The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-09-12

2. 1913
/ am in favor of letting this thing
run along little while lohger, not
making any contract at all with the
company, and thus being free to dis
connect from their lines at any time
we should wish to do so. Then if
the state public utilities commission
as appointed, we will have to abide
by their findings"
c. E. Wise said that he thought
that Judge Cray had covered the
ground pretty thoroughly. and re.
peated the fact that the private con-
sumers would not be benefited by a
plant for municipal lighting only. He
also said that taxes were very higl
at present, and the Indebtedness
which would be required to build a
large municipal plant would not be
a wise thing to go into.
The two reports were filed and
vote of thanks extended the COM
m1ttee from the councll.
Brandrup Expressed Surprise.
]. R. Brandrup said that he was
much surprised that the white way"
had not been recommended in the
reports. "This report was not sane
toned by the Commercial club light
ing committee" said he. "a week
ago, understood that both commit
tees were agreed that an engineer
be employed to find out the cost
of municipal plant. / can speak
only for myself however, as / am
not the chairman and only two mem
bers of the committee are in the
city. l would not hesitate to spend
money to get this engineer in order
to find out just where we stand on
the proposition, and whether we
stand to win or lose by the es-
tablishment of municipal plant"
A. M. Stein, the other member of
the Commercial club committee,
agreed with Mr.. Brandrup. 1--WE
have gone to several different cities
at our own expense" said<he, land
have conducted rigid Investigations.
We recommended that thet council
to put in white way and 1 am
still in favor of it. If it pays the
Donaldson Glass block in Minneapo-
lis and several other large concerns
put in a white way and l am
do not set why it would not pay the
city of Mankato to do the same thing.
l would like to have the municipal
plant idea further investigated
Not Opposed to White Way.
In answer to these two gentlemen,
Judge Cray said that he was not
opposed to a white way but only
wanted the council to go slow, until
the action of the state legislature
is known. Mr.. Brandrup said that
he had been ready to sign the report
as first made by the mayors COM
mittee, when this report had recon-
mended the engagement of an engi-
neer, but that he would not sign
the last one. Mr.. Wise said that he
had suggested the. calling of the
meeting of the two committees yes
terday, and had also suggested some
of the things. incorporated in the re-
port, but there were not enough
of the Commercial club committee
members present to make quorum,
and therefore only the ayers COM
mittee had ben asked to sign this
report.
Mr.. Brandrup said that he did not
think that a municipality would have
to pay an income tax of the income
was less than $4,000, but Judge Cray
claimed that the attorney general
has decided that not even five cents
would be exempted.
City Attorney Arthur Schaub
agreed with Judge Cray, and sug-
gested that as the local public utili-
ties commission had been appointed,
they should make the investigations,
and then if their report recon-
mended it, it was time to, get an, en-.
gineer busy on plans for NUM-
cipal plant. Mr.. Brandrup however,
still seemed to think that the engi-
neor SnOulQ De HIr6Q dt once, anu IDdI
it would be his duty to- do all the
investigating Mr.. Schaub pointed
out that this commission could call
in an engineer to do such technical
investigating as they were unable to
perform, and that this would not
cost as much as if he were
hired to make plans and specifica-
tions. for municipal plant. Coun-
Gilman Robert Lamm also favored
having the public utilities commits
sion, which as appointed by the
mayor yesterday consists of George
w. Scherer, Jean A. Flittie and w
J. Morehart, get busy and find out
if the Consumers Power company is
overcharging the private consumer.
Councilman A. G.. Lack suggested
that the matter be laid on. the table
until next Mondays meeting of the
council. Then the discussion ceased
and the matter was dropped until
this time without an official vote