The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-08-05
Citizens Recommend Trolley
Line Proposition to Council
Matter of Bond Left to the
Judgment of Aldermen.
Lengthy Discussion of Electric
Railway Question.
Hixon-Hance Scheme Presented
Had Many Backers.
From THURSDAYS Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
NJ. G. Willard and his associates won
out last evening on the street car prop
osition The plan on which Henry E.
Hance and w. L. Hixon have been work
ing was not approved, after a four
hour debate The program of Mr.. Will
ard stands as the preference of the joint
meeting of the Mankato Business Mems
associat ton, the board of trade and the
other citizens that gathered last eve-
ming, about two hundred strong in all, in
the board of trade room.
The main point on which Mr.. Willard
carried the day was that he had things in
definite shape His side was already ask
ing for a franchise. An agreement in
black and white had already been made
with the fnanciers with whom his peo-
pie had been negotiating. The Hance-
Hixon people, on the other hand, had not
yet raised the money that would be
necessary to carry their idea through,
but they believed they could gather the
balance. They had no contract with
their eastern connections.
Furthermore, the Willard people stood
ready to build road not only in the
city but also to Madison Lake and st.
Clair. The other party simply said that
Mr.. Deegan said he would branch out
from the city line as soon as that was
completed.
The vote by which the Willard prop
position was recommended to the city
council was ample. Nevertheless, the
greatest of respect was shown by the
meeting for Mr.. Hance and Mr.. Hixon.
The citizens showed that they appre-
ciated the hard work that Mr.. Hance and
Mr. Hixon had done for the good of
the. city. The speeches of these two
hustlers were all heartily applauded.
The meeting was called to order by
T.
ed chairman for the evening, and B. c.
Taylor secretary. DIR. Andrews took the
chair and explained the purpose of the
gathering, namely, to decide between the
two railway propositions on which a
vast deal of work had been done.
W. L. Comstock introduced set of
IL -
limit the right to vote to the members
of the two commercial bodies, the SUBJ
scribers for bond purchase, and the MEM
bers and stockholders of Mr.. Wizards
company. Mr.. Comstock urged that only
those who are directly interested in the
issue should have the right to vote in
the choice between the two railway prop
ositions. The resolutions recommended
that bond be required as guaranty of
good faith.
]. B. Ogle opposed the resolutions on
account of that provision.
He thought the whole body of the citi-
zens as far as they had seen fit to turn
out should have a voice in this matter.
Mr. Ogle talked for harmony, and said
that all should work together for the best
interest of Mankato The resolutions
were also opposed on the same ground
by NJ. G.. Willard and A. o. Eberhart
They were finally laid upon the table.
M. G. Willard now took up the cud-
gels for his side. He recounted the his
tory of the origin and development of
his proposition. He told how, year
and a half ago, the board of trade had
appointed committee to look into the
feasibility of establishing street rail-
way in Mankato The committee had
elected him chairman. The committee
had voted to give nothing out to the
newspapers, until the chairman should
deem the time ripe for an announcement
of the proposition. Mr.. Willard went or
day after day, travelling, writing letters
trying every possible means to get out
side street car men and capitalists in
terested. Failure succeeded failure, ant
still he worked ahead. He also urged
his plan upon other citizens of Man
kato Ten of them made up their mind:
to do something. A corps of surveyor!
figured out a route. Engineer Osca
Claussen of st. Paul was employed t.
figure out whether an interurban pas
senger and freight line would pay, and h
reported that it would. AS result,
proposition was received from the NUM-
,cipal Bond & Securities company o
New York city.
Mr.. Willard said the combination o
circumstances was so favorable nov
that he actually believed that the ham
of Providence was behind his street ca
enterprise.
Mr.. Willard showed grip full of let
tiers, maps and documents attesting t
the long and patient efforts he ha
made to bring matters to their presen
phase.
"After the battle of Lookout Noun
: tain, a wounded Union soldier rar
trembling with excitement, to headquart
ers, and without saluting, burst out: 81
was God that did it! It was God tina
did it! tell you, general, it was Al