The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-08-07

during the thirty years that he had
been tapping them.
Architect Schippels said that he. had
tried to get President Porter to flush
the mains near his house dozens of
times, but had failed.
Professor J. r. Brandrnp favored
flushing the mains regularly in the
i future. The water in his main had
often smelled but he never could get
anybody to do anything.
Suggests Revolutionary Method.
Dr. ]. M. Edwards said that he could
snbstantiate what had been said OF, the
board of public works. as regards its
inefficiency and apathy toward the
wishes of the people who had wanted
the mains flushed. It had been alb
solntely impossible to get it done. He
said that there was inefficiency in the
city hall from start to finish. He sug-
gested that the offices of the board
of public works, the city engineer and
the health officer be dispensed with
entirely. The health officer has moth
ling but clerical work to do, and his
salary would pay for that. In the
place of these officers he would hire
one good sanitary engineer, who knew
his business, and who would be able
to make cultures. The state board
of health cannot always take care of
Mankato. There has never been an
engineer here who knew his business,
and the present one cannot make a
grade. Physicians cannot know every
thing about hygienic surroundings. As
to himself, he was able to make but
a crnde test of water. There ought
to be a meteorological laboratory in
Mankato, so that cultures of diph
liberia could be made in four or five
hours, and where milk could be an
alyzed. 1T took the state board Of
health thirty days to analyze the
samples of water sent it, and it took
thirty-fve days to. get pure water on
the streets. If this latter had been
done thirty days ago trade in Man
kato would not have been affected as
lit is. !. He moved that a resolution
be drafted to be presented at the
next council meeting asking that
man be appointed who knows his
business to succeed the present Off
Gals. "You can get them for the
salary you are paying today for
lot of superannuated mollusks," de-
clared DIR. Edwards.
DIR. Edwards remarks. did not get
much endorsement from the other
members, although J. R. Snow second
ed the motion.
Mr.. Burton stated that the char
ter stands in the way of the changes
proposed by DIR. Edwards, and it pro-
vides than man must have been resi-
dent OF Mankatb for one year before
he can be appointed city, engineer. E
T Dr., Edwards said that ten people
Hay dead in the cemetery and asked
whether e such measly thing as the
charter. was going to be allowed to-
stand in the way of the health of the
people. The charter ought to have
been dead and buried long ago, he de-
clared. z '2 Z" 9t' o1i3 II j
ss, Must Act Legally. ,i..i' 2
Mr.. Palmer said that while he sym
pathized fully with DIR. Edwards feel
ing in regard to the sickness, he did
not believe it policy to pass such a
motion. The council could not comply
with it if it wanted to. Things have
to be Sdene iifIa legal 1waysitNo snchl
radical action could be put into force,
even if people Wished it.S The council
ought not to beasRea TO do it, and he
would vote against tile motion 1t was
time that the matter of getting a new
charter was taken up, but changes
must be made in way that is accord
ing to law.
Mr. Burton said that he had talked
with the city attorney, and the latter
had said that it was legal to hire
a sanitary engineer temporarily. "Tem-
porarily" night be construed to last
quite awhile.
Mr. Palmer favored hiring man
in this way. He asked DIR. Edwards
WnoFe y me- Niu A5 sHOUs lHlfih ClldO IHc
health officer was doing the best that
could be done.p3 E.sna
DIR. Edwards admitted that as far
rs he knew he was He did not think
that anybody knew. There ought to
be meteorological examination made
Of the water daily or twice daily,
and man competent to do it ought
20 be secured
Messrs. Palmer and Burton replied
that the health officer and Professor
Bass are looking for such man
now. "
Enlarge Committees Field.
Rev. E. w. Willisford gave an ext
cellent talk, that was well received.
He said that several weeks ago he had
suggested that citizens committee be
appointed to consider the whole mat
ter, and had offered this from his pull
pit at the time The city had been
handicapped both by its men and
the charter. A committee had been
appointed, but all that it could do
was to look into the past and not the
futnre There was very little for it to |