The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-01-24
Recommends $4,000 Appropria.
ton For New Bridge.
Police Instructed to Arrest All
Students In Saloons.
Urges That Present City Char.
ter Undergo Change.
From Saturdays Daily.

lowing message to the council last
evening:
To the Honorable City Council, Gen
tlemen: l am pleased to inform you
that the old building, corner of Pleas
ant and Willard, has been torn down
and moved away. l think to Mrs.
Ouimby Larkin is due the thanks of
your honorable body, for cheerfully and
promptly needing tile request of the
city authorities.
Since the last regular session of this
council the county commissioners, rep
resenting the county of Blue Earth,
have appropriated the sum of $4,000,
to aid in the building of a second
bridge across the Minnesota river at
"A' street, city of Mankato. You are
aware that the state has already APP
propriated $4,000. Since the consum-
nation of this undertaking is of vital
Importance to the future growth and
prosperity of the city of Mankato, |
recommend that you appropriate a
sum equal to that of Blue Earth coun-
ty. for the same object, out of such
funds as may legally be used for this
purpose. | express the hope that
this may be done at an early date,
SO that the contract may be let and
work commenced the present winter L
nave good reason to believe that when
this city shall have appropriated the
sun of $4,000 for the above named
purpose, that the railroads centering
into this city will make a liberal APP
preparation, and that our neighboring
county. Nicollet, will do likewise.
Students Visit Saloons.
Complaints have cont to the chief
executive of this city that students
and minors are permitted to visit
saloons, not so much for the purpose
of drinking but of loafing, and often
playing games. This is a violation
of the laws of the state and Ordi-
nances of the city, and cannot be toll
Grated. Neither are the citizens of
Mankato, nor proprietors of saloons,
DESTROYS that this condition of affairs
be continued. In our schools a consid-
cradle number of boys range in age
from twenty-one to twenty-six or
seven: they are students. and by the
ordinances of the city are not al
lowed in the saloon at all. 1t is en-
inently unfair that the burden of
guilt for the presence of these young
men in the saloon should rest upon
the proprietors, for as a rule, they
have no way of knowing that they are
students, and cannot very well ask
every young man that enters their
place of business whether or not he is
ing this abuse | have consulted the
city attorney. who advises me that tie
student thus unlawfully entering a
saloon is equally guilty with the sa-
loon keeper himself, and | have in
structed the police to arrest these
students whenever and wherever they
are found violating the city ordinance.
| have also taken up with the com
mercial colleges the matter of the
students wearing some badge to distin-
Suloh as oh IN
itably informed that Toland's Business
college is now having a neat little but
ton manufactured for this purpose.
and | have no doubt but that the
other college will do the same. A
large number of students annually so
journ i'm our city, and it belongs to
our city government and the citizens
of Mankato to do every thing possible
for the moral as well as the intellect
uaI uplift of these students, and
most respectfully ask your assistance
and moral support in this undertake
ing.
b Charter OutgrOwn.
1t is not necessary for me to inform
you that the city of MankatO is do
ing business under a charter that act
ually and absolutely prevents The
healthful growth and prosperity of the
city, for this you know fully as wei
as / do myself. Especially is it true
in the matter of assessments for 10
cal improvements, whereas the prop
erty owner is compelled to pay hi
full assessment TAT once. instead o
extending over a period of a few
years with equal annual payments. II
this the city is much handicapped ever
in making Improvements of public ne
cessity. We are working under a char
ter almost twenty years old, defectiv'
in its inception and decrepit b.
reason of age. "Time makes ancien
good uncouth." A few years since
charter commission was appointed t.
prepare a new charter. This charte
is still in existence, 4 and Z & am in
formed that the term of the commits
sion has not expired. I would, there
fore, most earnestly recommend tina
you place yourselves on record in thi
matter, by adopting a strong resolu
ton setting forth some of the salien
defects and recommending improve
ments in the chatter above referred IS