The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-01-08
From Tuesdays Daily.

OF the Mankato and North Mankato
Commercial clubs, adopted a motion
repudiating the plan of Architect
George Pass for an overhead bridge
NJ Main street, and approving that
OF General Gustaye Widell for a
grade brige. Mr.. Pass made an effort
TO get the meeting to endorse that
feature of his plan to run the new
bridge straight across to Nicollet
avenue, but without success, no eX-
preston being made on this point.
The sentiment for a grade crossing
in preference to an overhead bridge
was so overwhelming that none
cared to put in a vote for the over.
head bridge.
Frank Crandall. president OF the
Mankato Commercial club, introduced
the subject by calling on Mayor 4.
G. Meyer to state his position. The
mayor did so. reading the following
exhaustive paper:
Statement Of the Mayor.
Il have always believed and still
believe that when the city is con-
fronted by some great problem 1t is
citizens themselves. For after all the
object of city government is TO carry
out the will and wishes of the citi-
Zens, and the tax payers who are
the parties that ultimately pay the
bill ought at all times have a right
10 be heard on questions. that in
volve a large expenditure of the city's
money. After all it is their money,
and their business and city officials
are only the instruments through
which their wishes are carried out.
For these reasons II gives me great
pleasure TO see you gentlemen. repre-
sentative tax payers of this city, of
North MankatO and of Blue Earth
and Nieollet counties take an interest
in the question OF a new bridge across
the river at Main street.
The present bridge was built in
1880. when the population of our
city was about 5000. At that time
there was no North Mankato. There
are three spans i'm the bridge, each
about ICE feet long and IS feet wide
The sidewalks were added later when
the travel OF pedestrians had so in.
creased that they became a necessity
Present Bridge Inadequate.
1T is quite evident to any one who
will give the matter even the slightest
investigation that this bridge which
in 1880 was quite sufficient is at the
present time rankly Inadequate to
take care of the traffic across the
river at this point In the first place
the rapid growth Of the village of
North Mankato, the inhabitants of
which mostly work in our city, and
do most of their business here has
added a very large pedestrian traffic,
where originally practically none eX-
listed. The growth of this village, the
growth OF the country, the increase
of business in the city of Mankato
has enormously increased the traffic
by team. Another form OF traffic,
then entirely unknown, has assumed
great proportions-the automobile
traffic.
wish those of you VINO have lived
in this city long enough would try
to think back and remember the con-
ditions at this bridge i'm 1880 and
compare them for a moment with
those in 1914. No further argument Is
needed for a new bridge, and bridge
adequate to properly care for the
traffic over the river.
Traffic on Bridge.
An account was kept of the traf-
fic over this bridge during one day in
October 1913. and showed the follow.
ing result.
pedestrians ..-..: ........... 1884
ledns .'''..' ..-....... @...... OzS
Automobiles Observation-Disclosures. Ill
Motor cycles and bicycles 80. 1870
B.. Instead OF this traffic decreasing
3. it is increasing from day to day: and
the bridge Is getting older from day
TO day, and seems TO need constant
repairs. Personally | have felt for
a long time that this bridge which
was "S'NA OiSihaiis ihNthutu "
carry any such traffic as Il now does.
has become seriously dangerous, and
that If something is not done soon
that some great calamity will plunge
some of the homes of our city in
grief and involve the city in heavy
damages. A comparison of the
weight originally intended to be car.
ried by the bridge and the weight IL
is now occasionally subjected to Is
appalling and makes one actually
wonder that we have escaped seri.
GUS misfortune So long.
But One Proper Remedy.
There is but one proper remedy
for these conditions and that is a
new bridge and a bridge that Is
adequate to take care OF all the
traffic, including the street car, which
by all means should be extended
into North Mankato. With this idea
I'm my mind I have asked the Widell
company TO submit an estimate of
the cost of concrete bridge at this
point SO feet wide six foot side.
walk on either side and a drive way
forty feet wide in the center. I do
not believe That smaller bridge
than this can properly take care or
Inc traffic at this place; but a