The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-01-21
From Saturdays Daily.

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From Saturdays Daily.
| The meeting of the council and board
of public works with property owners
of Second and several cross streets
last evening, to consider the paving
question, brought out the knockers
as was to be expected, but it also
drought out some of the boosters
The outcome, so far as could be told
would indicate that some brick paving
will be done the present year, probably
covering the business section of Sec,
ond and Main streets, which is the
section at present in the greatest need
! of paving. A strong sentiment develop.
ed at the meeting and afterwards in
flavor of paving Second street from
Vine to Byron, and several property
owners signed the petition after the
Injecting, asking that this be done
Bick was the almost universal choice
of the property owners for the bust
ness section.
Mayor Meyer presided and said that
the meeting was especially for the
property owners on Second, Main and
Walnut streets, and asked for express
sions. of opinion as to paving.
Remonstrances Come In.
J. b. Richards presented remon-
STRANGE against the paving of South
Second street from Cherry to Byron,
with twenty-one signers. He said that
Iif every street was as good as South
Second the city would be well off. The
taxes are high. There are many poor
widows on the street.
Aid. Pass asked whether the property
owners would be in favor of narrowing
the driveway and widening the boule-
wards.
Mr.. Richards replied that with the
present city government, they would
not be in favor of it. Now improve
ments have to be paid for in lump
sum, while with the proposed new
charter the paving could be paid for
in installments, and the city ought to
wait until then.
Attorney Miles Porter said that he
was III favor of paving, but thought
the time premature now. He advocat-
ed adopting the new charter first, and
then would be in favor of undertake
ing number of public improvements.
H. p. Jensen presented rcmon-
STRANGE against paving Second street
between Cherry and Jackson streets,
signed by four of the property owners.
Henry Klugherz said that he was
not opposed to paving, but wanted the
new charter adopted first, when i'm
provements could be paid for OH the in
stallment plan, at five or six per cent
interest, with ten years to pay. He
wanted to see the pavement, but did
not think it advisable to make SO ex-
pensive an improvement now, under
present conditions.
Mayor Meyer said that three fourths
of the property owners on the portion
of Second street where Mr.. Klughers'
property lies had signed for paving.
Gave Strong Calamity Talk.
John n. Hall said that many things
were to be taken into consideration be-
fore ordering SO expensive a thing as
brick paving. Mr.. Hall spoke in a
very pessimistic spirit, SO much so that
succeeding speakers asked that the pa
pers not publish any such calamity
howls,' as had been heard.
County Attorney w. A. Plymat fol-
lowed a good deal in such a line as
Mr.. Hall. He thought the improve
ment at this time premature. The pres
ent charter was obsolete, and new
charter would probably be adopted
soon. The conditions in the city now
were not such as to warrant the ex-
pense. Houses were not renting as
formerly.
Fred Kron followed in the same line,
and said that now hardly anybody was
able to pay the assessments.
Mrs. o. O. Pitcher said that the as
sessments that she had paid in the
last seven years had been enormous,
and paving assessment now would
be the climax. The block where she
resided was the highest on the street,
and none of the residents there want
the paving. 1.-THE block is the one in
which the postoffice is located and has
but theree families residing in i'll.
Mayor Meyer called attention to the
petition for paving Second street, and
thought it funny that there were so
many knockers, when it was so largely
signed, property owners signing down
to and including the German Lutheran
church.
Other Side Heard.
A. G. Roemer, local manager for the
Lampert Lumber company, said that
his company had left the matter with
him, and had said that it would do
as the majority wished, but that it
would like to see Second street paved
Nothing had been done on the street
1or years, and it wanted to see the