The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-10-22
Council Listens With
Favor To The Plan
From Monuay's paIi,.

Definite steps that appeared to
mean the purchase by the city of the
22h acres OF land just north Of Sibley
park, and known as the Burmeister
tract. as an addition TO this park. were
taken at this mornings meeting Of
the city council.
The matter was preached by II. A.
Patterson on behalf of the Mankato
Commercial club. He said his COM
mittee had come there to make his
tory. he believed that the purchase
Of that ground would rebound to the
credit OF every one of the councilmen.
He spoke about the purchase OF Sib-
ley park quarter of a century or
more ago for $4,000. He believed the
contemplated purchase Of the tract
next TO the Minnesota river would be
an even greater bargain.
Mr.. Patterson went on to speak OF
Mr.. Mclaughlin of the tile works, get
ting the $4,000 option on that tract.
Mr.. Patterson said Mr.. Mclaughlin
brought his industry here without ask
ing for bonus from the city or its citi-
zens. He has now about 30 men on
the pay roll. Mr. Patterson did not
think II would have been at all out
~ 'hs way for the city to have paid
enough to give Mr.. Mclaughlin a ST.
400 profit on the land. But the city
could have it for $4,000. He was anx
iOus TO have the city get the land. so
he would turn IL over for the exact
amount of his own contract.
Mr. Patterson also said that the
Commercial club had passed a resolu-
tiOn appropriating $1,000 toward the
purchase of this tract. That would
leave only $4,000 for the city to pay.
viii Appoint Committee.
Mayor A. G.. Meyer stated that he
would appoint a committee OF three
members of the city council to confer
with the Commercial club committee,
and he thought the council itself would
do whatever that committee recon-
mended. He said he preferred Mr..
Lack for chairman OF that commit
tee.
Judge Lorin Cray stated that II the
terms OF the payments were such as
To embarrass the city. the committee
would try TO fix that up.
Councilman Lack said the city did
not have the money TO spend on the
park addition for the coming two or
three years.
Mr.. Patterson said there was one
improvement that the committee
would like to see made right away on
the additional strip and that was the
construction of n road along the Min
nesota river.
A motion was passed providing for
such, a committee, and the mayor an
nouDced, the appointment Of Council
men, Lack, Eichstaedt.. and Bekke. IT
MAS agreed to haye the council meet
again at, four, o'clock this afternoon
am receive the report Of that qon7
~ Ssyer,a Not e CONS, to yi virginia .@@
Mayor s.. C. Meyer, who has been
missing meetings OF late. on account
Of his illness. was present this, morn
ing. d, He, stated. however, that. he
would NOT he able to, go TO Virginia,
MINI. to attend the annual meeting
Of the League OF Minnesota Munich
palities., which will take place on, Oc-
tpber 90 and q, but he bad selected
Councilman Lamm TO go in his place.
The council approved the selection of
Mr.. Lamm.
The mayor stated that c. f. Wise
had resigned from the library board.
lie announced the selection of Ben
jamin Taylor to fill the vacancy This
was approved.
City Attorney Phillips announced
that he had letter from J. II. II.
Brahtz, st. Paul, consulting engineer
selected for the new bridge Mr..
Brahtz was hired to give his inspection
Nnv laf,
quested that the council make ar
engagements to see to Il that II the
bridge should be delayed, Mr. Brahtz
would get $3.50 a month for any ad-
ditional services he might give. Mr..
Phillips thought the letting OF the con-
tract could be on such terms as would
make the contractor pay Mr.. Brahtz
for any time that the latter lost by
reason Of the contractors delay. No
action was taken by the council.
No white Way Celebration.
Councilman Bekke announced that
the committee that had In hand the
matter OF celebrating the completion
of the white way had decided that Il
was too late in the season to hold any
celebration this year. The other coun-
cilmen seemed TO concur In this view.
The council received a communica-
ton from r. +. Soaring, secretary of
the Mankato Commercial club. stating
that the advisory board of that body
desired to call the attention of the
council TO the fact that many of the
street signs we're missing and that Il
was therefore difficult to find ones
way around in some parts of the city.
Mr.. Soaring stated that in some cities
the block number was made part of
the street sign, and II was great
Convenience For example, In the 400
block. the number 400 was put over
the name Of the street.
The communication was placed on
file.
Bids were opened for the laying OF
sidewalks on Lafayette street from
Third to Fourth. Fowler e. Pay bid
nine cents per square foot and Alex
ander Bashaw ~ cents. The bids
we're referred TO Councilman Bekke
and City Engineer Blomquist with full
power TO act.