The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-08-07
from Thursday,s Daily.

L IL il pOSsfDle tnat u Few VIII say
they knew Il all the time, but these
few are the ones who never accom-
piish anything. says The LIE Sueur
News. The scenic valley road is dead,
so dead that the sound Of Gabrial's
horn would not revive IL, and the
national government at Washington
is to blame. Two years ago the peo-
pie along the road, from Markato TO
the twin cities, started the project OF
building a post road from the Bloom
ington bridge to the city limits at
Mankato, with the intention of ex.
pending $4,000 In the work, OF which
sum the government, through the
postal department promised to appro-
pirate $4,000. The remainder of the
money, $4,000, after untold labor,
was subscribed, and q survey made
by the state highway. department of
Minnesota. II was then discovered
that II would require $4,000 to build
and gravel the road In q manner
making II acceptable TO the national
government, but the promoters were
game, and called the bluff, by raising
slightly more than $4,000 and asked
the government to come across with
$4,000 which was promised.
Del, Entered Into a Contract
More than this, the government
sent on agent after agent, and finally
entered into a contract with the
counties of Scott, lie Sueur, Nicollet,
Blue Earth and Hennepin, requiring
them to assemble the money at once
and promised as soon as this
was done TO pay over their por.
ton, let contracts and go ahead.
year ago, and then the govern
ment halted The contracts at latest
were to be let in February, 1914,
and when the state department in
January, 1914. attempted to get in
formation from Washington, after
wait since the October previous,
without a peep from there, we were
told that the proposition was aban-
doned so far as the government was
concerned" Remember this was after
the valley people had assembled
the money and entered into writ.
ten contract with the government.
New Effort Made.
A new effort was made and the
case reopened. II was then said
that $4,000 would be needed but
this did not dampen the enthusiasm
of so the people in the valley and
they said come on. Arrangements
were made to raise the share which
/ the valley was supposed to sub.
scribe, and then the government
again quit the game. So. the road
Is dead. For two years we have
waited for the great improvement
promised. Politics has killed Il. We
don't know why. II is said that. the
present postmaster general IN anx-
/ ioas to become a United States
senator from Texas, his native state,
and that he has used the money
originally intended for Minnesota
, down there. Why were the people
: fooled by having written contracts
made and then thrown down.
Dirty Piece Of Work.
II is q dirty piece OF work to say
the least OF course Minnesota may
not be of Importance to the admins
; tration, but her people are entitled
1 to a square deal and we have not
got 1t. Our own congressman and SEN
ators do not tell US why. We could
not kick with the same strength be-
| hind the blow 10 we did not have a
contract with Uncle Sam for. doing
the work, and his written promise
| to pay the money. When he abandoned
the contract he did not notify any
one in Minnesota. The people 10 and
down the valley have labored for
two years together, and possibly some
good has resulted, for they are closer
i together now than ever before, but
their contempt for the promises made
from Washington, evensin writing, a
equally united. No man living In the
valley would subscribe q penny In
the future, on a government promise
to aid in the road building, but let US
hope that Minnesota viii build II
4 SohC uuy DO SuBbcstcu III " tcuHtuy
article In this paper. published In
January 1914. Blue Earth county,
Mankato, Nicollet county, st. Peter,
the Chamber of Commerce OF St.
Paul, and others, have withdrawn
their money from the repositories de-
sfgnated by Uncle Sam. The road is
dead. The government at Washington
killed Il. ..... 60 'tsT.1.
From Thursdays Daily. ...a.s.. s,
1t Is probable that the amended
complaint of the Consumers. Power
company, in the action brought by
the city to prevent the enforcement
of the dollar gas ordinance, will be
ready for service after q day or two.
In that complaint. the authority Of
the city council to regulate gas rates
/ will be conceded, but II will be main.
tanned that the dollar gas ordinance
prescribes rates that amount to ,vir.
| tual confiscation of the company's
property without due process OF law.
The amended complaint IL now being
| prepared by ATTORNEYS A. n. pfau.