The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-08-12
Work Has Been Stopped on 1t
For Several Weeks.
Hopes Entertained 1t Will Be
Completed This Fall.
1t Will Be a Well Built Line,
With No Local Aid.
Senator Eberhart Returns--Will
Meet Bond Men.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
Senator A. o. Eberhart returned this
forenoon from his trip to Fargo, N. D.,
where he went for the purpose of in
vestigating the devices and material
used in the construction of the street
railway line there. He came back with
fund of information, which he impart-
ed at a meeting of the Mankato Rail-
way, Light and Power company's direc-
tors this afternoon.
Senator Eberhart states that the line
at Fargo will run across the river to
Moorhead, and will be eleven miles long
in all. The two cities combined have
population of 1900, but are compact
ly built and the car line intends to do
only a passenger business. -Four or
FIVE miles of the line has been built thus
far, and the eastern people who are
building it say that it will be complet
ed and put into operation this fall.
Work has been at standstill for sew
eral weeks, because of lack of money
and on account of defects in the fran
chises in the two cities. The Fargo
franchise expired Aug. LIST, but will be
renewed. Moorhead gave the company
franchise for only ten years, and the
company has demanded that this be
made twenty years. This change has
been made 1t is expected that the finan-
cial difficulties will be arranged.
The road as far as it has gone seems
to be very well constructed one. There
are to be two large loops in Fargo and
one in Moorhead. The power house is
located between the cities, on the river
bank, and is large and fine building.
Fargo has twenty-five blocks of paving
and on those streets seven inch standard
T rails are used, but on the unpaved
streets four and half inch standard T
rails are used. Mr.. Eberhart found that
it would be cheaper for the Mankato
company to put in the larger rails on
the start, in anticipation of paving,
rather than wait and replace the rails
later on when the paving is done.
The road will cost when completed
$l65, 900, and the citizens of Fargo and
Moorhead were not asked to take a dol
lar of stock or bonds. All that was
asked of them were the franchises. Mr..
Eberhart believes that it would have
been better to have allowed the home
people to have had an interest in the
road, for as it is now they seem to
be Indifferent about it. He considers the
proposition in this city the better one
of the two, for the freight business
here will be a large source of revenue,
not to mention the lighting and power,
while the Fargo company depends entirely
upon the passenger service for an in
come.
None of the cars have yet been deliv-
cred, but they are to be made by the
Niles Car company of Niles, Ohio, and
are to be thirty-two feet long, electric
lighted, heated and vestibuled, and with
press buttons to signal the motorman.
The cars will cost $4,000 each, and will
have cross seats. They will be up to
date. The power house will cost $4,000,
the boilers $4,000, the electrical machin-
cry, engines and generators $4,000, and
the pump and connection with the river
$4,000. There is to be a single track
with number of turnouts. Enough
cars will be run to care for the service
nicely.
The officers of the Mankato Railway,
Light and Power company have received
a letter from President Norvale of the
Municipal Bond and Securities company,
asking that one of the officers 60 to
New York to meet the people there and
contract with the construction company.
President Eberhart expects to go there
next week, and he expects that the rep
resentatives of the New York company
will return with him. Mr.. Norvale
writes that the work of construction
will begin this fall.
Mr. Eberhart will visit Fond du Lac,
Wis.,, and several Iowa cities to gain in
formation in regard to interurban lines,
especially their freight carrying bust
ness.
The Mankato Railway, Light and
Power company will accept an amend
ment to the ordinance passed by the
council last Friday night granting it
franchise. This amendment will pro-
vide for FORGETTING the franchise in case
it's provisions are not complied with.
The st. Paul street railway ordinances
all have the forfeiture clause, but it seems
that none of the ordinances heretofore
adopted in this city have had it, and for
this reason one was not passed Friday