The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-09-07

From Wednesdays Daily
Only about one-half of the number
of members required to make a quorum
appeared at the meeting of the CONNER
cial club last night, and the club could
not transact any business. yet it went
through the order of business informally.
President Hixon brought up the ever
interesting, though illusory, project for
street railway and told what its pres
cnt status is. He said: Il put up
proposition to few friends outside of
the state, and they agreed to furnish the
bulk of the money and build and equip
the road under certain conditions. They
want from $4,000 TO $4,000 more money
raised in Mankato, among from four to
seven men, who shall form a construction
company. Then, if the road can be built
at a certain price, and it seems likely
that it can, they will put up the balance
of the money required. They have fig
ured out the cost, and would put in a
car line having length of six to six and
a half miles.
Il have placed the matter before four
different men in Mankato with a view
to their going into the company, but l
have had no desire to get out and run
over town to find men who would 90 into
it. The parties who will furnish the
bulk of the money were reluctant to 60
into the enterprise, but finally agreed to
if could get a certain number of gentle
men here to 60 in. l have put it up to
four and if they want an electric railway
in Mankato they can have it, and it
they don't want = they needn't have
it. The source of the outside money is
sure 1t will not be furnished by any
body in the east OF by anybody who will
back out. All that stands between the
city and a road is $4,000 to 100000.
This sum will be safeguarded and should
prove a safe investment. l don't know
whether the four local men that l have
seen will accept the proposition, but L
will be better able to say in the next
few days.
F. NJ Currier asked whether the pro-
position had anything to do with private
lighting.
Lighting Not Essential.
Mr.. HiXon: Il am not in a position
to say as to that. That is matter that
will have to be worked out in detail but
think that the way that this matter
can be framed up it isn't material. L
have been given to understand on several
occasions that certain parties would do
certain things if the bulk of the money
was raised outside of the city. Unless
they have absolutely changed their minds
l don't see any reason why they should
not accept the present proposition. Pres
ident Edwards of the Lacrosse Street
Railway company made report on the
enterprise, and | shall have no obiec
ton to having it read at meeting of
the club as soon as it can be brought
about, although it was a personal report.
The report rather indicated that Man
katO has arrived at the point, where it
is OH the fence as to whether the invest
ment would be a paying one or not. If
the matter is organized in a way that
some of the owners of outside property
will be willing to put up some of their
property TO safeguard the investment
during the first two or three years, when
it would not be paying, this would JUS
tify the outside parties i'm furnishing a
sum of money. The proposition is fair
and businesslike one, and is the best that
the city has ever had / asked the out
side men as personal favor if they
wouldn't invest their money here, and
they stated in black and white that they
would invest a certain per cent of the
cost of the road They were not anxious
to do this, but would do so if some of
the people here would put up compare
t,rely small sum. | should think that
Mankato ought to be nearer having an
electric road now than at any time yet.
j doubt whether the road could be built
this fall unless ten per cent prem