The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-06-12
City Council Takes Quick Action on a
Very important Proposition.
Mayor TayIor's Protest Is Given a Cold
Reception by the Aldermen.
Improvement Which Will Cost Nearly
$4,000 Is Rushed Through.
Speed of Bubbles" to Be Regulated
Other Doings by dads"
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
In the face of strenuous opposition
from Mayor Taylor the city council last
night decided to lay water mains on the
ment at his command to prevent the
adoption of a motion that gave the board
OF public works the power to proceed
with the improvement, and he was back
Ell up by City Engineer Thompson, who
considered the move ill-advised. But
Aid. Coy had the majority of the alder
men well in favor of his project and his
pleadings We're not made in vain. Sew
eral years ago the residents of the hill
district asked the council for water
mains, but the opposition proved too
strong at that time and the council did
not grant the request. AID. Coy appears
to have been more successful: but now
the question arises where is the money
to come from to pay for this improve
ment, which is sure to cost between
$1,000 and $4,000? No provision was
made for the purchase of the pipe needed
and no money was turned over to the
water works fund. The board of public
works has the instructions of the coun-
ell but how can they be carried out
There's the rub. The aldermen seemed
to have overlooked this important part
of the program last night. Mayor Tay
lor remarked on the side that the treas
ury had not been got at yet, and prob
ably would not be.
Aid. Coy brought up the matter of the
laying of watermains on the hills. He
stated that the wells in the territory
are practically useless; that the district
can be supplied by water from the res
ervoir. 1t was recommended that six
inch pipe be laid for the reservoir on
certain streets to Highland park. Aid.
Coy hoped that the council could produce
modern Moses who could strike a rock
from which the water would eush forth.
Thirty residents on the hill agree to take
water
Aid. Plymat made a motion that the
report be adopted and that the board
OF public works be instructed to proceed
with the work.
Aid. Coy reported that the cost of lay
ing the pipes would be in the neighbor
hood of So cents per foot. The report
submitted by the alderman called for
the laying of mains, beginning at the
reservoir extending along Mulberry to
Hinckley street, along Hinckley to
Hanna, on Hanna to Pearl, ON Pearl to
Beech, on Beech to Glenwood avenue, on
Glenwood to intersection of Hanover and
Parry streets, along Parry to Bunker
hill road and thence to Highland park.
Mayor Taylor thought it would be well
to find out if the city is "hooked up" for
money to pay for such an improvement.
Aid. Plymat said there is $4,000 in the
water works sinking fund and he did
not consider it was advisable to let
money lie idle when it is needed to
make an improvement. He was sure
that water on the hill would cause peo-
pie to live there. The frontage tax dur
ing the ten years would more than pay
the expense of the Improvements.
Mayor Opposes Quick Action
Mayor Taylor was opposed to such
quick action.
Engineer Thompson questioned wheth-
er water would run through the pipes
for such a distance. He might be able
to shorten up the route. The engineer
said too, that during afternoons and
evenings in the summer time the water
in the reservoir does not reach within
seven or eight feet of the top of the
reservoir. This was matter to be con-
sidered. If the water failed to reach
the pipe consumers would not be bene-
fitted. Engineer Thompson said that it
would not do to argue this point too
much as this could be done somewhere
else.
Mr.. Coy could not see why the city
should deprive the hill residents of the
necessaries of life.
The mayor held his ground, claiming
that such an undertaking should be prop
erly considered and investigated.
Aid. Coy was of the opinion that the
water could be elevated with use of