The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-12-10
TAYLOR THE PRESIDENT
AUTO|STS IN MAkKATO
He Was Selected at Meeting of
Local Club Last Night
JOHN n. R0RMAHH RETlREs
Has Had An Active Career and Did
Much to Build Up the Big
Organization
JOHN n. RoHMAEH RETlREs

Officers were elected at the annual
meeting of the Mankato Automobile
club. held at the city hal! last even
ing, as follows:
President, Charles T. Taylor.
Vice president, Albert II. SLIDER.
Secretary and treasurer, Ben Ban
gerter, Jr.
Delegates TO attend the state con-
vention that meets in February,
Charles T. Taylor. John II. Hohmann
and Robert +. Brown.
John II. Hohmann. the retiring
president. has held this office for SIX
Years. During that time over 200
members have been brought into the
club. He positively declined to con-
slider being a candidate for re-elcc-
ton.
Mr.. Hohmann rendered the follow
ing report for the year 1915:
Presidents Report
IN February last the paid mem
bership of the club was 1871. The
total psid membership 10 date is 2I5.
Since our last meeting held la Oc-
tober. at which meeting ! appointed
a special membership committee TO
solicit new members. Forty-two new
applications have been received, six
Of whom have paid their dues for the
year 1916. Adding these six new
paid members TO our list makes to-
tai paid membership to date -! The
membership committee is deserving
of praise and thanks for its efficient
work.
During the last year since gu: an
nuai election in February, Wa have
held two meetings. The one was 4
banquet in May, at which over 160
members ware present. This was
perhaps one OF the most successful
meetings In the history of the club.
Besides a Tumber OF good talks, we
were hUnOred On that occasion By the
presence a! Senator r. c. Dunn, the
author OF the so-called Dunn read
law. The cher meeting was held in
October and IL too was well ate mlcd.
Good Roads Wcrk.
AT our annual meeting $500 was
voted to be spent on the Washington
lake road. The proposed work on
this road. I understand, has not been
done. at least the club has not as
vet been called upon to pay the 800
which was allotted TO that road. Two
hundred was allotted to the Rapidan
road. which has since been paid. The
club has also spent 5000 on the st.
Clair read. II has also paid over TO the
treasurer of Blue Earth county S2S4.34
for work done on the st. Peter road
and 500 for maintenance and repair
on the Madison lake road. The st.
Peter road is now one of the best
roads leading out Of Mankato.
In connection with the commercial
club, the automobile club this year
had some eighty sign boards placed
on the main roads leading to Mankato
and indicating the road to Mankato.
Besides this, the automobile club also
had four large galvanized iron sign
boards placed: one in West MankatO,
one OF Main street, near the bridge,
one on North Front street and one on
North Third street, giving the names
of the towns and mileage to the diff
ferent cities to which these roads
lead. This. / believe. will be a big
help to tourists who come to Man.
kato.
Touring Done.
THE year of 1915 was an off year
Tor touring. Our touring committee
had planned to make at least three
tours during the summer but the un-
settled weather and the continuous
rains at each time, upset the plans
that had been made by the commit
tee. Only one tour was attempted
and that wasssto st. Paul, but the
weather conditions were such that
only a very few machines started out
of Mankato. There were, however.
quite a number of tours from other
and nearby towns to Mankato. AS
for instance. tours from Vernon Cen
ter. Winnebago. Blue Earth, Mime
sofa Lake, New Richland. and a very
large tour In June from the twin
cities. in which a large number of
other towns Joined in. I hope that
. next year weather conditions will be
such that this club can have at least
two or three sociability tours.
"As In former years so also in the
past. have the members of this club
been asked on several occasions to
furnish cars to take delegates at
tending conventions i'm Mankato for a
ride about the city. The members Of
this club, | am glad TO say. ALWAYS
responded literally to such calls. The
favorable impression made upon Wis
itors and delegates to such conven-
tons. have made Mankato the con-
vention city OF Southern Minnesota.
and have been the means of giving
Mankato much favorable advertise
ment. Last summer the automobile
club also aided in giving a ioy-ride
TO the school children OF Mankato.
There were about 1000 school chill
dren taken for a ride in seventy auto
mobiles for n trip around Madison
Lake. II was most enjoyable affair
for the little ones and should be an an
nual event by the Mankato Automobile
club. One of the members of this
club had eight little tots in his car,
FIVE of whom had never had an auto