The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-10-03

$1o,Coo over that of 1918. The FUNDS
are as follows:
Interest IS 7,7oo
Police $500. ........... 6,Ioo
Fire department. ,.... 5000
Salary. 900
Health 1000
Printing and Supply. 1900
Lighting. ........... $500.
Permanent improvem emit $4,000
Road and bridge ...........1o,5 500
Park ......... 1000
Sinking. $500
Library INSTRUMENTATION. 5000
Edward Austin of North Mankato
addressed the council this morning
In tones expressing much indigna-
ton because. the city acted last Mon
day, in accordance with petition
whereby the city engineer was au.
thori7ed to refuse Mr. Austin per.
NIT to remodel building which he
has moved to lot in the best resi-.
dence section of Jackson street. At
torney c. 0. Daley appeared in be-
half Of the petitioners, and urged
the council to stand pat" on the
action, and referred to the building
which Mr.. Austin proposes to make
into a dwelling as "a rotten old
barn, and very unsanitary" Mr..
Daley also called the barn fire
trap and an eyesore," and on this
account, held that. its position there
would be a detriment to that resi-
Dental section, x. t".
Said Council Was Discriminating
Mr. Austin said that Mr.. Dailey's
statements were not true. He claim
ed that the scouncil was discriminat-
ing against him in not allowing him
to improve his property. II ask no
more than YOU give to any other
citizen of Mankato,' declared Mr..
Austin, "andpI claim that the barn
lis sanitary, and that no horses have
been stabbed in it for years. 1t is
not rotten old barn. and there
are other people living in this vi
cinity who are also living in houses
remOdeled from barns. ! refuse to
get down on my knees and ask my
neighbors what kind of a house I
may build, and i will not consult
with them in the matter. Our folks
own this property, 'sand claim the
right to do with it as we see fit. Ii
the council 6desires not to treat me
as other people are treated. then |
must proceed on another course of
action" 'laL: d'xNaru3a.a .a
viii Not Consult Neishbors.
! City Attorney Arthur Schaub said
that he did rot think that there
would be any objection to the barn
if it were proven sanitary, and if
the specifications for the additions
and the remodeling were approved
by. the city engineer as the building
; ordinance provides. Is Mr. Austin
said that he would do this. The
action of the council holds yet. as
the notion to refuse the building
permit was mot reconsidered.
Consulting: Engineers J. i, Druar
, and Earle d. Jackson Of the twin
cities were apresent, sat the meeting
this morning, both anxious to be
given the contract for making the
rate investigations with the rate
commission. Mr. Druar spoke to
the council. hut as time ran short
it was decided to hold an adjourned
meeting this afternoon at which
time Mr.. Jackson will present his
proposition. Mr. Druar said that he
had had a great deal of experience
in rate investigation, and was thor.
oughly comDe.ent to do the work.
! Would Require Three Weeks.
! He estimated that it would take
him about three weeks to figure out
the cost of a steam municipal plant
for the city only. aud that his price
for the work would ne five per cent
for the plans, and for suDerintendinG
the construction. or 3R per cent
/ for the plans only. AS a lump sum
be said that his plans for the speci
! fications for municipal plant would
| cost in the neighborhood of $1,000
, if the plant was, built in conjunction
with the pumping station. The
time REQUIRED to make an investiga
ton of the, gas plant; be estimated
would be from two and one-half to
three months = lie thought that be
could do this for about $4,000, or II
I he was to make plans for a munich
pal plant also about $4,000.
Cannot Hold creosote Blocks.
City Engineer II. +. Blomouist re
ported that he and District Engineer
w. F. Brooks lad made an inspec
ton of the Blue Earth river bridge
and that found that the brige was
not strong enough to hold a con
crete or creosote block floor. He
therefore submitted an estimate Of
/ s2.72S.27 for putting in new three
inch plank floor aud new steel string
ers. The present stringars are bad
~ rusted. OF this, amount the city
pays half, and the county the other
half. No action was taken
! NJ l.. Foss was granted a liquor
license to run a saloon at All South
| Front street for another year.
Bids For Coal.
Four bids for ocal for the city
hall and the central fire station were
opened, but Only one of them en-
closed certified cehck for 10 pei
cept of the bid. The contract for
one hundred twenty tons of West
Virginia splint coal was granted to