The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-04-19

Ii. A. Patterson 3, III. Zimmerman ,Jr. |.
~. X. Brandrup |, Charles X. Otto |.
Mr.. Funk moved that the three re-
ceiving the highest number of votes be
declared elected, and this was carried.
Street Railway Situation.
Mr.. Jackson asked as to the status
of the street railway matter.
Mr.. lliNon said that the capitalists
are now waiting on the local people, in
stead of the local people OH the capi.
tai, as heretofore The city must be
liberal. He had met IL gentleman the
other day~who is to furnish $4,000 OF
the money, and he had demurred to the
amendment cutting out the Minnesota
river bridge, as being the best part OF
the franchise. This is the bondhoders'
view, as opposed to the peoples view,
and shows that the latter must be lib
craL 1t shows what the promoters are up
against, from both sides. This man re-
ferred to thought that Mankato was in.
different to the street railway PROPOSE.
ton, and that the city was in luck to
get Il chance to get the road, when there
are so many other ways to invest in
these tight times. 1t took two hours
to convince this man to stay by his
proposition. One of the other heavy III
vestors has his views moulded pv the
first mentioned The people of Mankato
are taking no risk; it is the people who
put i'll the money who are taking the
risk. All other franchises heretofore
granted have been hawked all over the
United States without result. If We
bubble over terms now, when the money
is waiting, we will be bucking our own
interests. 1t has been a difficult prop
Osition to secure an electric line, and
unless it is backed up more literally we
are going to lose it. 1t is the most i'm.
portant matter that has come before the
club There has been $35, 900 to 10000
raised, and unless the council hatly re.
fuses to grant fair franchise the
speaker did not see how the matter
could fail. tApplause.)
Up to the Council.
Mr.. Brett Then the matter is up to
the Jcouncil!"
Mr.. Hixon: "Yes, sir"
Prof. Brandrup moved that commit.
tee of. five be appointed to meet with
the council and take the stand that the
club wants the council to grant liberal
franchise.
Knockers Outnumber Boosters.
Mr.. lliXon said that he was convinced
that each alderman wants a street rail
way i'll Mankato, but he had been i'll
formed by one or two aldermen that
they had been seen by hundred peo-
pie i'll opposition to the franchise. lie
had suggested as many amendments as
he thought might be accepted by the i'll
vestOrs, but he had done it entirely on
his own responsibility and could not
vouch that they would be accepted by
the investors. The aldermen said that
there was strong protest against any
franchise being granted, while hardly a
voice had been raised in its favor This
looked as though the sentiment of the
city was against the proposition. Mr..
HiXOn said that he was convinced that
if the Misunderstanding clause and all
was submitted to a vote of the people
it would receive 95 per cent of the vote.
The people want it--but at the council
meetings only the other side is heard.
Some honestly oppose it, but the view
point of the people as a rule is far diff
fercnt from that of the investor. 1t
is Il big undertaking to get an electric
line-it takes Il lot of fighting. Those
who are opposed to it make the loudest
noise. 1t is always SO. The Collins fran
chise was 100 per cent more liberal than
the one now before the council. 1t
granted lighting contract of 100 lights
at SIP year for two years, or $ll2,-
600. A mass meeting demonstrated that
this franchise be granted. There is no
city lighting contract clause in the pres
ent franchise, the bridge clause has been
stricken out, and yet a thousand Objec-
tions have been raised and thousand
are still to be raised.
North Mankato Wants 1t.
w. E. Stewart asked why it was that
all of the objections to the use of the
bridge were made on this side of the
river North Mankato cannot be down
ed, but will grow whether it gets street
car line OF not. Property valuations
there will advance.
President Brett said that there was
no desire to keep North Mankato back.
W. A. Funk said that he saw 10 OBJ
lection to the use of the bridge. He had
always favored line running into North
Mankato, and would as soon give the
use of the bridge to the street car line
exclusively, SO that another bridge will
have to be built somewhere where there
L.