The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-04-16
EASY ROAD To CASH
HOW CITY'S TREASURY WAS IN
vADED, DESPITE PROTEST.
Council That Has Just Retired Per-
mitted Bills Unapproved By Proper
Officials to Be Paid; Engineer
Wilson Attempted to Protect the
Taxpayers and He Was Forced to
Stand Aside; Unbusiness-Like Deal

How the Masters Bill for S724.3
Slipped Easily Through the City Com
ell" is the interesting and nstructiv
sequel to the story of why John W
Wilson is being opposed in certain
quarters for reappointment to tine posi-
ton of city engineer, as related ii
The Free Press last evening by Mr.
Wilson himself. who presented the
facts to the public without any trim
mings and furbelows.
Mr.. Wilson has opened the eyes o
the taxpayers. and now they car
plainly see with what ease some folks
have travelled the road that leads t.
the city treasury. The watchdogs OF
the municipal strongboX have been
asleep in their kennels and money
that belongs TO the people has been
distributed with lavish hand. City
Engineer Wilson made an heroic at
tempt to head off one raid, and he
was forced to stand aside, but he did
~ uhueI ploIeo''
Story Comes to Light.
Had it not been for Mr. Wilson 5
statement in last evenings Free Press
it is doubtful if the story of how
the Masters bill was pushed through
the aldeTmanic body would ever have
been given the publicity that it de-
serves. Here is tale, unadorned, of
the city paying $724,3l for labor and
material that should have been OBJ
tanned for a much less sum, and the
mayor and aldermen who have just
retired from office were party to the
uubusiness like transaction. The bill
was allowed by the council without
the endorsement of the city engineer,
the one official who is held response
BILE for work performed on the water
works, sewers and the streets, and
alleys. Mr. Wilson declined to affx
his 20 K" to the bill because he was
convinced that the labor on dead
ends had not been properly carried
out-a most excellent reason. and GER
ta;nly that should have caused the
council to hesitate before allowing a
bill of that magnitude. The refusal
of the city engineer to 0. X. the bill
was sufficient cause for delay and
a subsequent inquiry by the aldermen
as to just what kind of job the
city was receiving in exchange for
the taxpayers money. Mr.. Wilson
was acting in the interest of those
who have to dig down deep in their
pockets for the cash that goes to liqu
date the city's debts, while OH the
other hand the aldermen seemed to
have had 10 regard for the financial
fare of the municipality
Work on dead Ends"
1t was near to Aug. 10. 1908,
during the typhoid fever epidemic,
when Mr.. Masters was engaged to
perform labor on dead ends" of
water mains and extend the Brad
lev dead end to Byron street. The
work continued up to Oct. |. when
he threw up his contract. He be-
came offended because Mr.. Wilson
spoke to him about the unsatisfac
tory work that had been odne ON
several dead ends the Difficult
ty that had been experienced in
flushing those dead ends that Mas
tiers claimed he had completed. Mas
tiers on Oct. | filed his bill of S724.34
with the city recorder and it was
turned over to Mr.. Wilson for his
O. X. The city engineer, not being
satisfied with the manner in which
the work had been performed, de.
clined TO approve the bill. On the
evening of Oct. =. about half an
hour before the time set for the
meeting of the council. Aid. Gary,
chairman of the committee on water
works, called OH Mr.. Wilson in the lat
ter's office and discussed with him tho
Masters bill. Mr.. Wilson explained to
Aid. Gary why he could not conscien-
tiously O.. X. the bill.
Aid. Gary expressed his amazement
at the size of the bill and declared
with his characteristic vigor: 81 won't
stand for it," Mr. Wilson and the APP
parentIy highly indignant alderman
then proceeded to the council chamber.
Change of Mind.
Mayor Andrews was trifle late in
reaching the council chamber that even
ing, and of course there was a delay
in calling the meeting to order Just /
about the time that the mayor made
his appearance, Aid. Gary again APP
preached Mr.. Wilson. He referred to
the Masters bill and said: "We urged
this man to take the job and were i'm
hurry for it and ought to allow the !
bill His Indignation had disappeared
like mist under the influence of
old Sol That is the only excuse
AID Gary ever gave for his quick
change OF mind.