The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-05-13
Board of Trade Starts a Good Move
at Todays Session.
Will Ask the Farmers Of Adjacent
Towns to Meet Here.
Purpose Is to Discuss Best Means OF
Highway Improvement.
Other Matters Talked Over This Morn
ing BY Directors.
From Tuesdays Daily.

From Tuesdays Daily.
Good roads was the main topic taken
nm nv the board of trade this morning.
Geo. E. Brett preached the subject and
called attention to the fact that the
board had committee on good roads.
This committee was found to consist OF
M. B. Haynes, George NJ. Palmer and
A. G. Meyer. The Business Mems as
ISOLATION had appointed "a committee to
work along with the board OF trade on
this project. 1t was now in order for
the two committees to work In con-
junction for the cause of good roads.
Funds were to be raised to improve the
roads around the city. Town boards
were to be encouraged to do something
for their own roads. The roads within
the city limits should be mended too.
The committeeman sioG!1 go around
among the various town boards close to
Mankato and see what could be done.
Mr.. Currier said sentiment for bet
ter roads legislation should be talked
up among the farmers. The farmers hat
ed to give up the privilege of working
out their road taxes. They should be
made to understand. that they would
have first chance at being hired to work
on the roads, if the road tax should be
paid exclusively in money.
M. G. Willard and NJ. B. Haynes spoke
along the same line, and with the same
sentiments.
On Mr.. Curriers' motion, the board in
structed the secretary to invite farm
.ers from Lime, Nankato and South
Bend townships, and also from Belgrade
if he saw fit, to meet with the board of
trade two weeks hence and talk over
the subject of good roads. The meet
ing is to be held at nine o'clock in the
morning as usual.
Mr.. Andrews spoke in approval OF the
scheme of Nyquist & Iverson of putting
aside one per cent of their sales for
good roads fund. He thought it would
be well if the other merchants would
follow suit,
Mr.. Brett said he was willing to give
$50 per year for the next five years, if
necessary, but he did not like the idea
of giving certain percentage of the
sales. Still, such a scheme would be
very effective if it could be put into
practice over the city generally. 1t
would require no great sum to get
the work for good roads effectively
started. The sum of $500 would do it.
Carl Dice thought the state legisla-
ture ought to provide for the working
of good roads by convict labor, just as
is effectively done today in Kentucky,
Georgia and Tennessee. Besides good
roads at cheap rate, such system
could have the effect of very materially
lessening crime. No convict would like
to meet old acquaintance when he was
working on the road with chain and
ball hanging to him.
On motion of Mr.. Brett the board vot-
ed to invite the merchants committee
on good roads to be present at the same
meeting of the board, to which the farm
ers are to be invited. 1t is understood
that the committees of the two COM
mercial bodies are to work in conf june
ton.
C. N. Andrews moved that the board
express its approval of the action of the
city council in taking steps looking to
the paving of Front street.
Mr.. Currier said such big improve
ments should not be carried on without
a petition in their favor signed by the
majority of the property owners affect
ed. 1t was the departure from this time
honored precedent that was the real
cause of the disgrace of Broad street.
Carl Dice said such petition had been
circulated and that he believed that a
majority of the property owners had
already signed. That matter would be
taken care Of The paving of Front
street would be a signal for similar ac
ton in other parts of the city. Ad
iacent streets would soon be paved il
consequence.
Mr.. Andrews remarked that it was
so seldom that majority of property
owners could be secured in favor OF any
big street improvement that many gooe
citizens believed that the council would
be justified in some cases in going ahead
with improvements, even if majority
of the owners affected should be opposed
to such improvements. The necessity il
the case of Front street was simply
overwhelming
Mr.. Andrews motion, commencing
what the council had done, was adopt
ed.
Mr.. Currier opened discussion of tn
proposed overhead bridge at Main stree
He would not like to see such bridge
There was no necessity for it and i
would be an eyesore besides being yer,