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

ious to get the sob" of drawing
the plans for the new electriefilight
plant, and they expatiated at length
on their merits as engineers.
What experts Wanted.
According to further reports of
the meeting, some of the engineers
wanted from $1,000 TO $4,000 for
drawing the plans and making blue
prints of them and figuring outJithe
specifications.
1t was reported that one gentle
man at the meeting argued very
strongly for more time before any
action was taken 1t is asid that
the contract for drawing the'qplans
might have been let yesterday had
it not been for this gentleman,r and
it was finally agreed to, postpone ac-
ton on thet matter for two days.
This member, it is said, told the
others that they were not sure yet
of what they wanted I'VE do not
know yet whether we want gplant
that will furnish light only for a
white way or for this and the
business portion of the city, or
whether we want one that will fur
nish juice for the city and aall the
private consumers also. Neither do
we know whether we want "a elumin-
Gus arc white way or some other
kind"
Concerning the three cent rate to
the city, which the Consumers Pow
er company is now giving, it lis said
that the engineers all agreed that
this rate was very reasonable, and
lower than the city could make it.
In fact, it is. said that one engineer
stated that the city could not gener-
ate electricity for this price at the
plant, to say nothing of delivering
it on the streets
Only two of the three engineers,
it seems, were, invited to, 1the meet
ing, and one of them is reported to
have left. town very much disap-
pointed because he did not think he
would get the. contract for drawing
the plans.
1t is expected that a meeting of
the council will be held soon and
some action will be taken relative
to the erection, of a municipal plant,
providing that an understanding is
not reached with the Consumers
Power company. 1t was with great
difficulty that The Free Press has
obfaj2ed it's information as to what
tralrfpired at the meeting Some of
the\ statements made in this article
may not be correct.
Will Employ Jackson.
Mayor Meyer gave ahother inter
view today andj said that Earle d.
Jackson would probably dbe the one
to draw the plans and specifications
for municipalI plant. All the council
men and the committee members
seemed to think very favorably of
him, and his prices we're. considered
very reasonable Mayor Meyer said
that he agreed ito do the work for
three per cent? two per cent for
the white way cost and three per
cent for the installation! in the resi-
dence district. q
1--WE went to the pumping station"
said the mayor, "andbiMr. Jackson
! seemed to think that a plant large
enough to furnish electricity for the
city alone could be installed without
building an addition to- the present
building. He said that another boiler
could be installed and a new and
larger smokestack built, and the
dynamos connected However, if the
city wanted to odo commercial light
ing, Mr.. Jackson said that more
space would be needed and two boil
ers should be installed The engi
neers estimated that the scost of the
plant would range from $4,000 to
/ 100000. Of this amount about $50,
900 is expected to be spent at the
pumping station and fabout $4,000
on the streets. The white way was
| planned to run on Front, Second anG
Broad streets, but this has not beer
settled yet. The installation for the
residence district, if ib were lighted
by the city, would be laid under
ground, andfs the rest over the sur
face. Mr. Jackson said that plan
big enough to light the entire city
residence district and business por
tions as we'll as the1, street lights
would cost, in the neighborhood o
! s175,O00." a r.
AS a matter of information, i
might besstated that just at present
the city cannot bond itself for NOR,
than approximately $4,000, accord
ing to law The law allows the city
to issue bonds for Z per cent of The
entire assessed valuation, and thi
amount valuation is about $5,000,00C
There is now about 100000 bonde,
Indebtedness, besides some smalle
debts, and in all, with 1.-THE limit O
$130,000lsthis would total $350,000 o
, seven per cent of the total assesses
valuation.
!, Favors Secret Meeting.
Councilman John c. Gerhch, speal
ing of the secret session said: "W
5 were not. in regular session. ''W
!, were merely at an informal meet
ing. and had adjourned from tn
1 regular meeting. We certainly do nc
$ want. the Consumers Power compan
e to oyerhear our plans $50 that
e chance will be given to block us.
think that The Free Press spoke III
JUSTLY of US yesterday concernin
d the alleged secret meeting, as whs
r we were doing was for the good {