The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-12-04
OPPOSED TO PAYING
FOR BRIDGE REPAIRS
From Thursdays Daily.

North Mankato seems unwilling
to pay haR the cost OF referring
the Main street bridge. Nor does
the club think II fair that all of
Nicollet county should stand that
much of the cost. This was APP
parent from the talk at the meeting
OF the North Mankato Commercial
club In the village hall last evening.
Henry Robel, Sr., called the at
tention OF the club to the fact that
the city council of Mankato had
under consideration the matter OF
replanking the bridge at Main
street He spoke of the city engin.
GERS estimate of s2.700 as the cost
for replanking and renooring the
bridge, using the creosoted planks.
Mr.. Robel thought II was great
folly to spend much money on the
bridge. He said what was needed
was a new bridge. He said the
! Improvement that was contemplated
would place a great burden on the
bridge. He feared the heavy plank
ing would be too much for the frail
frame, which itself was quite old.
Nor did he endorse the idea that
North Mankato or the people on
that side of the river In general
should pay half of the cost, either
OF repairing the old bridge or put
| ting In a new one. He thought the
proper course was TO see what could
be gotten from the state highway
commission and the street car COM
pany, and the rest of the cost or
the bridge should be divided be-
tween the two counties in proper
ton to their assessed valuation. He
thought that was the only fair way
of dividing the cost. He thought
the only proper place for the bridge
/ for the benefit of the greatest num-
I her OF those who use II, was right
there at Main street and Belgrade
avenue. He did not like the idea
of locating II away out at Sibley
park.
The matter was discussed at great
length, and finally at the suggestion
, of the president, T. E. Lindholm, 1t
was referred to the same committee
that had had Il under consideration
. before. consisting Of Henry Robel
Sr.. Dennis Donohue and Emil
Rhode. This committee was in
structed to appear before both
county boards and other bodies in
terested and see just what could
be done I'm the way OF raising the
necessary funds for the construction
of the new bridge.
Dennis Donohue reported that the
Relief society had raised s64.S5 for
the Belgian fund and 1t was ex-
pected that two dollars would come
vet. He said he had been requested
TO bring before the club the ques-
ton whether II would not be well
for the club to add enough to make
liz an even seventy-fve dollars.
After some discussion. 1t was
agreed that while the cause was
very worthy, II was not the clubs
place to make donation. That
was not what the club was for. The
donations should be made by in
idividuals.
1
committee that has I'm hand the
matter of establishing a canning
factory in Mankato, or possibly In
North Mankato, reported that next
week this committee would hold a
meeting on the subject with the
advisory, board OF the Mankato Com
mercial club. He said the leaders
of that club were taking great n-
terest in the project. He said the
secretary of the club, 4. +. Soaring,
1 had showed much enthusiasm Tor
the idea. Mr.. Donohue expressed
the hope that at the next meeting
of the North Mankato Commercial
club the committee would be able
20 report the actual organization OF
the new company. He hoped by
that time the company would have
its acreage secured. BY that he
meant that the arrangements would
have been made with various farm
! ers 10 plant certain acres with vege-
tables to be sold to the company
for canning.
4 Rudolph wachtler, North Man.
kato's we'll known land man, gave
the club highly entertaining talk
| on land conditions in Canada. lie
said the great European war had
nut a stop to speculative opera
tons i'm Western Canada. He dwelt
at great length on the development
of the grapefruit industry In FLOR
ida, and said great fortunes were
being made in that with very little
labor. What little labor was to be
done, was being done by the ne
4 groes.
w. Fl. Sharp spoke OF the PROPOSE.
! ton that had been made to the
I village council to put In an auto
matte pump to hoist the water into
the tank by means Of the power OF
the flow in the well. He estimated
that II this could be successfully
accomplished. the machine, which
would cost. together with instaiia'
ton. about 5000, would pay for IT.
| self I'm current saved i'm three to four
years. Al present the pumping is
done with electric power. There
was considerable talk about the
matter, but the club did not go on
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