The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-12-29

the part of the city engineer. Mr..
Humiston said that The council
would have been willing to let
everything by contract if the men
had known just exactly what work
was to be done, SO that plans could
be drawn.
Mr.. Bangerter said that the city
had mason and carpenter hired
throughout the year, for all the
small jobs that they were called
upon to make. BY this way, he
said, some saving was made, as
these men were paid low salaries
because they received steady en-
ployment and came handy at all
times.
When asked if he did not think
the city engineer and city treasurer
had too much help, Mr.. Humiston
replied in the negative, but added
that the city treasurers help was
only temporary. He added that none
of the work done could have been
done any cheaper by contract, SO
he thought, but Judge Cray thought
that no property could be assessed
unless the work was done by con.
tract.
Providing for Emergency Cases.
Mayor Taylor then asked what
would be the proper thing to do in
case OF emergency such as the
bursting of sewer pipe, where the
council could not wait until bids
had been received and contracts let.
To this Judge Cray replied that
there was a provision in the charter,
Section 90, which provided for emer-
gency cases of, this, kind. as.r-~
Some discussion arose about the
charge that the commissioners had
not paid into the sinking fund the
moneys received as taxes, and that
this money should have been in.
vested in future certificates instead
OF being used for the redemption of
old certificates.
The charge that the commission
ers had settled a judgment of some
5000 on the G.. w. Monks property
at Front, Marshall and the Milwau-
kee tracks for about one-half and
in the same settlement returned $63
already collected for sprinkling tax
when the whole amount could and
should have been, collected, was ex-
planned by City Attorney DALEY. He
said that he was the attorney for
Mr.. Monks in this, case and that
j. W. Schmitt was the attorney for
the city. He. said that Mr. Monks
claimed the assessment had been
too high, !, that the. case had been
+, appealed to the district court. He
said that the taxes were not collect.
ed during the imcunibency Of this
commission and that the money had
been used by the previous council.
Attorney Schaub contended,, however.
that the sprinkling money should
have been cancelled when the taxes
We're paid. 81. ~ 81. -
Mr.. Sclaub then Charged that by
reason of extravagant methods of
the commissioners, it had been nee
essary to make a tax levy Of forty
three mills, the highest in the. his
tory of the city; and that ii the
present methods are kept up, still
higher levy will be required next
year.
I Regarding the Tax Levy
Mr. Bangerter explained that lie
had been up to the county auditor
and that it was true that tax levy
for $4,000 had been made because
it was necessary to catch up and
that last year a 100000 levy had
been made. but by SO doing they
had also increased the valuation OF
the property and that the levy last
year was very low Besides all these
improvements had been made, which
were extraordinary and as examples
referred them to the property ard
| .,,,, N,,,SA &c
, made to the Lutheran ladies' semi
. nary. Here the water mains had to
, be laid, sewer pipes laid, high pres
! sure water service. given. ETC., whici
,, were ordered by the last council
!, and which the present council hat
to take care Of The case-in or
, Third and Washington streets and
, the typhoid cases which had to be
, settled were other examples.
BIomquist Put on the Stand.
', City Engineer Blomquist was ther
: called as witness His information
!. as regards the investigation consist
ed mostly of figures and costs o.
the various jobs. He said that under
ordinary conditions the cost OF the
! stone for the sewer at Madison ant
on Sixth street would be about $75
and the forty cubic yards of fill cos
500 But he said that there was
some additional expense as it was
necessary to repair the culvert be
cause of cave-ins at the time ant
the work was being done.
He said that 224 yards OF rocl
had been put in on the macadan
road on Main street between Fiftl
and Sixth and the cost was $56 Du
that the labor would amount to abou
SIS, making a total of ST., not III
Guiding the rolling. which came t.
about $40. He said that the ston'
used was too large for concrete
work and that he secured it at sew
enty-fve cents a yard.
About 3.465 cubic feet OF stone
had been laid in the wall and I'LL
ing on Eagle Lake hill at a cost o
81 yard or about $3.50 Tor new
stone Since the time that Waters
was retired, $3.50 or whereabouts hat
been spent on the fill and the wall
He estimated the cost Of the fill
ing on the boulevards on Secont
street to be about $500. that of Pike
between Cherry and Jackson to b'
about $50 with an overhaul OF abou
SIS He made no allowance for ma
terial.