The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-03-18

club, composed of George NJ. Palmer,
John Nyquist and II. y. Patterson,
was present and the members were
called OH by Mr. johnson. Mr. Palmer
said that the Kerns bridge road is not
fit to travel now and never was. He
thought Mr.. johnson made a mistake
when he stated that If the bridge
was put in at Red Jacket the people
would FORGET that there ever was Il
kerns bridge, as he thought he would
remember very distinctly as long as he
lived some OF the experiences he had
had to get over the Kerns bridge road
He thought the gentlemen who had
spoken IN favor of the Red Jacket
proposition had pukt up an argument
that could not be disputed, and he
was heartily in favor while not taking
sides as to this road or Jones ford
road, of having the improvement made
Mr.. Palmer stated that it seemed to
him that if it was going to cost any
such money as stated now, $1,000 to
put the Kerns bridge in repair, that
the money had better be saved to
put into bridge at the new loca-
ton.
Mr.. Patterson said that they wish
ed to be sure before they decided which
was the better alternative The county
beard could be depended upon to de-
eide fairly. lie hoped to learn more
of the merits of the proposition.
Rural Routes Affected.
Postmaster A. J. Veigel said that it
would be a mistake TO do away with
the Kerns bridge. 1t could be re
piankcd at small expense, and would
most impossible to lay out two Of
the rural routes without it, and ii
this was done some people could not
have their mail delivered. He was
heartily iii favor of the Red Jacket
bridge, and it had been needed for
years, for the rural carrier had to go
miles further when he could not ford
the river.
County Commissioner Young said
that County Surveyor Brooks esti
mated the cost of repairing the ems
bridge IA $1,000.
Commissioner Hanson said that one
of the bridges would have TO be va
Gated
Commissioner Madigan said that he
could not favor two bridges SO close
/ together.
Other Side Heard.
I Arthur Mitchell, brother in law of
Commissioner Schultz, was the floor
leader for those who want an over
head crossing on the Jones' ford road
/ to Rapidan, Il mile north of the sta
/ ton. He said that lie was not there
to oppose 4 bridge at Red Jacket, but
he thought that it should be put where
it would do the most good to the
most people. The Red Jacket road
would cut Rapidan oil on the way to
Good Thunder. Rapidan was iaat as
much entitled to direct road as
/ Good Thunder was. 1t bought its
goods in Mankato and sold its grain
here, and the only direct road to
both villages was by way of the
Jones ford bridge and the Dorlrberg
hill. This was also the only road That
would connect the three state roads.
/ \ twenty-mile loop, to include Mime
opa Falls. could be made, which the
city people would find most enjoyable
for a drive With the bridge over
/ the Milwaukee crossing, the entire
drive would be nearly level, and the
only hill would be the Dornberg hill.
1t would not cost half as much to
make the overhead crossing as bridge
at Red Jacket. The farmers woull
90 over the road with the board. and
if it preferred 20 put bridge at
Red Jacket. after investigating, it
would be all right.
( Mr.. Flo, Rapidan merchant, asked
the board to consider the railway cross
ing at the same time as the bridge.
/ He thought that it would look better
! to build permanent roads first. The
people living in that section went to
Rapidan more than they did to Man
kato, and they wanted good road
there. He thought that it would be
better to improve the Jones' ford road
and the Dornberg hill, and the people
would then improve the roads to Rapi-
Gan and Good Thunder. He thought
that the board ought to look over
the ground and decide for itself.
Crossing a Man-Trap.
/ Charles Yaeeer said that the cross
+ ing is OH the Rapidan and South
/ Bend town line and is in dangerous
condition. He did not know how any
sane man could have made the road
and left it rs it is, for it is man
trap. A person must come to within
/ fifty feet of the railway track OH one
side before he can look up or down
! the track fifty or hundred feet, and
1 to within twenty five feet on the other
side. The Red Jacket bridge would
| help out the people south, but the
/ improvement of the Jones ford road
would make a good road for the
people from Vernon Center and else
where. 1t would make a practically
level road between Mankato and Good
! Thunder.
G. S. Erickson, the contractor, was
called on and said that both would
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