The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-03-21

with a view of permanency.
Most roads leading into the coun-
try have Deen graded and graveled
and put in good condition up to the
city limits. Among these are the
st. Peter road, Windmiller hill, East
Main street, which now is being
graveled. as well as Silver ravine
road. This work together with the
paving. sidewalks, curb and cutters
and well kept boulevards, gives us
reason to be proud of our streets. |
think there is no city within the
state that can show up any better
in the appearance than our wen
kept streets and boulevards.
Purchase of Land Opening UP North
Fourth Street.
One, among the best results OF the
preesnt council, was the securing or
deed from the Omaha company oil
| land to extend North Fourth street
and the dedication of the same Tor
a public street. The property own
ers paid most Of the cost OF the pur-
chase of this piece, the city only
paving $4,000. The growth of this
| part of our city was retarded by not
having this street opened.
Typhoid Cases.
At the commencement of the pres
| emf administration there were three
| typhoid cases pending against the
city. each claiming $4,000 damages.
The trial of these cases would incur
great expense to the city. The city
was fortunate in settling the three
cases for $4,000 and the incidental ex-
pense' connecting with the settlement
/ of the cases amounted to $1,7S1.24.
Sanitary Sewers.
In the year 1911, 1851 feet of SAM
tary sewers were laid at a cost of 3d.
226.35.
The city's share paid for laying
said sanitary sewers was $1,590.f0
and the balance $63595 was assessed
against the property benefit
In the year 1912, 1888 feet of
sanitary sewers was paid at a cost
Of $15.572.9O The city's share of said
improvement being $4S5.30.
Storm Sewers.
In the year 1911, 1873 feet of
storm sewers were constructed at a
cost of $3,571S3
In the year 1912, 2,57O feet of storm
sewers were laid ut a cost of $2,673.
TIL entire cost of laying the storm
sewer has been paid by the city.
The city engineer in his report
speaking of sanitary sewers on page
43. make the following statement:
During the year 1912 nearly all the
district on the northerly side of the
city. which was not provided with
sanitary sewers, was added to the
sewer district. More sewers were
laid and more people provided with
sewers this year than any other year
in the history of the city. The num-
Der of feet of sewers laid this year
was 14,S9S feet. This amount is al
most equal to that of the two years
of most construction previous to
this year. viz: 1892 and 1894 when
6,2S2 and 9.465 feet of sewer re-
spectively were laid, or a total of
1871 feet
Asphalt Pavement.
The ten year guarantee of the pave
ment on Broad street having expired,
the city by some effort got the Bar
Der Asphalt company to repair the
pavement according to the contract
In making the repair the city found
it necessary to remove cement cross.
ings and otherwise improved the
street, this was outside the terms OF
the guarantee, and those improve
ments were made at a cost of ST.
04S.91
Summary Of Expenses.
Among The items paid out by the
city for lis share of improvements
made the past two years, are the fol-
lowing:
Street Davements. ....... $15.961 81
Cement curb and cutters. 1886 80
Cement alley and street
crossings ............ 1856 81
Sidewalks, retaining walls,
etc. Observation-Disclosures. 2,49S. ca
Street maintenance and
improvements ........ 22,645. II
Repairing Broad street
pavement ............. S92 81
Storm sewers ............ 6,244 SO
Sanitary sewers .-........ 2,075 20
Water works Agency hill. 7,24S 10
Water works extensions :. 1858 90
Water works maintenance
and improvements 800, 1854 IS
Water works steam boiler 1.513 so
Main street improvement
about $3.50. 900 90
Paid for land opening
Fourth street 900 90
typhoid cases settlement. 77S1. "a
Iotal ................. $S0,S41 AZ
Besides the above items are pa,i,
improvements and many others.
Commission Form of Government.
The city adopted the commission
form of government in May. 1910,
and in my opinion it has proved to
be superior to the old aldermapic
form of city government. Very often
] am asked the question if it re.
duces taxation. The answer to that
question depends largely upon the
public improvements that are being
made. There is no doubt but that
under the commission form better re-
suits can be accomplished at less
cost than under the old form. The
large permanent improvements made