The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-08-12

any other meeting of citizens. We will
not get street car line by taking sides.
Caution and care is necessary in grant
ing franchises. We should safeguard
our interests, and deliberate well. Inter
urban lines should be allowed to run
their cars to the center of the city, as
suggested by The Free Press. The pub
lie meeting recommended one company,
many people recommended the other
The council should not be carried away
by resolutions adopted by irresponsible
meetings of citizens, for the aldermen
will be forever commended or condemn
ed for what action is taken by the
council Mr.. Hance feels that line Is
needed in the city first more than along
farm road His ordinance provides
for work to go ahead more quickly than
the Willard franchise requires. The
council should not take sides, between
these two movements, but give them
both a chance. The Willard company asks
for a blanket franchise on the street,
which suggests suspicion. Mr.. Hance
asks rights only on certain streets.
When both franchises have been granted,
the council has done all it can to get
street car line. Mr. Andrews was ap-
plauded loudly.
Mr.. Willard Replies.
NJ G. Willard replied briefly to Mr..
Andrews. He said that Mr.. Andrews had
made good-speech as the paid attorney
of the other people. The whole matter
had been gone over at the citizens meet
ing Mr. Willard read letter from his
eastern hackers. He said that no cleo
trio roads are built for less than ten
to fifteen per cent for financing.
Mr. Eberhart said that he was sorry
that this matter had come up again.
His people had gone into the citizens
meeting with Mr.. Hance in good faith,
both agreeing to abide by the result of
the meeting. If Mr.. Hance's proposition
had been favored, Mr.. Wizards people
would have pulled out and worked for
it. The contract was drawn by Nc
Naughton & Scarf of New York, two of
the best lawyers in New York, and is
binding. The money has been arrang-
ed for and will be furnished. All of the
changes suggested by the council COM
mittee and the city attorney, in the or.
dinance, were accepted by the company
He did not think that Mr.. Hance's prop,
osition should be considered.
Nh. Hance Heard.
Mr. Hance denied that he had made
any such agreement. The rulings of
the chair at the citizens meeting were
very unfair to his side. If his men had
all been allowed to vote, the other side
would have been voted down so heavily
they would not have known they were
there. I come here, said Mr.. Hance, with
the only proposition to build road that
has yet come before the people. My men
are builders and not promoters. 1 never.
was in scheme in my life, and I told
my men thatiif the road was built dollar
for dollar 1 would help them. I agreed
to work for a, city line, and Mr.. Willard
for a country line, and we agreed to
keep off each others grass, and l have
lived up to it. We will build the line
this fall and have cars running before
January. If we can build the line for
five per cent, why build it and pay fif-
teen per cent? Mr.. Andrews is working
for nothing, the same as Mr.. Hixon and
1 have done. We have paid out nothing.
If the Willard proposition will go
through 1 will turn over my subscrip-
tion list to them, and I have worked
hard for it. I have man here who is
building a line in Fargo now, and i
would like to have you inspect that road
lany time All we want is a fair show
Justifes His Act.
Dr. ]. w. Andrews said Mr.. Hance was
one of his friends, Hbut he was more
interested in the city as whole than in
committee was duly appointed and has
done its work well. It's plan has been
in incubation for six months, and is just
ready to hatch, and that is why it came
out aat this time. Dr. Andrews stated
the agreement made prior to the citi-
zens' meeting, that the two sides come
together, and discuss their plans and
see which is the best and both stand
for the best. Afterwards, lEr. Hixon had
suggested that the citizens' meeting
would be best, and this was called. Mr..
Willard agreed to the meeting. Messrs.
Hance and Hixon agreed to stand by the
decision of that citizens meeting. DR..
Andrews stated why he had left the
chair to Address the meeting. He had
spent half has life and all his money
in Ma.nkato, more than $4,000 on the
corner of Second and Cherry streets.
This was his apology for stepping out
of the chair to speak on matter near
ks heart. He had been severely cEitizis-
ed for reading Gen. Widelrs letter. Gen.
Wldell is interested in heavy traffic,
suea as in stone. This is the unfair
ness that 1 am accused of said the
speaker. Mr.. Willard is no better friend
to me today than Mr.. Hance. The Dee
gan proposition does not mean a coun-
try line, which the Willard proposition
Does It is right to act fairly, but do
more for the $4,000 citizens of Mankato