The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-09-25
Members of Business Mems Associa.
ton Meet With City Fathers.
Try to Induce the Council to Continue
Present Lighting Service.
Proposition Is Received From a Fort
Wayne, Ind, Company.
Will Be Presented to the Aldermen
Tomorrow Night.
From Wednesdays Daily.

What is described by some as an in
formal meeting of the Mankato Business
| Mems association was held last evenin!
in the city hall. There were invited
guests present, also one or two who ha(
not been extended an invitation, they
happening to just drop in to see what
was going on. Four aldermen were pres
ent-Schroeder, Mckinley, Roemer anG
Coy. The electric lighting question was
up for consideration. 1t was in no sense
citizens meeting. 1t was a secret ses.
sion, and only those who were known tc
possess certain views on this important
matter were asked to attend. The al,
dermen were requested not to extend a
long time contract to any concern for
street lighting. M. G. Willard wanted
the aldermen to bear in mind the cleo
trio railway project, but others present
said that they had not met there to dis
cuss an electric railway proposition, but
they desired the council to award a
month tomonth Lightning contract to
any company that would be willing to do
it under those conditions until a NUM-
cipal plant could be constructed. The
speakers were not particular what kind
of light is given the city-electricity
gas, gasoline, kerosene, in fact ''any old
thing" as one of the members of the
Mankato Business Mems association ex-
pressed himself today when discussing
the meeting of last evening and some of
the things that were said there. The
members of the association who talked
to the aldermen said that they wanted
municipal plant built, and it was at
this stage of the game that Jay Henry
Long came to the front with a PROPOSE
ton that he had had concealed up his
sleeve all this time. 1t was in effect
that the Fort Wayne Electric company
is willing to build an electric lighting
plant in this city at cost of $4,000,
capable of furnishing 100 arc lights of
1000 candle power each, but will fur
nish no commercial lighting. The alder
men did not commit themselves upon the
municipal lighting proposition nor did
they express their approval of the Of
fer of the Fort Wayne Electric company.
The proposition will be formally made
to the council at its meeting tomorrow
night. 1t is proposed by the company
that the plant be built at the price stat
ed and that the city pay $25.25 per arc
light.
1t is beginning to dawn upon the peo-
pie that Mankato is liable to have thrust
upon it for another year the gasoline
lamps which have been the object OF
ridicule by strangers who have visited
the city. The majority of the people of
Mankato want the streets lighted by
electricity and they do not want any de-
Law in the matter, either All talk of a
municipal plant at this time is simply
an effort to divert the public mind from
the real question. Should the PROPOSE
ton of the Fort Wayne company be
accepted the private consumers of cleo
tricity would not receive any benefit of
reduction in prices.
Alderman Kleinschmidt did not at
tend the meeting. He did not consider it
the proper way to discus the lighting
question. He is not in favor of secret
sessions when an important matter is to
be considered Alderman Plymat was
out of the city.