The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-08
Enthusiastic Gathering at Home
Of Robert Madigan.
MUCH MONEY IS SUBSCRIBED
Gravel Is Donated and Prospects
Are Good for Another Fine
Highway.
From Fridays Daily.
BY G. w. AllYN.1

tBY G. w. ALLYN.1
Madison Lake, March 1.-Of all
the good roads gatherings that :
have attended this winter one at the
home of Robert Madigan last night,
though the smallest in point of
numbers, was the most unanimously
enthusiastic. 1t is a significant fact
that Robert Madigan, the chairman
OF the most enthusiastic county COM
mlssloners of the most enthusia site
county i'll the state for good roads,
has been too modest to "pu,l for
HIMSELF" and still lives on one of
the poorest constructed pieces Of
loaG in the county Though both
ends of this road are well graveled
3rout six miles Of the center needs
much grading and then grave.ing
For several years Mr.. Madigau has
been working hard for the better.
ment OF Blue Earth county roads,
but whenever he went out on that
work 1t was necessary for him to
drive over two or three miles of
mud before striking a good road.
Last evening Joe Fasnacht, living
on this road, came into town and
asked some OF our business men to
ride out with him to meeting at
Mr. Madigan's house, and help them
organize a farmers club. Mr.. knott
OF the State bank was the first
speaker; Garfield Morrison was next,
followed by G. w. Allyn. Then
Joseph Rousch of Lime town en-
Unused the meeting with a vivid ac-
count Of the work that has been
done OH the west end of that road.
How he and Mr. Shuttle had gone
to the business men of Mankato for
aid, which had been given them,
and then the farmers had stuck to
the hauling until they had several
miles in splendid condition. Mr..
Pitcher of this place gave an in
teresting account of the early day
struggle that the business men of
Madison Lake had to get this road
laid out and opened, and how he or
Allyn, one or both, had remained
with the volunteer crews all the time
until the road was opened, and
Travelled, Notwithstanding the fact
that it had been declared that it
would cost $4,000 TO get the road in
shape So that Il team could so over
it, 10 --.s'. ..1 r- " - -'.-
Gave History of Road.
John Brown also spoke OF the
roads history, and said that last
fall he had two loads of rye, of sixty
five bushels each, to haul to the mill
in Mankato, and he knew that the
only way to get them there was to
start in the opposite direction, to
get on to the National Madison
Lake and Mankato" graveled road,
and how easily his teams handled
the loads after geIIing on the gravel.
But he, came back empty the shorter
road, and it took him much longer
to go home empty the short way,
and harder on his teams than to pull
the load over the gravel.
Robert Madigan and others talked
for the improvement, anu then they
organized, electing John Brown presi-
dent, Joseph Fasnacht secretary, J.
Rousch treasurer. Every business
man present from Madison Lake gave
SIS, which was duplicated ny nearly
every farmer in attendance, incfud-
ing Madigan, Brown, Fasnacht, Sui
Ivan, Johnson q think there We're
three Johnsons), Rousch, Eckman,
Hill, Moera and others. All were
not able to give the full $25, but
every one present declared their in
tention to assist to the full limit of
their ability.
John Brown and Joe Fasnacht both
donated free gravel from their pits
and between four and five hundred
dollars was subscribed by those
few present, part of it being paid in
cash on the spot, and fully five hun.
dred more will be subscribed by the
farmers along the road and by bust
ness men of Madison Lake who were
not present, and we know Mankato
business men will also boost" for
this means another good graveled
road into Mankato that will be six
teen miles long when this six miles
is improved.
There is lot of heavy grading on
this road and it must be done this
spring. ..E. -.
LIE Sueur county has already made |
this road a state road through their
county, and have asked us to also
place this end under the state road
system, which it is their intention at |
some future time to get extended |
north to the twin cities.
The business men of Madison Lake !
have already assisted the farmers
north of here this winter in gravel. |
ing about four miles of this same
road, but they are willing to go |
heavier yet to make this connection |
to Mankato, and we are sure Man |
kato will respond as they always |
have done, rand we expect before |
many months to see this Lime and |
jamestown road" as good as any in |
the county.