The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-04-21
USE Of THE BR|DGE|
Street Car Company Would Run
Cars Across II.
Council Hesitates to Grant II
the Privilege.
Feeling of the Public on This
Point Desired.
Company Comedies Iron Poles
on Front Street.
From Tuesdays Daily.

Whether to allow the ManKalO anu
st. Peter Railway and Lighting COM
pany to run its cars across the Mime
sofa river bridge was the stumbling
block which prevented final action be-
ing taken last night in the ordinance
granting the company a franchise. The
council did not like to grant this right,
nor did it like to refuse it as long as
the company insisted that it was an i'm
portant feature of the franchise. This
provision did not appear in the ordi-
nance as originally presented, and was
not inserted until yesterday, when it
was interlined. No difficulty was had
in agreeing upon all other points in the
ordinance, but the bridge provision
proved too hard nut to crack, and the
second reading of the ordinance was
postponed until the regular meeting of
the council Friday night. In the mean
time the council wants to know what
the public thinks of granting the use OF
the present roadway across the bridge
for street car purposes. Parties called
up by telephone last evening by the al
dermen did not take kindly to the prop
osition.
The committee on ordinances present.
ed favorable report on the ordinance,
at the same time suggesting the follow
ing changes: That the track on Glen
wood avenue as far as the cemetery be
placed on the north side of the center of
the street instead of the south side;
that the company use a concretc bed
ding instead of ties for their track
wherever the streets are or are to be
paved i'm the near future; that the com.
pany place iron poles in place of wood
en- poles along Front street from Van
Brunt's slough to Vine street; and that
there shall be time limit as to cars
standing on tracks in alleys or streets.
c. n. Andrews spoke for the COM
pany, and conceded all of the points ex-
cept that of the iron poles on Front
street, and asked that the latter be left
to the city engineer. The company had
written to st. Paul for information on
this point, and had been advised that
iron poles are not as desirable as wood
en- poles. Electricity is apt to get in
to iron poles. Wooden poles can be
made to look about as nice as iron
poles. As to the concrete, it was the
desire to make the cest possible con-
struction, whatever that was. The ordi
nance might be left as it is on this.
Ii. E. Hanee, replying to a question
by AID. Schroeder, said that iron poles
cost 81 and S., whether imbedded in &c.
ment or not, and that wooden poles
cost only $3.50 each
City Engineer Thompson was asked
his opinion and said that he had always
considered the iron poles more orna-
mental and lasting longer, and at the
same time taking up less room.
1t was stated that there were six
poles to the block, so that the difference
would be about $780,
Mr.. Andrews said that if this was the
only difference, it would be satisfactory
to use iron poles. 1t was feared that
the cost would be over $4,000 st. Paul
officials had said that iron poles cost
four or five times as much as wooden
poles. If the latter cost 81, iron poles
would cost $40.
Aid. Atcnison suggested that iron
poles be used from Byron street to
Rock.
Mr.. Andrews thought that this would
be satisfactory.
City Engineer Thompson stated that
in some places ties have loosened the
pavement. The best construction now
days is to put the ties four feet
apart with concrete between He sug-
gested that this matter might be left |
10 lne JuuSlleHC VI the council anu |
board of public works. This was salts
factory to the company, said Mr.. An
drews.
Aid. Schroeder asked whether it was
not intended to build the power house
in Mankato. Nothing is said about it
in the franchise.
Mr. Andrews said that there was no
objection to the council specifying that
a power mouse shall be built in Manka-
to and properly equipped.
Aid. Heinze asked whether it was
known what streets the car line would
be on. Mr.. Andrews said that it had
b"en determined only in general way.
AID Schroeder asked in regard to the
provision whereby the ear line is per-
mtted to cross the Minnesota river
bridge. He did not know whether the
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