The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-31

Mr.. Lundeen, state life insurance
department would be under the SUI
pervision of the insurance commits
siOner and the state treasurer No
agents would be employed. Insur-
ance would be issued on application
only He will ask the legislature
to appropriate an amount required
to finance the project and place it
on sound basis. Then, he holds,
that the premiums, although low in
comparison, will be sufficient to
! build up a surplus, which will in
sure the permanency of the new
! venture.
Arguments were presented to the
state highway commission, at a meet
ign in ST. Paul today, why the Man.
kato-Bloomington road should be
given the federal aid that is pro-
posed in order that fifty miles of
/ highway can be improved and better
! ed according to federal regula tons.
| The session was we'll attended. Prac.
! tically two propositions were pre-
scented to the commission-the Man
kato- Bloomington scenic highway
and the Northfeld Owatonna- Albert
/ Lea roadway, which seems to have
interested Madison Lake to some
extent.
The Mankato-Bloomingto PROPOSE
! ton was urged by Senator Benson
of ST. Peter, County Commissioner
John Holman, II. l.. Schmitt of
| Mankato and Attorney Ora ]. Parker
of lie Sueur.
Gave Reasons Why.
Senator Benson called the commits
sion's attention TO the reasons which
have prompted the towns and coun-
/ ties in the Minnesota valley to ask
for the federal aid, all of which
have been published in The Free
Press. Also the senator presented
map prepared by W. f. Brooks
which shows the proposed route
and the number of miles, starting
from Good Thunder and ending at
Minneapolis, ninety-nine in all. Fifty
OF these miles will be developed
under federal aid and the balance
under the professions of the Elwell
law. Senator Benson gave most eX-
cellent reasons why this road
should be given preference.
County Commissioner John Hob
mann presented the commission
with certified checks amounting TO
$22 900. which has been appropri.
ated by the towns and counties along
the proposed route, guaranting that
they stand ready to do their part
in the betterment of the highway.
Mr. Hohmann also urged the com
mission to select the Mankato-Bloom
ingtOn road. He called attention to
the fact that 'Mankato was the larg-
est town in Southern Minnesota and
that it was the pioneer in the good
roads movement.
Attorneys Parker and Schmitt
spoke along the same line as the
other gentlemen and added force to
the arguments that had already
been presented TO the commission.
AIlyn's Startling Statements.
The Northfield-Albert Lea road
was championed by Senator eastman
of Owatonna, who spoke of the beau
tiful country that the highway would
pass through; also that the road
was one of the original stage roads
in Minnesota
George Allyn Of Madison Lake fur.
nished the fireworks for the occa-
sion. He made the startling state
ment that Mankato was not in ia
vor of the Mankato- Bloomington
road and that the people of this
city would not ride over it even
though it were. paved with gold dol
lars. This remark will indeed sur.
prise the many citizens of Mankato
who have been putting in their best
efforts to have the commission Sc.
lect the Misunderstanding route
as the federal postroad Mr. Allyn
is said to have made other objec-
,tionabla remarks-statements which
are not founded upon facts. He at
tempted to create an impression that
Madison Lake was the mother of all
the good roads in Blue Earth coun.
ty Mankato was building good
roads before Madison Lake woke up
to the idea. That village has done
a great deal in the direction of good
roads and it's work is appreciated
by all who are interested in the
IlON tniSut
E. ID. Winship of Owatonna, A. F.
Keller of st. Paul also advocated the
selection of the Northfield- Albert Lea
read. County commissioners from
Ramsey county were present to in.
form the commission that they had
appropriated money to aid the i'm.
provement of this road.
Will Decide Tomorrow.
The commission will not decide
TODAY what road will be favored. c.
/. McNair of CloQuet, member of
the commission, was detained at his
home because of the illness of Mrs.
McNair, who had to be taken to a
hospital He will be present at the
session tomorrow.
1t was the general opinion of
those who listened to the arguments
that the gentlemen who represented
the interests of the Mankato- Bloom
! lngton proposition, made the better
showing and presented their cause
in more concrete form.
+ Representative r. C. Dunn was
! present at the meeting and referred
to a number of bills that were go
ing to be introduced at this session
of the legislature that had to do
with good roads. At his request a
resolution urging the representatives
to vote for these measures was
adopted by those in attendance ar
/ the meeting