The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-12-15

sary if such bridge were con-
| Structed.
Fifty per cent of the travel
across those tracks, it is said, is to
and from the station. He said he
was in correspondence at the pres
ent time with the Omaha railway
engineers and had consulted the city
engineer also.
Henry Robel, a member of the
! North Mankato Commercial club
| committee, was then given the floor
and he reported that he had gone
over the matter with Judge Cray.
He said that if an overhead bridge
were constructed it would have to
be at least twenty-five feet above
the tracks so as to give the cars
passing room and this would neces-
state too large a grade. He made
few corrections to Judge Cray's
| figures, but on the whole, agreed
with him.
"There are three things to con-
slider. First, the necessity of a
bridge; second, what kind of a
bridge we will build to get the
street cars into North Mankato;
and third, where shall we locate this
bridge. He wanted to hear from
some of the citizens of Mankato and
to assist in getting bridge of some
kind"
He said he was decidedly in ia
vor of having the bridge cross in
the central part of North Mankato
and this city, which would be some
where near Main street.
Wanted Three Bridges.
Hans Jorgenson spoke for a few
moments. He was decidedly in IA
vor of having three bridges. There
never was town on the face of the
earth located as we are, on such a
beautiful river, with two good cities
like these, and with a healthy, IN
dustrious country folk near by with
less than three bridges, and most OF
them had five. l strongly advocate
the building of bridge at Slbley
mound, and if there was no junction
between upper town and lower town,
we could build two bridges and pos
sibly three. think that $3.50, 700
would build two fine bridges, but the
idea of expanding so much money
on one bridge, and that on Main
street would be nothing short OF in
sane. An overhead bridge was SIM
ply foolish"
He thought that bridge could be
built at Sibley park for $4,000 and
another at the quarries in the north
part of Mankato for not more than
$4,000, and thus if the street car
company built tracks into North
Mankato. a complete circuit could
be made.
81 can't talk very well, like you
fellows, and | mince my words and
so I have to sort of chew them
through my mouth, but when do
say thing, mean it," he said, for
which he was loudly applauded, for
there were many in the meeting last
night who fell in with his ideas.
Opposed Overhead and Underground.
DR.. J. w. Andrews said that he
was surprised at the agitation OF
the overhead bridge on Main street
It such big cost, and said that such
. bridge, whether overhead, or UNI
f"~eround, was absolutely imprac-
ticahle. with the cost too high for a
city like MankatO or North MankatO
in the present financial condition.
Three years ago, through Sena-
tor Works aid, appropriations from
the state of Minnesota amounting to
| $4,000 and from the county appropri-
ations amounting to $4,000 and an
other from the city council which
totalled $4,000 had been made, but
an injunction was served which did
away with all this money, and if it
were not for these few people who
were so prejudiced, we would now
have second bridge across to
North MankatO.
"At present travel from all of
Nicollet county must now cross at
the Main street bridge. I am decid.
eddy in favor of three bridges"
Resolutions Are Adopted.
DR.. Andrews thereupon introduced
set of resolutions, which the sec.
rotary read No action was taken
at that time to vote on these resolu.
lions as it was decided better to dis
cuss the question first, and the res
olutions were dropped until toward
the close of the meeting. 1t was then
decided to adopt them but not, how
ever, until they had been redrafted
and amended until they read as fol-
| lows:
Resolved by the Mankato
Commercial club in special meet
ing convened, that in our opin-
ion the building of two new
bridges across the Minnesota
! river in this city is public
| necessity, and as such we re-
| specially request the city COM
missioners to take steps at once,
| looking to the building of, and
completing such bridges before
January, 1913.
Resolved, that we believe
bridge located from A street to
Sibley mound, is the most feas-
ible and economical site within
| the city limits for the one south
of Main street.
Resolved, that we recommend
| that the same site be selected
for the purpose of building OF
second bridge across the Min
nesota river"
Vote Was Close.
These resolutions were carried by
vote of eighteen to fourteen. DR..
Andrews said that Owatonna street
would probably be as good loca.
tion for the bridge as any.
| Spoke for Three Bridges.
! j. E. Hickey spoke for three
| bridges. He said in part: eff we
1 l..sI L-.I I'll -