The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-08-15

, and to give him a better insight into
just what is needed.
The Commercial club committee
consists of F. M. Currier, chairman,
Judge Lorin Cray. ]. R. Brandrup,
H. F. Leonard and A. M. Stein.
Mr.. Currier and Mr.. Leonard were
not present, and Judge Cray acted
as chairman of the meeting.
Is a Ticklish Subject.
The council met again this after
noon at two o'clock.
An ordinance was to have been
presented regulating electric light
rates to private consumers, but City
Attorney Arthur Schaub stated that
the matter was a "ticklish PROPOSE
ton" and he had not had time to
draw up the ordinance. The charter
calls for committee to be appointed
to figure on the lighting rates, and
the duties of this committee must be
fully specified in the ordinance. Mr..
-Schaub said that he would have the
ordinance ready by next Monday.
Councilman A. G. Lack moved
that the purchase of fire apparatus
be postponed until next Monday for
further investigation. Councilman Ger
Itch seconded the motion and it was
carried unanimously. E. A. Wilkinson
of the Mott Fire Engine company
invited the councilmen to visit Min
neapolis this week and see demon
stration of his engine there. Mr..
Wilkinson said that the company
would pay the expenses. Mr.. Gibson
of the Waterous Company of ST.
Paul made the same invitation, and
Mr. Johnston of the American La
France company invited the mayor
and the fire chief to come to Column
bus to see the factory and demon.
STATIONS.
Mr.. Browning of the Seagrave COM
pany offered to let any competent
mechanic compare his specifications
with any of the others and abide by
the result. After this all the coun-
cilmen decided to go to Minneapolis
and st. Paul to see the fire engine
demonstrations.
Councilman Gerlich reported that
the overflow from the reservoir was
washing out ditch on Main street
and he suggested that a curb and
gutter be put in to take care of
this water.
Another Secret Session.
H.
this afternoon with j. B. Harris of
the firm of Rose & Harris of Min.
neapolis, consulting engineers and j.
F. Druary of st. Paul, consulting En-
gineer for the Oscar Claussen En-
cheering company. The purpose of
meeting them. was the same as the
meeting with Mr.. Jackson this morn
ing, to give them information neces-
sary for them to prepare estimates
on the construction of a municipal
lighting plant.
When approached by The Free
Press, Mr.. Jackson stated that he
had nothing to say. He would
vouchsafe no information as to the
cost of an electric light plant
Mr.. Druary talked along the same
strain.
Reporter Not Admitted.
A reporter for the Free Press at
tempted to gain admittance to the
secret meeting held by the council
this afternoon and was prevented
from so doing by Mavor Meyer, who
stated that they wanted TO talk over
some business and he did not think
it would interest the reporter any.
( Evidently Mayor Meyer did not
give consideration to the fact that
the Free Press reporter was a repre-
sentative of the public and that the
public is interested in all phases
of the lighting question. The public
would like to know why it is neces-
sary for the council to go into secret
session when an important question
like the building of an electric light
ing plant, involving the expenditures
OF thousands of dollars of the peo-
pies money is under consideration.