The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-03

upon the decision of the automobile
club.
Good Roads In Infancy.
Eve are still in the infancy with
reference to good roads improve
ment, however. But IL members oil
associations of this kind will make
it business the present summer
as they travel in the country roads
| to speak to the farmer and business
men and impress on them the ne
cessity of this $1,2OO.OOO amend
ment, we may get it, but unless
they do this and interest themselves
enough in securing this appropria
ton, the amendment will fail"
Cooperation was the single word
that expressed his sentiment in re
gard to securing good roads work
and the $1,200,000 appropriation. He
stated that he would do all in his
power to secure this appropriation
Although Minnesota was a progress
sive state, it was behind the times
in some respects, and especially in
the building of roads. He then said
few words about the banquet
Governor Eberhart had had the
pleasure of attending the first ban
quet at the Loyola club and to at
tend one again in this institution
he said, was indeed a pleasure. He
complimented the ladies and the
manner in which he had been en-
tertained.
Although Mankato has not been
able to secure what it has desired
in the way of rate legislation, it is
a progressive city. He urged the
association to be instrumental in
taking advantage Of the work of the
state highway commission which Is
expanding large amounts of money.
His closing remarks contained a
plea for a bigger membership of the
club and better highways.
Report BY President Hohmann.
Immediately after the governors
talk, the business meeting was be.
gun. President Hohmann read a
report as follows:
ITO the Members of the Mankato
Automobile Club: At the last meet.
ing of this club, which was held
December 5, 1911, our membership
numbered 129. Since then the fol
lowing sixteen new members have
joined the club: George Anderson
w. F. Brooks, DR.. l.. T. Dodds, Eric
Engwalson, John A. Farmer, N. M
Hermanson, J. H. Hughes, George
G.. Krost, Conrad Mayer, George
Meyer, E. L. Miller, P. w. Pitcher
DR.. William M. Standish, w. E.
Stewart, D. E Walker and DR.. A. o
Bjelland.
-Four members have been drop
ped from the club, which makes a
net gain of twelve or a total mem,
bership in the club today of 141
Of these. all except three have paid
their dues to January /, 1912. The
net balance in the treasury is
$453.61. At our October meeting
$500 was voted to be spent on sew.
eral roads around Mankato, but OF
this amount only $225 has been ex'
pended. The 5000 voted for the
Washington Lake road, and the
500 for the bluff road to st. Peter
has not yet been paid out.
"At our December meeting I was
elected to represent this club at
the annual state meeting of the
Minnesota State Automobile asso
citation, which was held in st. Paul
on April /. Twenty-Five of the thir
ty-five clubs, which are affiliated
with the state association were rep
resented at this meeting, and the
total membership in the state as
sociation was reported as being
2,473. "y.s -.
Regarding the Publicity.
"The retiring president. Mr. Eli
Warner, called attention to the
growth of the automobile associa
ton, and strongly urged that more
cities where there are a number OF
automobiles should join the associa
ton. He also called attention to the
publicity and advertising that the
association received out Of it's tour
to Helena, which was conducted by
the state association last summer
In the future the annual tours will
be conducted as reliability and so
ciability tours, and it is the hope
of the officers that the members OF
the different clubs join in the so
ciability tours. A trophy will, in al
probability, be offered to the club
having the largest number of cars
represented in the sociability run.
"Mr. Warner also reported that
the association had been at work
on a route book for the state, but
the work had been halted for the
reason that a member of the st
Paul club had copyrighted the
route heretofore printed. At this
meeting / strongly urged that the
state association get out road
book, and also called attention tc
the fact that majority of oul
! members were not receiving the
American Motorist. l will refer tc
these two matters a little later on
Besides endorsing the Wander
bilt cup race, to be held in Mil
waukee (Which has since beer
granted), and besides endorsing 6
one mill road tax law, much time
I -.