The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-12-25
IourteIIotte Hospital Offered to the
City BY the Heirs.
Suggestion That 1t Be Used for De-
tentiOn Hospital or School.
Council Discusses Fourth Street Park
But Defers Action. II
No More Clothing to Be PurChasfFo
Firemen or Police,

From Saturdays Daily.
The council meeting lay night was
short but to the point. Ye mayor pre-
sided and the full counciIkas present.
The most important Iatter considered
was the following lettr, which explains
itself:
ia Crosse, W., Dec. Sth, 1903
Mayor of Mankgto, Minn.-Dear Sir
As you know, he Tourtellotte hospital
in your city las been subject Of con,
siderable correspondence and negotiation
between the representatives Of Colonel
Tourtellottss estate and your city. This
whole matter hes been a source of great
disappointment to the representatives
of the colonel, and we regret very much
that the city did not feel the binding
obligation it assumed to carry out the
provisions of the donation. Now, the
heirs have title to this property but
have not been able to put the hospital
into such hands as will fully comply
with the designs and purposes of the
douor 1t is pity to allow this valu-
able property, which cost a good deal Of
money to start with, to lapse into non
use and decay This land is certainly
worth something, and there is a lot OF
valuable material at prevailing prices
that could be advantageously disposed OF
at this time. The question is mp to us
now if we are unable to carry ont the
wishes of the late Colonel Tourtellotte in
having this maintained as hospital On
the plans agreed upon between him and
your city, or in some other equally adj
vantageous way, we must adopt the next
best course 1t has been said that the
city of Mankato is in need of detention
hospital. l have heard it said that the
There are certainly some public uses for
this property that the city might make
of it to advantage; if so, possibly it
would be best for the representatives of
the estate to sell this hospital to the
city. Before we make any other ar
rangements than that heretofore desired,
if the city desires to open up any nego-
tiations for this property, l should be
glad to hear from you on the subject. If
we cannot put the property to the use
for which it was originally intended, it
is for sale. Yours very truly,
MILLS TOURTELLOTTE,
Executor"
Mayor Taylor said that he had replied
to the letter that he would bring the
matter before the council He referred
the letter to the committee on hospitals
to report at the next meeting.
A communication was received from III.
F. Shaw, asking the council to take steps
to protect his property from the ravages
of Thompson creek. He said that the
upper culvert was poorly engineered and
poorly constructed. 1t causes the water
to shoot against his property, washing it
out.
Aids Coy and Mckinley said that Mr..
Shaw's property is being damaged. The
latter suggested that short stone wall
be built to turn the water away from his
land
The matter was referred to The street
committee and city engineer to report
at the next meeting.
Sidewalk Coasting Forbidden.
Aid. Mckinley said that many COM
plants of coasting on sidewalks had
come to him. There had been several
narrow escapes from accidents, md the
practice should be stopped. He moved
that the police be instructed to put a
stop to the practice. This was carried
unanimously.
Aid Coy recommended for the fire de-
partment committee that the storage
battery system for the fire alarm system
be used, as it will save money. He
moved that the committee, be authoriz-
ed to buy a motor and generator for
$l25. He said that the time for the pay
ments could be satisfactorily arranged
The motion was carried.
Aid. Coy reported that he had seen
Manager Buchholz of the Northwestern
Telephone Exchange, and that he had
promised to place the fire alarm wires
under ground with the telephone wires
This information pleased the council.
Aid. Jorgenson presented an ordinance
making it unlawful for any railroad com
pany to block the Main and Elm street
crossings for any length of time what
ever, and providing fine and imprison,
ment for violations of the ordinance.
AID Kleinschmidt thought The ordi
nance pretty stringent, and on his mo-
ton it was referred to the committee on
ordinances.
Fourth Street Park.
Aid. Schroeder brought up the matter
of the purchase of the North Fourth