The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-03-13
From SATURDAYS Daily.

Mankato.
Mayor Andrews realizes the public
demand for thorough investigation
of local municipal affairs.
Moreover, the mayor purposes to ac-
cede to the demand that the search
light be turned on the transactions
of the different municipal departments.
1t will not be an investigation of
the official acts of City Engineer
Hayes, or the board of public works
or any official or body having part
in the city's government, but an eX-
animation of all more important trans
actions for public improvements.
Mayor Andrews last evening read a
communication to the council setting
worth the fact that many business
men and tax payers had suggested to
him the apparent need of searching
investigation and he suggested that
the council authorize him to appoint
committee to investigate.
Will Appoint Committee.
When the council seemed about to
adjourn without taking action Mayor
Andrews announced that now the
council seemed about to pass his rec
concentration without action, he would
appoint an investigation regardless of
their wishes.
Then some of the aldermen awoke
to the situation and two or three
voiced expressions to the effect that
they thought that the councilmen
ought to be members of the COM
mittee A long discussion ensued but
the council passed no motion or resolu-
ton authorizing Mayor Andrews to
name an investigating committee.
The communication from Mayor
Andrews came during the early part
of the session.
What the Mayor Said.
- s-ff51iIurcer tire discussions of the South
Fifth street improvements, a subject
so conspicueusly before the citizens of
Mankato at this time, there has been
strong suspicion" said Mayor An
drews, whether founded on truth or
not, that the city has been paying
too much for improvements. 1t is al
legged that several hundred dollars has
been paid contractors for the South
Fifth street work in excess of the
value of said work plus a good profit.
The same allegation has been made
in reference to North Fifth street i'm
provement and the North Fourth
street curb and guttering. These allega-
L C%r Inn M
of truth cannot and must not be
ignored by your honorable body.
Several of our citizens have sug
gested that a competent disinterested
committee be appointed to investigate
these allegations, carefully determin
ing what these several improvements
are WORTH" continued the mayor, "and
what the city actually paid for them
and make a full written report to
your honorable body that you may in
diligently take such official action as
in your judgment seems wise.
heartily approve these suggestions;
therefore, as chief executive of the
city, / ask you to pass a resolution,
or a motion authorizing me to APP
point such a committee to commence
their labors at once and report to
the council at the very earliest date
consistent with good and thorough
work"
Aldermen Attempt to Side-Step.
The mayor concluded, but the alder
men showed no disposition to take
any action on the recommendation
The regular order of business was tax
en- up and the end reached. An adj
iournment seemed about to be taken
and Mayor Andrews returned to the
subject of an investigation.
The chief executive told the council
he had offered the recommendation af-
ter long and careful consideration and
after receiving suggestions from a
number of business men and property
owners. After the discussion of errors
in the assessments for sidewalk I'M
provements on Fourth street-which is
reported in another column of this is
sue-the mayor felt more than ever
that an investigation should be made.
With all Difference to the council he
wished to say that he thought the
council was in no way competent to
make such an investigation.
Committee of Disinterested Parties.
1t would be found better to have
a committee of disinterested parties.
This would bring results more prop
erly secured and more satisfactory
One member of the committee he
proposed would be an expert engineer,
another member competent to estimate
reasonable prices for filling, grading
and other like work The commits
sion will investigate principally the
larger Improvements.
/: Tonight the council rightly ::
accuses the board of public !:
{: works with guessing" contin- :.