The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-05-21
BIGGER MANKATQ0BJECT
THINGS THAT WILL RESULT
IN HER DEVELOPMENT
Topics Discussed at Third Get
Together Dinner at Masonic
Temple

|
Topics for the advancement. of
Mankato in a civic way were again
| discussed last evening at the last oil
a series of three get-to- gether sup
! pers held at Masonic temple by the
fCivic and Commercial association for
the purpose of getting members out TO
offer suggestions for program Of
work for the association.
George w. Sugden, who presided
at the meeting Immediately follow
ing the serving of the supper. said
that he was indeed pleased at the
| results of the three meetings held
which had been the means of bring
| ing out many useful suggestions for
the betterment of Mankato. He was
rot surprised at the results, for Man
kata has never fallen down in any
work undertaken. That the city Is
making good in the present work is
evidenced by the fact that the mem
bershiD has now grown to total oil
593 and it is expected to bring II
considerably above the 600 mark
Among the advantages of Mankato
Mr.. Sugden said, was it's natural
beautiful surroundings and the spirit
of it's people. He, stated that mater
ial advantages help, but the spirit OF
the people within the community is
what makes things go. The member
ship committee will continue its
work to still further increase the
membership, and the association will
endeavor to make the organization
democratic in every way.
, Statement BY Mr.. Henley.
| G. H. Henley Of the American City
Bureau explained briefly the netes
sity of community team thinking and
work. 1t was to instill this idea in
| to the minds of the membership, Mr.
| Henley said that the meetings were
called He said that the old method
of leaving the problems OF the com
munity to a board of directors of a
commercial club, had become out OF
date, and under the new order OF
things the entire membership will act
on problems Of interest to the com
munity.
Following Mr.. Henley's talk the
members present were divided ir
to two groups, one headed by Charles
R. Butler and the other by J. c
GROW. Many suggestions which
had been made at the two previous
meetings were again suggested las
night, and some new ones were Of
fered
; Particular stress was placed on thu
necessity of CONTAGIOUS hospital fol
Mankato. The present contagious
inadequate. The city is in grea
need of thirty to fifty bed hospi
tai of that kind. This is particular
ly true when one takes into consider
alton the large student population
| here the greater part of the year. !
, good instance of the need of such al
, institution was demonstrated during
the recent influenza epidemic.
, The importance of backing up tn,
: Babcock hard surface road PROPOSE
ton, was again urged as a means o
bringing about general benefit to tn
community.
Carnn Grounds For Tourists. -
, Camping grounds for tourists a
Sibley Park. it was thought woul,
be a great advertisement for Manka
, 10. Another means of advertisin
Mankato it was suggested vfould b.
the holding of a harvest festival. ]
was suggested that the latter syn
chroniZe with the Mankato fair.
| Among other suggestions made TO
, the betterment of the city were:
: lagoon at the Van Brunt slough
, public nlav grounds on vacant lots
+ public bath houses; dam oppoSit
Siblev Mound on the Minnesota rive
for the purpose of forming an arti
, fetal lake on the Blue Earth an,
Minnesota rivers for boating. bathing
etc. 1t was explained that the prop
er legislation has already been pass
ed to permit of four foot dam a
that point. and all it needs now i
the signature of the war department
,, to sanction it. Such a dam it wa
stated last night would back tn
water in the Minnesota up six miles
and in the Blue Earth river abou
three quarters of mile, thus en-
HANGING the natural beauty Of Sible
Park
Now that Mankato theatre is abou
to pass out of existence as play hous
il was suggested that the proposition
building with auditorium in connec
ton be pushed: The housing prob
lem was again brought up and dis
cussed at some length. 1t was de
cided that if that proposition is t.
rect with success, cooperative &C
ton on the part of all the citizens !
absolutely necessary. The necessit
of Y. w. C. A. was also brought VI
The marking of the streets at tn,
corners with proper signs wa
thought to be an absolute necessit
attention to the fact that Mankat,
has North Fourth, a South Fourtl
, street and a West Fourth street
. This is very confusing to a stranger
Public produce markets were sug
gested as a means of purchasing gar
den and farm products at more rea
sonable rates. The necessity of a un
ion depot, and Fourth of July cele
bration were among other suggest
ions offered. -
From ne suggestions offered by tn,
membership during the three even
ings, will be written the program o
work for the organization for tn,
first year. The propositions mos
called for will be acted upon frs
and the others following.