The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-12-22

and it was just as valuable to the
city as to the quarries.
In his estimate of the stone work,
| he allowed IS cord for the ma
| terial and as much more for labor.
He admitted, however, that the i'm
provement was necessity and that
the road had been reported danger
! Gus previous to the repairs.
Charge No. was then considered.
| This relates to the boulevards on
| Second street from Cherry to Byron.
Mr.. Waters said that the boulevard
was leveled and filled in and that
| he had about half dozen men On
| the job for a week, that the work
was ordered by Commissioner Hum
iston, and that it was done by days
work, not by contract. The money
| which was from $3.50 to $500, he said,
was taken out of the street fund.
Questioned BY Mr.. Currier.
Mr.. Currier questioned him for a
moment or two in which he received
the information that this method
was not practiced on all the streets.
taking South Broad as an example.
| Attorney Schaub then interrupted
and said that in order to continue
the examination with more despatch,
he would merely run over all the
charges with but few words of adj
ditiOnal information each, as the
charges themselves were practically
the same in all except a few cases.
He said that the burden of the proof
rested in showing that although these
improvements were a public neces-
sity and that they were warranted,
yet they were not done according to
the rules of the charter.
Judge Cray thought that after
submitting all the charges it would
be advisable to discuss the rights
of the council before the club, rather
| than submit mere proofs. If the
matter had been taken up with the
Second street property owners, the
minutes would show it.
Waters said that this retaining
wall on Jackson and Fourth streets
dimensions, and that from seventy
to scventy-eight cords Of stone had
been used at total cost of $11 a
cord, including labor and material.
He said no estimates had been made
before the job was begun, no con-
tracts or bids let, and that two me-
chanics, Mike Miller and Joseph
Landkamer. were hired in the laying
of the wall.
Would inspect Work.
Judge Cray thought that the city
council was justified in making this
wall as it had right 20 enlarge
the street to it's proper width. This
could not be charged against the
city property owners. He thought it
advisable to make an inspection of
the work done by the city during
the summer, similar to the one
made last Monday by the city cOun-
Gil
Charge No. 6 had reference to the
work on Pike street between Cherry
and Jackson, west side. Mr.. Wat
tiers explained that the expense con-
sisted in leveling off the dirt in
making the dump which was eight
cen feet wide and from four to five
feet high. No cost estimates had
been made Mr.. Leonard and Mr..
Willard thought it queer action on
the part of Mr.. Waters in not max
ing out any report as to the cost.
Other Charges Taken Up.
The other charges in order that
, they were taken up had reference to
the following work:
The work on Bunker hill road,
sewer pipes and repair.
The corner of Locke street down
Bradley to Center.
Filling on Willard street between
State and Front.
st. Peter road from top of hill to
city limits, filled with sand and
ashes
Lincoln street, filling boulevards.
Rounding corner of Lincoln and
Second streets.
Following each charge, were the
, fcllcwing statements:
First. This work was never or
dered by the council, and the min
utes show it was never considered
at any meeting.
! Second. That there was no adver.
Using for bids on this work as re-
quired by the charter.
Third. That the cost was never
assessed to property benefited.
Fourth. That there was taken out
! of the city treasury, wrongfully and
unlawfully, over $3.50 to pay for
this work.
The $3.50 mentioned as cost in the
above sample charge is mentioned
merely as one case. Some times
the cost named was $400 or $500,
according to the charge.
The other charges did not pertain
to any specific work but were as
! follows
THAT the city commissioners vio-
lated the spirit of Section 81 of the
| charter, inasmuch as the business of
the council was not all done at open
meetings, where the public could be
present.
"The city commissioners violated
Section SO of the city charter, which
provides for estimates from the COM
missioners, to be made every three
months.
THAT contrary to the spirit of our
charter the work of the commits
| siOners was done in a secret and
clandestine way, so as to keep the
! public completely ignorant of the
business affairs of the city.
"As an instance of this secrecy,
We charge: That one of the COM
missioners unlawfully ordered the
slaughter of some of the pet deer of
| tho .p,rh1in nd M 70