The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-09-26
Probe Cost High
Dads Hold Back
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
From the attitude of the council
men at their session this morning
it is not probable that Charles L.
Pillsbury, the engineer from Mime.
apolis who consulted with the coun.
Gil Saturday. will be given the con.
tract for investigating the rates
charged by the Consumers Power
company here for gas and electricity
and for the drawing of plans for a
municipal lighting plant, His prices
were considered too high. He asks
$50 per day and expenses for him.
self and from $40 to $15 per day
and expenses for his men, and says
that conservative estimate of the
cost of the investigation and the
plans would be about $4,000. City At
torney Arthur Schaub said, however
that Mr.. Piusbury had estimated the
cost of the investigation alone ought
to be in the neighborhood of $4,000
Other Engineers Consulted.
Mayor A. G. Meyer has commu
nicated by telephone with two other
engineers who have been in consul.
tation with the council before, and
their charges would be considerably
lower. Earle D. jackson of Mime.
apolis asks SIS per day and expenses
for himself and Sc or 81 per day and
expenses for his men. j. F. Druar OF
St Paul, with the Oscar Claussen
Engineering company wants $50 per
day for himself and $40 per day for
his men, but will pay all expenses.
Mr. Meyer says that if the investi-
CATION is to cost $4,000 he had rather
spend the money for a municipal
plant without the investigation.
8 Councilman A. G.. Lack suggested
that the mayor and one of the coun.
cilmen go to the cities and interview
several engineers before letting the
contract to anyone.
Mankato Rates About Right.
Mr.. Meyer said that according to
the numerous letters he received
some time ago, from various cities,
Mankato's rates are very little above
the average, and he would not be
willing to spend money lavishly just
to find out where we are at" City
Attorney Schaub reminded him, how
ever, that if the rate commission re
Gently appointed produces substan
tial evidence to prove that the rates
are too high, that this commission
has power to recommend a change
and the action of the council can
force lower rates. Thus, if the in
vestigation shows that Mankato
should have lower rates, the rates
will certainly be lowered. Council.
man Robert Lamm was in favor OF
postponing action on this question
until the state Legislature decides
for or against state public utilities
commission. but the city attorney
said that if this commission were
decided upon, in all probability it
would not be appointive, and by the
time it's members were elected and
settled down to work, three years
would have rolled by, and there
would still be no relief for the sui.
fering citizens of Mankato.
Other Engineers Will Come.
The two engineers, Messrs. Druar
and Jackson, will probably come to
Mankato some time this week, and
then the investigation question will
receive further consideration. 1t is
thought that good work on this line
should be secured for not over $4,000
or $4,000.
c. E. Wise, John C. Wise, Cath
crime Weaver, Helen Wise and Flora
Wise objected to being assessed foi
curb and guttering on several lots in
Dukes addition near the railroad
right of way on the grounds that the
assessment, 1888, was almost as
much as the lots were worth, that
several of them were fractional lots
that they were unproductive anG
were unsuitable for either building
purposes or for speculation, and thai
they would not be benefited by the
proposed improvement. The commu
nication was filed, and all the curl
and gutter assessments were con
firmed, but this matter was referred
to City Attorney Arthur Schaub, wht
will report at the next meeting. il
the decision of the council is in favor
of the petitioners, the amount of the
assessment will be refunded. Charles
z. Wise said that this would be 6
fine place for city hail. and offered
to donate them for this purpose.
PAVING Not Repaired.
George Wiedenman complained thai
the block paving on Mulberry stree
1 had not been repaired as was order
: ed some time ago, and asked thai
this be done at once, as the paving
is in poor condition and cold wealth
er will soon prevent the repairs this
year. City Engineer H. F. Blomquis
will see that the work is done at the
earliest possible moment.
/, A resolution was passed for the
purchase of the three lots near Sib
ley park from G. G. Swanson, as wa:
decided at the last meeting. The
price is. $500, and the lots are to be
used for park purposes, such as rails
ing pumpkins and squashes for the
deer.
A petition with the names of clever
property owners affixed was present
ed, by which the council was asked
to instruct the city engineer to re
fuse to grant building permit tt
!, Ed. Austin for remodeling a building
4 nm Fourth and TackSOn The nett