The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-02-18
Commissioners
| Are Disappointed
City Attorney Phillips Figures
Amounts Already Promised;
Shy Thousands
From Mondays Daily.

al OH dCGOuHl VI Ills utluSO lhollSA'
We have been sorely disappointed.
And it was so. The visit that sew
eral of the city officials made to st.
Paul last week to interview the state
highway commission in regard to the
bridge project resulted in double
disappointment. In the first place, the
bridge will cost much more than was
expected. Secondly, the state high
way commission will not give nearly
so much money to help the project, as
was expected.
II had been hoped that matters
would be all in readiness to order an
advertisement for bids this morning.
But the report that was made by
City Attorney C. E. Phillips showed
that the city solons had been dis
appointed in their hopes to the ex-
tent $4,000 to $4,000, all told.
The report that Mr.. Phillips made
showed that estimates obtained from
the state highway commission in
dicated plainly that such bridge as
was wanted could hardly be built for
less than 100000. The increase in
the estimated cost has been due to
the enormous rise in the cost of
structural steel and cement. Further
more, State Highway Engineer Cooley
told the Mankato representatives that
the state highway commission could
not give the $4,000 that had been
hoped for this year, for the Mankato
bridge project. How much the COM
mission would give, Mr.. Cooley did
not state The state highway COM
missioners took the view that Blue
Earth and Nicollet counties ought to
give something towards the bridge,
besides merely turning over just
what the state highway commission
gave them for that specific purpose.
Mr.. Phillips summed up the finan
cial aspect of the bridge situation as
follows: The street car company had
promised $4,000; the village of North
Mankato had voted bonds in the sum
of $4,000; Nicollet county had APP
propriated the $4,000 handed over to
that county by the state highway
commission for that purpose; Blue
Earth county had done likewise with
the $4,000 received for that purpose
from the state highway commission;
it was proposed to bond the city of
Mankato in the sum of $4,000 for
the bridge, and this made a total of
$4,000 e,
Mr.. Phillips further observed that
the Consumers Power company had
been asked to give $4,000 towards the
bridge; the Citizens Telephone COM
pany, $4,000, and the Northwestern
Telephone company, $1,000, these
amounts being asked in each case
because the company would undoubt-
eddy wish to use the bridge conduit
service. Not one of these companies
had responded to the request, or
made any reply.
Mr.. Phillips called the attention of
the council to the fact that each
county was entitled to at least one
per cent of the road and bridge dis
tribution fund Of the state highway
commission each year. He said the
state highway commissioners seemed
to take the view that the counties of
. Blue Earth and Nicollet ought to give
something out Of that one per cent
for the building of this bridge.
Henry Robel, ST., of North Mankato
was present at the meeting. Mr.
terest in the bridge. He said he
shared the disappointment of the rest
in what had developed in regard to
the financial aspect of the bridge
situation. He thought it would be
well for the people of North Mankato
to have meeting of the commercial
club just talk over the whole situa-
ton, and it would be well for the
bridge leaders of Mankato to be in at
tendance at that meeting. Mr.. Robel
did not favor the idea of starting with
the construction of the bridge, until it
was known just whence all the money
was to come.
Councilman Lamm was highly in
favor of all the city commissioners,
together with other citizens, going
before the Blue Earth county COM
missioners tomorrow, to urge them
to take some action granting further
aid for the bridge. Commissioner
Lack, who presided, also thought so,
and at length it was practically
agreed that the city council would go
before the commissioners in a body.
1t seemed, after some discussion, to
be the general opinion that it would
be fair to ask $4,000 of additional
aid from Blue Earth county and SIS
G0G from Nicollet county
Those who went from Mankato last
week to appear before the state high
way commission were Councilman
Lack, Bekke and Lamm, City At
torney Phillips and City Engineer
Blomquist
D. E. Walker, local freight agent
of the Milwaukee railroad, appeared
before the council to state that the
general superintendent had written to
him that a certain capitalist was
planning to erect a substantial BUST
ness building of two stories on the
northwestern corner of Front and
Main streets. 1t is here that the city
has taken q years lease on lots be-
longing to the Milwaukee and North
western railroads and parked them
out. Mr.. Walker said the proposed
building would be two stories high
and would occupy a frontage of IA
feet. However, the Milwaukee rail-
road would not wish to have this i'm
provement made, if the officials of
the general public of Mankato had
any objections. Just what was the