The Mankato free press., 1915-11-26
Bridge Proposition Is Brought
Before City Fathers
From Mondays oaiIv.

meeting of the city council
George Z. Brett brought the sub
ject before the meeting He said that
Of late there had teen much thieving
going on I'm the city. II seemed that
the policemen had too far to go in
trayersing their beats. The mer-
chants were being taxed heavily tor
the running of the city and he thought
men.
Mayor A. G. Meyer said he already
had been talking this matter over
with other city officials. A plan OF
dividing the city into four equal dis
tricts. each with. a police officer TO
look after II and To be in some meas
ure responsible for what occurred
there, had been discussed. He said II
was planned TO put lights in the al
leys, and this Improvement. in the
main part of the city, would be as
good as two more policemen.
Mr.. Brett suggested a system of
ring -ins. whereby the policemen could
keep in closer touch with the station
would BE- good thing. The mayor
Ike that idea.
Councilman Bekke said he did not
see why the police should go and
come the same way The thieves
thus could tell when they were COM
ing.
Chief OF Police KlugherZ suggested
that il would be good idea for mer-
chants. especially those who are To-
Gated in places where II is hard for
the police To keep watch. to have their
back doors and windows protected
with iron bars. These would give
better protection. and as the thieves
would find Il harder TO break in, the
police would have a better chance to
get them.
No action was taken. but II is prob
able that some new system will be
worked out II is not yet certain
whether the police force will be en-
larged
Mayor Meyer remarked that Il was
his intention next year to recon-
mend the purchase of a motor cycle
for the police department.
Hurry Up the Bridge.
That there he more hurry n the
matter of getting work actually start
ed on the new concrete bridge at
Main street is the sentiment of the
Mankato city council. This DEVELOPED
at the meeting this morning.
T.. +. Soaring. secretary of the
Mankato Commercial club. was called
on by Mayor Meyer to give the coun-
Gil some information I'm regard to
what that body was doing in the mat
ter. Mr.. Soaring said the matter was
i'm the hands of committee of which
II. A. Patterson was chairman. as far
as the club was concerned.
The mayor said he would like to
see the bridge built while he was still
i'm office.
Mr.. Patterson spoke to the council
Oh the bridge a short time afterwards,
saying that lie had just gotten back
from a n-day trip, and was really
not quite i'm touch with what had been
going on here. He said that Ben Gal
lagher, the engineer who had been
employed by the city and village COM
mercial clubs. at the expense of the
Omaha railway company, had made
measurements OF the river, and was
thoroughly convinced that the pro-
posed fill could be made without in
juring the interests ofa of the north
siders. and he was sure also that he
could convince the northsiders that
that was the case.
Mr.. Patterson said the river fill
would make II necessary to use the
bridge abuttment This would make
some alterations i'm the abuttment
Necessary and the railroad company
would be required to stand the addi-
tiOnal cost
Mayor Meyer remarked that the
railroad company must put a wall
along the fiji anyhow To hold il in
place He said il would be a good
idea TO have the railroad engineer
himself make a report on just what
kind OF fill and what kind of wat
erway there would have to be. so
that these facts could be communi-
Gated to the bridge engineer, Mr..
Price. and he could alter his plans
accordingly. without coming TO Man
kato TO make new measurements and
have new bill TO present to the city
council for the extra service.
Will Hold Conference.
Mr.. Patterson said his committee
would Immediately hold a conference
with the officials of the railroad COM
pany and see just what is wanted in
the way of a fill and alterations on
the abuttment. The committee would
try to get the railroad engineer to
come TO Mankato and look over the
situation and get together with Mr..
Gallagher and Mr. Price. if possible.
Henry Robel, Sr., Of North Man
kato. remarked that IL seemed In him
that Mr.. Galla CHER ought TO have his
plans completed by this time. These
plans ought to go before the state
highway commission. The commits
sioners must approve both the fill and
other alterations. before passing on
The bridge plans.
Outsiders Sell Goods.
George +. Brett told the council
that he did not think the city wss
well enough protected against out
siders who came i'm to auction of poor
goods and lupe the people. He said
those itinerant auctioneers ought 10
he required to pay license fee of
500 a day. SO a day amounted 10
nothing. He understood that Red |
wing and other towns had driven such !
men out and me did not see why Man
kato could not do likewise.
The mayor said he thought the city |
had done pretty well. /
Mr. Brett said he understood that |
some fellow was coming to the city |
with large quantity OF all classes of
goods. There ought to be an ord'- !,