The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-03-07

the part of officers and committees
of this club. 1t is one of the most
pretentious booklets ever gotten out
to advertise any city.
During the latter part of May the
head court of the United Order OF
Foresters held it's meeting in this
city, and this club arranged an auto
mobile ride for the visitors, and eX'
tended such other courtesies as was
possible.
Through the efforts of this club,
the express companies in July add
ed thirteen blocks to the free deliV'
cry district The latter part OF that.
month the officials of the Great
Western road were entertained by
Il committee of the club.
Good Roads Work.
The good roads committee did
lot of work, visiting various town
meetings, and encouraging the inn
provement of the roads. 1t was
through the efforts of this club and
it's good roads committee that the
improvement Of the Good Thunder
road under the Elwell law has been
undertaken. The more recent work
on behalf of the improvement OF
the valley road to the twin cities
as a federal postroad, and apprOpri-
alton Of $500 by this club for the
purpose of helping pay Blue Earth
county's share Of the expense, mas
not yet been forgotten. This road
will be officially designated soon.
Great credit for this is due to the
Anfpn1nhiln climbs nf
this city.
The convention last week of the
Minnesota Field Crop Breeders as
sociation and the Minnesota Corn
Growers association, with the seed
fair and the agricultural short
course, was worth many times what
it cost the club. The farmers this
time were aroused to the Importance
of better farming, and turned out
/ by the hundred. 1t is estimated
that fully 500 were present at one
time or another, and about 400 were
present at one time the third day.
A movement to secure county ag.
ricultural agent was started, through
the efforts of a committee OF this
club
While perhaps not a great deal
! was accomplished in the matter of
getting more factories, still the Of
fcers of the club and advisory
board did a good deal of work along
this line and feel that some progress
has been made, although at the pres
ent time | am unable to report def
nitely on anything. With the as
sistance of the recently appointed
committee on new factories, posi-
bly, a more definite. report, can be
made next year.
Other matters in which the club
| did some effective work were in try
| ing to stop switching across the
| Main street crossing; to have the
city acquire better facilities for fight.
| ing big fires; in trying to secure
! legislation to save the tub factory
/ for Mankato; in trying to shape
other legislation so as not to be
harmful to our local Industries, but
| on the other hand TO help the city
| etc.
1t was with no small degree OF
satisfaction that the club member
ship, | think, saw the placing OF
John H. Holman on the county
board and Miles Porter in the legis
| lature-both members of this clui
and active in their interest for the
city's good. believe that both
are making good Although new tc
the work, both are influential. i
is the first time in years that Man
kato is directly represented in the
lower house of the legislature, ant
it may be years before Mankatt
will be again so fortunate.
| / should not fail to mention thu
organization of the Mankato Anti
tuberculosis society as indirectl.
= one of the accomplishments of thi:
club. The organization of loca
branch of the State Humane societ,
may soon be another. This club wa!
represented at the second conserva
ton congress at Minneapolis, in No
vember.
But aside from all these things
. much has been accomplished in
, quiet way, that cannot be Specificall,
mentioned. The daily correspondence
; of the club takes much time, a
the secretary is called upon to Civ
) all kinds of information about on
/ city and county, to aid other club
in organizing, to advise them how t
do this or that The fact that TIL
, past year saw the greatest popula
. ton growth that the city ever e,
perienced, requiring the building o
{ dwellings for eighty or ninety fan
D lilies in the city and twenty-three i
5 North Mankato, can undoubtedly i
! no small degree be traced to tn
3 work of these commercial organize
. tons. People from elsewhere ca
5 daily at the office of the club 70
g information, and no CALL either i
t person or by letter, is sighted b
: your secretary, who has given niue
1 more of his time to the club wor
than he expected to or, perhaps, ha
S been justified in doing. But TIL
/ pleasure of working with live an
t efficient president and advisor
t board has iightened the work goo
: deal. The club owes more than
S realizes TO it's advisory board, {
l. which the president is membe
J. Also, the various committees al
a deserving of great credit. | hop
/, that what l have said will justif
0 the members in taking as niue
pride in the club as other comm
:. mites feel respect for it.