The Mankato free press., 1904-10-28

street, instead of six feet wide. The
permission was given.
City Engineer Thompson said that
the Great Western road has not yet
fixed its cross walks, although the cross
ings are much used and very dangerous.
Aid. Coy stated that the railway Off
cials had promised faithfully to fix
the crossings promptly, and he did not
understand why it had not done so.
Aid. Jorgensen moved that the city
attorney notify the road to plank the
Poplar and Cherry street crossings the
full width. This was carried.
Aid. Kleinschmidt reported the result
of the conference held by the committee
on city property with the firemen in re-
gard to the use of the city hall for an
armory. The firemen were opposed to
giving up the hall. The band also uses
the room. The committee thought that
council had made mistake in voting to
turn the hall over to the militia COM
pany.
Aid. Jorgensen moved that the council
rescind its action in granting the third
floor of the city hall to the militia CON-
pany as an armory. This was carried.
Aid. Kleinschmidt moved that the
city pay $500 year to the company
in quarterly payments for rent of an
armory, the company to select its own
building. He said that it could get a
Location under the Glass Block for less
money than has been paid. The motion
was carried
Bids were opened for putting down a
well on Bunker hill. Only one bid was
and was from f. Lamb. He bid on
a six inch well, to be sunk to sufficient
depth to supply continuous flow of
water according to the specifications, and
he is to guarantee the well for five
years. The bid was accepted, and the
mayor and city recorder were authorized
to enter into a contract with Mr.. Lamb.
Aid. Jorgensen said that he was al
ways opposed to extending the present
system to the hill, but he thought that
the plan hit upon was good one, as the
well will be guaranteed and will fur
nish good water.
Aid. Coy said that the time will come
when water mains should be laid on
the hill
Aid. Jorgensen said that it would be
better to extend the mains down the hill
than up the hill, as formerly proposed.
Aid. Kleinschmidt said that a light
is needed on Minnesota street, at Pike.
The matter of this light and moving one
on Glenwood avenue was referred to the
committee on lights.
Aid. Coy wanted to know why the
lights on Fifth and Sixth streets are
not turned on when the others are turn
ed on. He said that the service is very
poor. The lights are alternately turn.
ed on and off. He thought that the
committee should look into this.
Aid. Jorgensen seconded this, and
spoke of the service as very poor. He
thought that the police should report the
lights out, and the city not pay for what
it is not getting.
Aid. Coy asked why people who have
had meters in and had a minimum rate
of So, would hereafter have to pay a
minimum rate of Sc.
President Porter said that people who
have one tap will have to pay dol
lar more but they can sprinkle their
lawns, have a bath tub, closets, etc.
and their water bills be no larger. Al
most every person with one tap has U.S.
ed it to sprinkle the lawn with, and
should have paid for lawn tap, but did
not. One sink tap at S. has been made
to furnish water for several purposes.
Aids. Kleinschmidt and Jorgensen
spoke of the meter rates established by
the board of public works. The former
did not think that the system would
pay unless the rates are changed. The
latter thought that it was an injustice
| to the small consumers to make a mini.
mum rate of fifty cents a month. Aid
Kleinschmidt moved that the board ex-
anime the rates charged in other cities
and revise their rates.
| President Porter made a statement
similar to that published by The Free
Press yesterday. He said that the board
has examined the rates charged in ev.
cry other city, and except for hall
dozen cities the rates charged in Man.
katO are the lowest. In order to get
any revenue it is necessary to fix mini
mum rate. At Grand Forks, n. D., the
minimum is fifty cents month for L..
600 gallons, whereas it is to be fifty
cents cents month for 1000 gallons in
Mankato. At Red Wing it is forty
cents for $50 gallons. The minimum rate
in other cities run from S. to SIS year
The city must raise certain amount
of money, and the question is how to
do it. The meter plan saves money to
consumers over the present rates and
they ought to be glad of that.
| Aid. Kleinschmidt said that the reason