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

would soon be a city of 5000 people
if the right kind of bridge service
was given. 1--WE certainly will
overlook something if we overlook
the benefits of Nicollet county. Mic.
ollet county is the richest one in
the state for it's size, and certainly
we cannot overlook the wealth of
the farmers who come here to
trade"
Where River Is Wide.
Dennis DOnahOe of North Man
kato said that the river was very
wide in the southern part of the
city, and that there was a large
slough just where the bridge was to
be built, if it was so decided, and
that the expense of building one
bridge there would be too great. He
advocated the construction of one
good bridge instead of three poor
ones, and that by so doing both
sides would be better provided for
The citizens of North Mankato
would always prefer to walk on
Main street when coming here any
way, as they wanted to reach the
central portion of the city i'm the
quickest time.
Mr.. Hance then said that he had
once stationed man on the bridge
to check the travel on Main street
bridge and found that over 3,10O
persons crossed the bridge that day.
These included those who drove in
wagons and buggies, automobiles
and those who walked
uo roadn tho 70
when a load comes to Mankato from
across the river, it always went to
lower town, but when buggy or
unloaded wagon came across the
river, it generally went to upper
town. Thus it was lower town that
did the business with the farmers
and people living across the river.
DR.. Andrews spoke about the la
dies coming to Mankato to trade
These generally did most of the
shopping, but as things now were,
many of them did not like to go as
far as Mankato simply because they
had to cross the bridge and railroad
tracks.
Bridge Should Be Benefit.
Mr.. Palmer again took the floor,
and he said that when a bridge was
built it should be built for the bene-
fit of both Mankato and North
Mankato, but that bridge at Sibley
mound would not do this. The trade
from Belgrade was such that it
should not be forgotten in consider
ing the location of the proposed
bridge.
He said that the club should en-
dorse the building of bridge. but
the members were not yet ready to
vote, and thought that if a commit
tee were appointed to go over the
situation thoroughly, both with a
view to establishing the best loca-
tion and also the cost, the club
would then be in position to talk
intelligently of the matter and vote
on the question.
Mr.. Jorgeson then said that he
was decidedly in favor of a bridge
at Owatonna street, and that the
construction of one good new bridge
would prove boon to North Man
kato residents. An underground
bridge or an overhead one would
prove unreasonable as they would
be too hazardous.
Build Tor the Future.
Senator Works thought that in
considering the bridge question, the
future should also be considered,
and that bridge should be built
for the future. He advocated the
construction of two bridges and that
the sites suggested would prove all
right, as twenty or thirty years from
now Mankato would probably be
built out in these directions. If two
bridges were built, both upper and
lower ends of Mankato would be
content.
IF we can build $150,00O over
able to build two of these bridges
for just $4,000"
Fred LasSOw spoke of the dan
gers of the present bridge. He said
that the real dangers began at the
Saulpaugh corner, as the railway
tracks were the most dangerous. II
money was to be spent it should be
spent where people live, and as
Main street was about the center
of population, he thought that a
good concrete bridge constructed
here would prove the best. Such a
structure should be run near the
Cargill elevator as outlined in a
former plan, suggested by the for
mer city engineer. 1--WE never
heard of anyone building second
bridge until the first one was built"
he said He advocated the building
of a good wide bridge on Main
street.
Recalls Past Efforts.
John Richards said he had been
interested in the bridge question for
many years. He said that a bridge
at A street as suggested in the
resolutions would prove the most
feasible He said that the county
commissioners were willing to do
their share in making appropriations,
and that with the aid of the city
council, such bridge could be
built. He also reiterated the state
ments about the appropriations made
some time ago and the injunction
served by some of the prejudiced
citizens, which proved the undoing
of the bridge proposition. At that
time negotiations had already been
made for the right-of-way. He said
that the county commissioners were
willing to give $4,000 at that time,
the city would give an equal amount,
and Nicollet county would give $4,000
and maybe $4,000.