The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-12-27


first protest that lower town had
ever made to the council.
Fred Day said that Willow street
was once fine street. That end oil
town liked parks and well kept bonle,
wards, not coal sheds in the center
of streets.
Goes After EN-.
S. b. Wilson said,that he would like
to introduce testimony. 1t had beer
reported that the, council had already
decided TO grant the petition. If the
aldermen privately Represented the gas
company or railroad company they do
not do it as officials. If necessary, the
vacation is to be resisted. There is
an appearance OF a Woodchuek in the
matter. The corporations can afford
to buy the land that they need. These
corporations live on the people, whose
servants the aldermen are supposed to
be. Something valuable is proposed to
be given away. One man had offered
$500 for the land sought for the gas
company. 1t is a serious question
whether there is any relief if the
council passes the resolution. This
council had refused to vacate the
stub end of an alley which no one
had even trod upon since the begin
ming of time, and the vacation had to
be secured through the courts. Yet the
council is ready to hand away the
rights of the city because the gas
company asks it and for no other
reason. If the council would vacate
Locke street, he would guarantee to
erect a house within sixty days that
would cost twice what the coal shed
will cost, and leave a twenty foot
alley and give bond. The railroad
company gets fifteen or twenty feet
under this resolution. Had it not been
for the timely advice of the city at
torney, the council would have passed
a resolution to vacate half the street
to the railroads, as motion had been
made to pass this. He wished to take
the sworn testimony of two or three
witnesses, and he had the court re-
porter present to take. the testimony.
Resolution Amended.
City Attorney Schmitt presented the
amended resolution. 1t required that
the twenty feet be perpetually main
tanned, and that the company give a
bond for $4,000.
Aid. Gary moved that the resolution
as amended be adopted. He said that
the council had not decided what it
would do.
Mr.. Wilson asked for permission to
testimony.
Aid. Atchison said that he did not
want to be bluffed or bulldozed. Only
Two residents were present Mt the
previous hearing, and the aldermen
we're led to believe that there was lit
lie opposition.
Mr.. Henline said that the people
lid not hear of the matter before.
Aid. Atchison asked whether they did
not read the papers, or whether their
alderman did not inform them
Aid. Mahowald said that he had to
70 from house TO house to arouse
interest among the people. Aid. Brad
ey had promised him to vote against
he petition, and yet at the last
Meeting he had voted to grant it.
Bow to Public Opinion.
AID. Bradley said that he had prom
sed AID Mahowald that If there was
opposition to the petition he would
stand by him. There had seemed to
pc no opposition, but now it APP
)eared that there was, and he was
prepared to make his word good.
AID. Eichstaedt said that as the
natter now looks, with the strong OPP
he would vote against the
application.
Aid. Atchison said that the only
,wo persons who had interviewed him
against the resolution were Aid. Ma
lowald and Mr.. Wilson.
Jacob Wagon said that nothing had
,een expected from Aid. Atchison, be-
ause he was an upper town man, or
rom Aid. Bradley, because he worked
or a railroad. The second ward ex.
,ected that the other aldermen would
onsider that the second ward alder
nan represented the wishes of that
ward and that it was unnecessary for
he ppdflp tn turn ont
Mayor Andrews rebuked this senti-
nent, saying that the aldermen were
I'll elected to represent the entire city.
Aid. Gary said that notices of both
hearings had been published, but no
opposition had developed until today.
There was not going to be snap
Judgment. He did not think that any
alderman had been bought. If. the
opposition had come up two months
lgo, the matter never would have pro-
crossed this far.
Frank Jefferson said that nobody
lad showed up before, because they
that there were not enough
votes to carry the vacation.
AID. Schroeder did not favor giving
| street away.
Application Withdrawn.
r. E. Brown said that he would
the application, as there was
such opposition.
Mr.. Schmitt said that the petition
could not be withdrawn.
Aid. Mahowald moved that the Pc
.ition be denied.