The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-09-01

the streets of Mankato as soon as
possible. 1t ought to be INSIDE
meanor to sell or use one.
From Thursdays Daily.
j. j. Cummings OF Chicago, who a
couple of months ago took over the
common stock of the Mankato Elec.
trio Traction company and Is now the
actual owner of ii and director of
the destinies of the road, although
he does not hold an office nor posi-
tion in the directorate, arrived in
MankatO on the 1910 p. m. train
today from Waterloo, Iowa, and took
the 4:45 p. m. train for Chicago. He
was the guest of Henry E. Hance at
luncheon at the Elks' cafe. Mr..
Hance is the vice president and only
local director of the road.
Mr.. Cummings was seen at the
Elks club by the representatives of
the local daily papers, and chatted
freely and pleasantly about the
street car line. He expects to return
in a week or ten days, when he will
remain several days and hopes to
meet with the city council on matters
of mutual interest.
Will Build the Loop.
Mr.. Cummings stated that it is the
intention to proceed and extend the
Pleasant street line OF Front street,
via Willard street, as soon as posi-
BILE. The city is. grading up Willard
street between State and Front, and
when this has been completed the
workmen will proceed to put in the
extension. The latter will cost about
$500, and will put the road in a
position to handle its traffic to much
better advantage.
When the loop has been completed
the hill cars will run around the loop,
north on Pleasant and Fifth streets
and south on Front, and transfers
will be given at Willard and Main
streets for the patrons on the Park
and Dukes addition lines. A five min
ute service will result on Front street
Mr. Cummings desires to extend
the line into North MankatO as soon
as possible, but cannot do SO until
a new bridge has been built. He said
that the present bridge could not be
used even if the company had per-
mission to do so, unless it was first
moved, for it lies in such position
that the company would have to make
curve on it's track where it crosses
the five railway tracks, which would
not be practicable, even if the rail
way lines permitted it.
Suggests Concrete Bridge.
Mr.. Cummings suggests that the
present bridge might be moved either
north or south and concrete bridge
Mo-, \,
to accommodate single line of
street car track aside from wagon
traffic and walks for pedestrians. He
could not estimate the cost of this,
but said that the street car company
would stand part of the expense OF
building it, and thought that the two
counties, the state and city and mer-
chants possibly might unite in rails
ing sufficient money to pay for it..
He said that Waterloo, Iowa, has
just built concrete bridges to replace
two steel ones and moved the latter
to other locations. A concrete bridge
as constructed at present is thing
of beauty as well as of strength and
Waterloo has placed cluster lights on
it's bridges and the effect is vely
fine.
Mankato Has an Opportunity.
Mr.. Cummings said that Mankato
has fine opportunity to advertise
at such bridge as he proposes,
made ornamental, and with a slogan
erected to indicate the progressive
ness of the city, as all of the rail-
way lines pass the bridge and all
travellers would see it.
The matter of the bridge will no
doubt be one of the matters to be
discussed at the meeting between Mr..
Cummings and the city council. 9th
err matters will also no doubt come
up. What is good for us is also
good for the city," said the Chicago
man. "a street car line is semi
public institution and is great con-
venience to many people This line
will never be a very paying invest
ment, but it can be made to make
some returns, while serving the peO-
pie. The Mankato street car line is
the smallest proposition that our peo-
pie have ever touched, and it is we'll
known that street car lines in none
of the small cities are very profit
able investments. For this reason
IllC UCOplc SIOuiu WOih Will IuC
street car line and enable it to give
the best service to the people that
is possible"
Nothing New Anent lnterurban.
Mr.. Cummings said that there is
nothing new in regard to an extern
sion of the line to Willmar, via ST.
Peter. He had not had time yet 20
go over the route of this proposed
line. He hoped to go over it on his
next visit, or at least part of it.
The power plant that the street
car company owned has been sold
to the Consumers Power compan..,
and contract has been made with
the latter to furnish the power for
a period of ten years, for operating
the car line, at rate that is mutu.
ally satisfactory, so Mr.. Cummings
states.
1t is the desire of Mr. Cummings
to develop the street car line to the
full extent that the patronage will
warrant, and as the people want the
best service possible he feels that
by cooperating the interests of both
can be enhanced. He is very
pleasant gentleman TO meet.
From Mondays Daily.
William Budde, one of the old
guard, broke i"+@ the stiffness and
quiet of the council meeting this