and read the
proposition of the Mankato Gas and
Electric Light company, made to the
committee on lights. He moved that the
proposition, for the period of ten years
from Dec. lst next, be accepted. He
said that he had added that thirty or
more of the gasoline lamps be retained
at S3l each. The council was to desig-
nate the location of the lights by Nov.
LIST. If the company fails to furnish the
light agreed upon the contract may be
cancelled at any time. Aid. Kleinschmidt
said that there might be some opposition
to the length of time. He had always
felt that the council ought not to turn
down an old company. Some have been
opposed to so long a term. He had not
heard of any city having such liberal
terms of lighting as offered by the old
company. There has been talk of con-
Meeting the contract with a street rail
way, but all know hat a street rail-
way will not pay, because of lack of
population, and he did not think that a
line would pay here in twenty-five years.
The street railway talk was foolishness.
Aid. Plymat said that the offer is
fair. No one else has made an offer, nor
is the council likely to receive any other
offers for electric street lights. The offer
is combined with a reduction of the rates
on gas and electric private lighting,
meaning thousands of dollars a year. A
street car line would not pay here, and
does not pay in any city of this size.
Empty street cars do not advertise a
city. and a car line would not bring
people to the city, as it would employ
but few. Manufacturers will come when
freight rates are reduced. The Collins
enterprise was based on a bonus of &c.
900 a year. There seems to be no hope
for a street car line for many years, in
spite of the visionary hopes of owners of
property in the outskirts of the city.
Mr.. Plymat said: at isn't a ques-
ton of helping or hurting any company
it is a question of buying a right light
at the right price. We are informed that
some men are spending more time to
tear down some other business than they
are to build up their own, but we have
no concern with such sentiments our
JAYNE'S !