The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-10-14

PLEASED WITH SURVEY THAT
HAS BEEN MADE.
Discuss the Prospects of the Enter
prise and State That the Right Of
Way Must Be Donated; People
Will Be Asked to CO-0perate; Help
of the Commercial Club Here Is
Asked
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
Phil w. Herzog, president, III. u.
Struchen, secretary and w. l.. Sonn-
tag. general manager OF the st. Paul
Railway Promotion company, which Is
surveying a route for proposed elec-
tric line from Mankato To ST. Paul,
came down from the latter city last
night and spent the day in Mankato
Their visit at this time is for the
purpose of seeing how the surveying
work is progressing. The line had
been surveyed for about twenty miles
up TO last night. or nearly to Eiysian
People Must Cooperate.
The gentlemen stated To The Free
Press today that the line will be bnilt
ii the people living along ii appre-
ciate what a benefit it will be to them
and will cooperate. The line is not to
he constructed on the highways except
through the cities and villages. Else
where il is to run over private right
of wav. and this will have to be ac-
quired largely if not entirely by do
nation. The right of'way will be fifty
feet wide, except where cuts or fills
have to be, wider. The reason for
not running on the highways is that
the cars would then be governed by the
state or local regulation about speed,
etc. the same as automobiles. but on
its own ground the company can run
the ears as fast as it pleases. The right
Of way will in nearly all cases bor-
der on the highway.
Will Complete Survey.
Mr.. Struchen stated that the first
thing to do will be to complete the
survey, which it is hoped to do be-
fore cold weather sets in, and then
figure out what the line will cost to
build. Then the farmers and cities and
villages will be asked to cooperate by
granting the necessary franchises to
operate on streets and by donating
he right of way where it is on pri-
vate ground, and by taking perhaps
something lilSss.%300O0O worth of the
company's stock along the line. Beyond
that, there is nothing to deter the
building of the line, as the bonds can
be noated. The company has already
had an offer from one man, Mr.. Stru-
chen said, 10 take over the PROPOSE
ion and build the road.
Redwing Wants a Trolley.
Mr.. Struchen stated further, that
the people living in the villages south
east of Redwing want line built
there, and that after the line from
Mankato is surveyed. the line to Red
wing will be surveyed and whichever
proposition looks the best, taking in
to account local assistance, will be
proceeded with. He said that in his
own mind he had no doubt that the
line 10 Mankato would be bnilt He
said that he and Mr.. Sonntag have
built other lines.
Mr. Sontag stated that the one
great thing that the road will re-
quirc will be the donation of the pri-
vate right of way. He stated that
in the eastern states the farmers do
nate from scventy-fve to eighty-fve
per cent of the value of the right OF
way. and sometimes all of it. Land
there - much more valuable than here.
but they find that the added value
more than makes up for the donation.
Not Donation or Gift.
Mr. Sonntag stated that the one
must not look upon it as dona-
ton but as an investment. in which
they will get back for more than
they give, by having the line pass
their land. where they can avail them
selves of rapid transit for themselves
and tehir produce. The effort to get
the right of way will be made as
soon as the survey is completed.
Mr.. Sonntag said that a live Com
mcrcial club will be of great assistance
in the different cities and villages, in
helping the project along. Later, the
company may wish the assistance OF
the. Mankato Commercial club.
Mr.. Struchen stated that the company
will not issue dollar more stock or
bonds than is actually used in building
the line, and that the purpose of the
stock Issue is largely to secure local
interest in the line. If numbers of
people living along the line have a lit
tie financial interest in it the line pros
pers better than otherwise.
The three gentlemen expressed them
selves as feeling that the electric line
would be built and that it would be
paying proposition, and would ope
rate to build up the country through
which it runs, add to values and dc
for Southern. Minnesota what these
lines have done in states further east
and south