The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-04-07
from Tuesdays OailV.

D from Tuesdays OailV.
Rack of the movement for his
torical pageant to be held in Man
kato on the Fourth of July as pro-
posed by the Daughters OF the
American Revolution stands the
Mankato Commercial club. The pro-
iect was endorsed with much en-
thusiasm at the meeting of the club
held last evening at the Elks' club
house, following social supper.
The one point on which the club does
not seem to agree with the ladies is
the probable cost. 1t is thought that
the ladies have under estimated this,
but the club will go ahead and help
raise the necessary funds. Presi-
dent F. NJ. Currier will appoint a
committee of five to cooperate with
the ladies, and a definite plan Will
probably be presented by this COM
mittee for the raising of the money,
at the next regular meeting OF the
club.
. Mr.. Currier brought the matter
before the club last evening, stating
that the ladies had asked for the
support of the club and a donation
of 500, and they expected to raise
500 elsewhere.
President c.. H. Cooper of the
normal school expressed himself as
heartily in favor of the idea of hav-
ing a pageant that would give an
outline of the history of the city, as
the ladies proposed. He said page
ants of this kind were being given in
many parts of the country. The life
and works of William Shakespeare
were being thus honored in many
places. He liked the idea of making
the present residents of Mankato
thus better acquainted with the
early history of this locality.
Theodore Williams remarked that
he understood that the whole expense
of handling the pageant would by nc
means be borne by those under
whose immediate direction it was
given, but the various individuals
and business houses and organiza-
tons that took part would pay fol
their own exhibits. He said he Was
planning to do what he could to put
on his part of the entertainment.
Judge Lorin Cray remarked that
he understood that the city was will
ling to furnish band for the enter
tainment and to put up seats in
Sibley park. He did not see what
was the necessity of the benches. He
thought the people could just as well
sit on the side of the bluff and watch
the pageant go by, and the city could
hn hn Of Inn hn
and work necessary for all thos'
seats. He thought it would be safer
anyhow, for the people to sit on tn
side of the bluff. The city might m
willing to do something else, benz
saved the expense of the seats. H,
thought the side of the bluff coult
thus be utilized from the Wilson
residence to the deer park.
Idea Grand One.
]. R. Brandrup thought the idea
grand one. He understood that Their
supper. He believed vast humble
of people would come to Mankat
from many parts of southern Min
nesota. The club should stand bacl
of the project if it should cost 500
to $500.
w. D. Willard thought it would
cost great deal more than that, bu
it should be done right. He did no
think the expense of such a pagan
as would be credit to the city o
Mankato could be put on for les
than $1,000. The time was short
Three months only were left befor
the Fourth
G.. E. Wise thought the idea yer
appropriate one, and that way @
celebrating the national holiday
very good plan. He understood tina
the ladies would put on ten to eleve
scenes, representing different periods
Rev. Carl Kroeger Endorsed tn
plan. John Steiner said the idea wa
good one. County Treasurer John
son suggested that it might be wei
TO raise the money by a tag day. ]
more than was needed should b
raised in that way, the surplus coul
be used for some other public enter
prise.
s. G. r. Butler spoke of a histories
pageant chat he saw at Boston, fou