The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-06-21

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If the recommendations of the
bridge committee, which was recent
ly appointed by the Mankato Com
mercial club to investigate the
needs and location of a new bridge
across the Minnesota river are TAX
en- as final Mankato and North
Mankato will still have to contend
with the present bridge for some
time. This report was made by
Judge Lorin Cray, chairman of that
committee at the special meeting OF
the Commercial club last evening,
which was held in the city council
chambers.
Judge Cray stated that the COM
mittee had worked in conjunction
with a similar committee appointed
by the Commercial club of North
Mankato, but that the latter disliked
the idea of the committee from
Mankato in sidetracking the bridge
proposition. They were determined
to have bridge, and wanted the
clubs to recommend that the matter
be brought before the next legisla-
ture with a view to securing aid.
Judge Cray thought that they were
too hopeful. Although he would like
to see the state appropriate from
fifty to sixty thousand dollars for a
bridge, he was not too sanguine and
thought the most that the legisla-
ture would give was about one-tenth
of that amount. The city in its
present financial condition is not
able, he said, TO pay for new
bridge
Mr.. Cray also said that someone
suggested that the channel of the
river be changed, or that the two
passenger stations be moved UP or
down a few blocks, then raise the
tracks at Main street, and build
subway under the tracks, and a
bridge across the river. He said
that the Milwaukee railroad at pres
ent was the greatest menace to
travel, because there is always some
switch engine standing on the cross
ing at Main street. This thorough
fare would then not be so con,
gested.
Report of the Committee.
The committees report is as fol
lows and was accepted, and the com
mittee discharged:
To the Mankato Commercial
Club: The undersigned commit
tee appointed by this club to in
vestigate and report regarding
the building of one or more
bridges across the Minnesota
river between this city and
North Mankato, respectfully re-
port.
That as contemplated at the
time of our appointment we have
worked in conjunction with a
committee appointed by the Com
mercial club of North Mankato
for the same purpose.
That we have visited and
carefully examined several pro-
posed locations for bridges, and
have had several interviews with
bridge contractors and railway
and other engineers, together
with our own city engineer, who
have inspected the several pro-
posed locations, and have had
prepared and submitted several
plans and estimates.
As a result of all this and
of our deliberations we are con-
strained to report.
That we think that a new,
modern, and sufficient bridge
should be constructed at the
foot of Main street before the
construction of any other bridge
is undertaken.
We think that the demands of
trade and travel require this
at as early a date as may be.
We are not prepared, however,
to recommend the building of
new bridge at Main street for
the following reasons:
First. The building of an
overhead bridge will involve an
expense of $15O,O00 to $175,0OO,
and the landing at this end of
the bridge will need to be at
least one block away in some
direction from the intersection
of Main and Front streets, and
it cannot be built so as to
avoid having the traffic to and
from the Union station cross the
tracks at grade, and this being
so, we can expect no help from
the railway companies.
Second A grade crossing
bridge will do away with none
of the annoyances which we now
suffer. and to build such
bridge now, of good width, of
reinforced. concrete, which we
would suggest, will cost prob
ably 500, 900, which price we think
is prohibitory, in view of other
financial needs of the city and
county We had thought that
with new bridge at Main
street the present bridge could
be used near Sibley Mound which
we look upon as being the most
desirable location west of Main
street for another bridge but