The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-05-27
Street Commissioner Proposition Is
a Hard Nut to Crack.
Fear Expressed That One Would
Prove Expensive to City.
Charter Commission Delays Final
Action on This Point.
City to Pay for Paving Street Infersec
tions and Along City Property.
From Fridays Daily.

The charter commission met last
night with ten members present, but did
not make much progress. The most
knotty problem in the preparation of
the new charter has been reached, that
of the manner in which the board of pub
lie works shall be constituted. As pre-
pared by the sub committee, the chap
ter relating to this subject makes the
board of public works composed of a
president, engineer and street commits
sioner The street commissioner is to
draw salary of $500 year, the same
as the president of the board.
At first thought, it struck all of the
members that street commissioner
would be a good thing and would result
in more street work being done for the
money. Upon investigation and reflection,
however, some of the members have
come to the conclusion that to create the
office of street commissioner would be to
merely add another salaried officer to
the list, and throw the bars down for
the doing of a large amount of street
work that either is unnecessary or
should be assessed against the property
owners. 1t is known that aldermen in
the past, when there was street COM
missioner, could not resist the tempta-
ton to have him do work for them with
out bringing the matter to the attention
of the council, and it is feared that this
will be the case again. 1t is also feared
by some that to have a street commits
sioner a member of the board would re-
suit in a dangerous division of authori-
ty that would bring only line of evils,
wrangling and general unpleasantness.
At the invitation of Chairman Currier,
City Engineer Thampson appeared be-
fore the commission last night and gave
his views upon the matter. He said that
when the last street commissioner re-
signed four years ago, out of Difference
to the wishes of the council and in the
interest of economy he had taken up the
duties of street commissioner in addition
to his other work, and experience had
shown that it did not add much to his
work, as he had as city engineer to visit
the men at work several times day, or
as often as the street commissioner did.
He was willing to continue to do this
work, and thought that street COM
missioner as proposed would be an ex-
pensive thing for the city. He thought
that the best results are obtained where
there is Capitalization of authority,
and cited St. Paul, where the street COM
missioner system has been superseded by
placing one of the engineers in charge.
In a place of the size of North Mankato,
a street commissioner is a necessity.
Mr.. Thompson said that the best plan
is for the board of public works to have
authority to hire a good man for street
commissioner, with the consent of the
council at such times as the services of
one are needed, which is three or four
months during the summer, and 60 with
out one at other times of the year. Most
of the time there would be absolutely
nothing for street commissioner to do.
The city has never had commissioner
who did any actual work himself, nor
would a commissioner do it who was a
member of the board of public works.
The chances are that some elderly man
who has done political service for the
party would get the appointment, and
it could not be expected that he would
go out on cold winter days and inspect
the hydrants or chop ice off of the walks
while the other members were at work
in their warm offices. Even if he did
that, lower priced men could do the
work as well or better. What is needed
is young, active man who can be hired
by the city when needed. With the
street commissioner a member of the
board, it would be but short time be-
fore the city would have to get him a
horse, making additional expense.
Mr.. Thompson was questioned in re-
gard to the work of the office, and af-
ter he had retired, the discussion of
the matter was resumed. Several of the