The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-01-08
9 Council Not Favorable /
i, To Overhead Bridge;
Matter Discussed


Mayor A. @. Meyer announced n
the meeting OF the city council thi,
morning that the state highway com
mission had set Wednesday morning
at eleven o'clock as the day on which
the commission would give represent
atiycs OF Mankato hearing on. th,
question OF receiving state aid for {
new bridge at Main street.
Councilman Lamm remarked that
there had been some talk to the ef
feet that there should be an over
head bridge. lie said he did not think
the idea was practical one. II had
once been turned down by the Man
kato Commercial club after a thor
ough investigation.
Mayor Meyer also said he regard
ed the idea OF an overhead bridge
as nonsense. No one present at tn,
meeting seemed disposed TO contest
this view.
II Is probable that the delegation
that represents Mankato at the hear
ing before the state commission will
include Mayor Meyer, several, IL not
all of the members OF the common
council, former County Commissioner
Hohmann, and others.
An invitation was received by the
council from +. F. Soaring, secretary
OF the Mankato Commercial club. 10
attend the meeting that will take
place this evening ut the city hall
While the special order will be the
matter of the new concrete bridge
at Main street, the meeting will nj.
so take up the matter OF furnishing
premiums for the coming Seed Fair
and corn show and other subjects
of local interest.
Debate viii Be Lively.
II is likely that at this meeting
there will be n lively debate on the
question of an overhead bridge.
Architect George Pass is a cham
pion OF that idea. Mr.. Pass has
drawn a sketch of the proposed over
head bridge. Mr.. Pass has drawn
n plan OF what the new bridge should
be according to his idea. His plan
includes a bridge 775 feet long. ris-
ing with a seven per cent grade
from the lot line at Front and Main
streets and going straight across
10 Nicollet avenue. instead of Bel.
grade. He proposed n forty-foot
bridge of concrete. He proposes
that this bridge be placed close to
the northerly curb on Main street,
leaving sixty feet OF Main street
between the bridge and the side
walk line next to the Saulpaugh.
Mr.. Pass plan includes the filling
in OF part of the present bed Of the
river with the earth taken from
the other side. thus shifting the chan
mel somewhat over on the North
Mankato side. He proposes also to
shift the railroad tracks In the same
direction, so that all will run under
the bridge In n space about seventy
five feet of the length OF the bridge.
The bridge, as planned, would stand
twenty-five feet above the tracks.
Objects TO Bridge Closing.
G. W. Miller. the ice man, adj
dressed the council on the question
Of the bridge over the Blue Earth
river near Sibley park being closed
for repairs. He said IL this bridge
should be closed during the ice har-
vesting season, which was about TO
commence. IL would mean that ice
cut from farther up on the Minnesota
river would have TO be hauled In the
roundabout way over the ice at the
mouth OF the Blue Earth and by
way OF Mound avenue. This would
make a much longer haul and II
would cost him alone FIVE hundred
dollars more TO put up his ice. lie
said It would be the same with
others I'm the same business and the
result would be that a higher price
would have TO be charged for ice
next season.
s. A. Rouse, the, contractor who Is
20 repair the bridge, was also pres
ent Mr.. Rouse has until February
Is to get the bridge repaired. He
said he was expecting his steel
work very soon for the bridge reno
walton. Mr.. Rouse has the right TO
close of the bridge for fifteen work
ing days.
Given Until February %.
At length, on motion by Council
man Lamm. II was decided TO grant
Mr.. Rouse until February % to get the
bridge completed, Just when he will
take his fifteen days to close of the
bridge and do the repairing will be
settled between him and Mr. Miller.
Mr.. Miller wishes TO get the Ice
hauling done over the bridge be-
tween now and the last of this month
lie says II would be perfectly feas-
ible 10 close the bridge about that
time and leave II closed fifteen days
or a little more, and let the public
cross the river over the ice at the
roadway made by the ice men for
part OF their work at the mouth OF
the Blue Earth. II is probable that
this arrangement will be adopted and
Mr.. Rouse. II is thought. win start
on the actual repair work on the
bridge about the first of next month,
pushing II rapidly TO completion. so
as to interfere as little as possible
with the traffic, and get the bridge
ona, for travail aguin hefore the ice