The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-04-21
WILL RECEIVE BIDS
Heating Plants to Be install ed
in the Buildings.
WestMankato- Franklin Schools
to Be Supplied.
Interesting Discussion Relative
to Improvement.
Messrs. Currier and Fletcher
Engage in Talk.
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily
committee on property and expense of
the school board for heating plants to
be put into the West Mankato and
Franklin school buildings. The commit
tee received instructions to this effect at
last nights meeting of the school board.
Plans and specifications will be secured
by the committee from competent
architect and the bids will be advertised
for on these plans and specifications.
In this way an intelligent comparison
of the bids will be possible by the board
members.
The board reserves the right to re-
iuct any and all bids. The bids are
wanted mainly for the purpose of de-
termining what will be the exact cost
of making the desired improvements.
There is no certainty that the board will
Immediately 60 ahead with the work of
getting the plants in.
Six of the seven members present at
the meeting last evening, Messrs. Cur
rier, Hughes, Comstock and Keysor,
Mrs. Smith and DIR. Davis, favored this
program Mr. Fletcher alone held out
against it. He was not in favor of adj
vertising for bids before the board knew
whether it wanted the plants put in OF
plants could be obtained without the
bids.
The board also instructed the commit
tee on property apd expense to inter
view the board Of puolic works and see
what the city is willing to do in the
matter of extending sewer and water
connections to the Franklin school build
ing. On this proposition there was no
disagreement.
The committee on property and eX
pense consisted of DR.. Davis, Mr.. Cur
rier and Captain Keysor. These gentle
men have already made some investiga-
ton into the conditions of things at the
two schools, and quite discussion of
the situation took place last evening.
At present there is in the improve
ment fund $3,0937S This money, Mr.
Fletcher reminded the board. was raised
for tho ,,,,rnoSo of builJ;pr on addition
to the Franklin school, whenever that
should be needed. The money should
not be used for any other purpose. He
did not believe in going into debt for
the proposed improvements. If they
must be made. the board should wait
until it had the money. He was in
clined to think the heating plants were
not necessary. The two schools have
gotten along with the stoves for many
years. Why can they not continue with
stoves? He did not wish to see any
bonds issued. Whatever improvements
were determined upon should be paid
for out of money raised directly by tax
alton. If necessary, let an additional
levy be made, but no bonds issued.
An estimate was made of the relative
cost of the present mode of heating the
two buildings and what it would cost
to run steam heating plants, and it was
found that the steam method would
cost about one third more Mr.. Currier
remarked that modern ways of doing
things are often more expensive than
the old fashioned methods. In the DAYS
when people were content to ride in
lumber wagons, they had their means
of conveyance cheaper than they have