The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-12-21
Aldermen Give In to the
Property Owners.
ADJUST THE GRADING DEAL
L .fry tie Roadway Matter Comes Up
at spt ciai Meeting Of the Ccu1-
Gil Last Night.
From Thursdays Daily.

The council held special meeting last
night, with all of the members present
and Mayor Taylor presiding, and took
up the Lafayette street matter again.
Today is the last day for taking adj
vantage OF the ten per cent discount,
and it was represented that if the cOun-
cil would make a reduction in the as
sessment it would avoid litigation and
! the property owners would pay up
promptly. The council acquiesced, be-
cause it felt that the property owners
still have an unfinished street. The as
sessment before making the reduction
was $S3 lot, but now it is about 500.
The street committee, through Aid.
Atchison, reported that it had met with
the board of public works and that it
had been decided to recommend that
the city pay 5000 of the cost of grad
ing the street. Some of. the property
owners do not think this enough. How
ever, the contract was by the yard and
the amount of dirt was moved as
claimed.
Judge w. L. Comstock appeared for
some of the property owners and sug-
gested that both sides concede some
thing. He said that the grade as made
in no way conforms with the profile
adopted by the council. The property
owners will not pay the assessment as
made, but will pay what they consider
reasonable one. The street will have
to be graded again before permanent
grade is made. He suggested that the
council deduct twenty per cent from
the gross amount of the contract, which
was 1920. The difference between
this and the proposal of the committee
was slight.
Aid. Atchison said that the city had
expended 5000 on the street in addition
to the contract price, which would mean
donation of $500 under the commit
tees offer. Still, the committee felt
that the property owners had not gotten
their moneys worth.
Judge Comstock said that if the city
would suspend the assessment and place
the street where the profile calls for,
the property owners would pay the en-.
tire assessment. ~ -f~ t.''S
Aid. Hampl moved that the property
owners be assessed S66 lot, which was
the full amount with twenty per cent
off "h3#'-' '"73f
Aid. Heinze asked how many of the
property owners would pay under such
ain arrangement.
Mr.. Comstock said that he represent
ed some of the larger property owners,
and that number of the smaller ones
would be guided by what these did.
W. H. Gary said that he thought
that every property owner would come
in. along the entire five blocks.
Aid. Hampl moved that a reduction of
twenty per cent be made, being $249.S0
off, leaving $0992O to be assessed. This
was carried.
Aid. Hampl said that the Swedish
church at the corner of Front and La
fayette streets is small and poor one
and wants the assessment RENTED, as
it is unable to pay it. He moved that
an order for half of the assessment be
drawn, and this was carried.
Aid. Heinze said that he understood
that some of the members are well off.
1t establishes bad precedent. The city
is about as poor as anyone Every time
such thing is done it puts the bars
down for more action of the same kind
Aid. Hampl said that most of. the
members have moved away, and the
church had borrowed money. and the
minister had himself worked on the
church building steadily.
Aid. Atchison said that he felt much
like Aid. Heinze, but the case of this
church was a pathetic one. He could
not see where the church was benefited
much by the improvement.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Judge Comstock thanked the city for
the reduction made, on behalf OF the
property owners.