The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-02-24
But 1t Has Money to Pay St.
joseph's Water Bill.
Aldermen Are Deaf to Appeal OF
German lutherans.
Adverse Action on the Schmitt-
Young Account.
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
The council met last night and trans
abted considerable business, although
negative action or no action at all was
taken on the more important matters
before it. Mayor Taylor presided, and
all of the aldermen except Aid. Roemer
were present Aid. Roemer was re-
ported as recovering nicely from his re-
cent severe illness.
Aid. Jorgensen spoke of the bill for
SS7.S for water for st. Joseph's hos
pital. He said that the records showed
that the county last year paid the hos
pital 81 300 for the care of poor. He
thought that the hospital should pay a
part if not the whole of its water bill.
Aid. Coy asked what had been the
custom in regard to this, and it was
stated that the council had always paid
the bill.
Aid. Kleinschmidt moved that the bill
be allowed, and this was unanimously
carried. DR.. j. w. Andrews was pre-
sent to speak in favor of the bill, had
it been necessary.
Aid. Jorgensen brought up the mat
ter of the bill of Messrs. Young and
Schmitt, for their work in preparing the
new charter, and suggested that the bill
was perhaps not any more legal than
the hospital water bill, and yet it SEEM
ed right that the attorneys should have
something.
Aid. Kleinschmidt said that the bill
was for the benefit of the two attor-
neys on the commission. The other
members might also be deserving of
pay. Under the opinion of the attor-
ney general he did not see how the
council could allow the BILL He there
fore moved that it be laid on the table.
This was carried, three to two, Aids.
Jorgensen and Mckinley voting no.
On petition of the property owners,
that part of Fifth street between
Spring street and Madison avenue was
taken out of the sprinkling district. 1t
is the part of the street that has been
graveled.
On motion of Aid. Kleinschmidt, the
board of public works, the street COM
mittee and the city engineer were in
structed to prepare plans and advertise
for bids for putting the ice breakers in
shape. 1t was thought that the work
should be done at once.
Park Superintendent Blake said that
he had made observations for the gov
eminent, and had been surprised to find
that the ice is thin and rotten where the
snow was left on and apt to break up
early. The ice is only nine inches thick
and his chisel went right through.
The matter of printing the proposed
new city charter was brought up by
Aid. Schroeder and was discussed. Aid.
Jorgensen suggested that synopsis of
the changes from the present charter
might be published in the papers, to
save expense
City Attorney Daley stated that the
charter commission had felt that it
preferred the provision of the present
charter relating to assessments to the
state law, and had asked the council to
pay the expenses of a committee to st.
Paul to lobby for the passage of the
bill to allow this. Since then the SUI
preme court has held that the commits.
sion can retain the provision of the
present charter if it wants to. This
is an important matter and he thought
that the commission would rather have
the charter fixed as its own wishes had
been expressed.
DIR. Andrews asked whether the COM
mission could now make the change.
Mr.. Daley did not think that it could
recall the document from the council
without grave legal question arising.
1t could frame up another charter in
Guiding the present provision for assess
ments with very little trouble.
No action was taken on the matter.
Aid. Coy, for the committee on wat
erworks, reported that the petition for
extending the water mains up Glenwood
avenue 500 feet cannot be granted at
present, owing to a lack of money in
the fund after other work that has been
laid out has been done.
Aid. Mckinley reported that nothing