The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-10-23

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suggestive aud helpful to towns OF
the same class. ..
Selection OF Herman
Herman in! Grant county was
chosen because it is a typical prairie
town of ab6dt 200 people iand be,
cause its people have an Unusually
fine public spirit Last spring two
days were spent in making this gen,
eral survey or Herman and special
attention was given to drainage
sanitation, water works, water rates
fire protection, landscape develop
ment, accounting system, library
needs, recreation and sCcihl needs
by Messrs Bass and GesseT OF the
university, Phelps Wyman, landscape
architect OF Minneapolis, State Fire
Warden Kellar, Miss Stearns Of the
library commission and Miss Chain
of the Minneapolis Municipal Refer.
ence library.
I'VE had hoped - publish the re,
suits of this survey in pamphlet
form for general distribution, but
have been unable TO do so on &C.
count OF lack of funds. This survey
was a thorough success. Herman
is as we'll Organized and managed
as the averdge. town OF It's type,
perhaps better, but this strvty lem.
onstrated numerous ways IN which
II could be better eorgatiized and
managed. II was found" for ex.
- aaaA,,,tA a.
protection, fact it's citizens did
not fulil" realize u swas> found
that its municipal water plant, in.
stead of keeping up expenses. was
costing the taxpayers something like
81. 700 per year. The investigation
of any town IN a similsr way Would
show like or worse conditions and
the expenditure Of large amounts
of money without permanent and
effective results
"A large part OF the waste in
municipal Improvements is due to
lack of expert advice, more particu.
larly in the line of engineering.
Corps Of Experts.
"As a direct result OF the Herman
survey the idea of the furnishing by
or through the leFgue ora corps
of experts along various lines 10
the smaller towns has developed
and Professor Bass has worked out
some suggestions for accomplishing
this result which win be presented
at this meeting. So far as we can
learn nothing of this kind has ever
been done I'm any of the states.
There can be no doubt, however Of
its great practical value and | com.
mend Professor Bass suggestions
to- your earnest attention"
Mr.. jerks spoke in high terms o.
the work that has been performed
during the year by Professor Price
and Mr.. Gesell. -.
1--WE have no Legislative program
but there are 1.-TWO matters which
should be brought to the attention
of the Legislature at its coming ses.
sion, namely bill providing for asys.
TEN of uniform accounting and a bill
TO pay the membership fees required
by this league. This authority al
ready exists. but Professor Price
tells me that the question has been
raised a number Of times and such
a bill would settle II in the minds
of everybody. Z 81.
During the coming year this
league should come into touch with
every municipality in the state in
a vital way. II should emphasize
to municipal officers generally the
wisdom OF having expert advice on
municipal matters, more particular.
ly the construction of public works. .
Strides Made Ry League.
Richard r. Price. director OF the
general extension division of the
University Of Minnesota, and secre-
tary-treasurer of the League spoke of
the great strides that the league
had made In the year II had been
organized. He said that during the
rast year the league had more than
doubled the number Of cities en-.
braced within its membership. these
row numbering a little more than
one hundred. whereas Kansas. which
had such n league for six years. had
III cities and villages enrolled
The VILLAGES and cities which
joined the Minnesota league during
the past year were as follows:
Austin. Anoka. Arlington, Barnes
vile. Bemidji. Beaudette. ,Belgrade,
Blue Earth. Bigelow. Breweryille
Caledonia. coleraine Dodge Center
Foxhope. Frost. Gilbert. :. Goodh.
Glenwood. Hastings. Herman. Hills,
Hancock. International Falls. Jack.
son. Janesville, Kasota. Knife River,
Little Falls, Madison. Mahnomen,
Minneota. Mountain Iron. Morris
Nassau Nashwauk. New Tim, Nor.
wood. Parlxer's Prairie. Renville. 81
Cloud. st. Peter, Sank Center, Sank
Rapids. Shakopee. S6lwsv Spocrer,
Staples, Taylor's Falls. Tonka Bay,
Wadena. Watkins. West ST Paul
Waterville. wheaton. Woodstock,
winnebago. West Minneapolis and
Worthington
The speaker expressed the hore
that after a year there would be