The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-05-27
r. P. Chase, State Auditor,
Was In Mankato
MEETING OF COMMITTEE
Permanent Organization Per-
fected With Judge Lorin Cray
g. As Chairman

r. P. Chase, state auditor paid Ma
kato visit yesterday for the purpose
Of meeting with the committee On
M1nneopa state park and visiting the
park and getting first hand informa-
ton as to the needs of that popular
resort. He arrived on the 1890 a. m.
train and left on the six O'clock train.
Senator Gustaf Widell entertained
him at lunch, and after that, in COM
pany with the park committee and
Senator Widell he was taken to the
park in George NJ. Palmer's big
Packard. 1t was his first visit to the
park, and he expressed himself as
greatly interested in it and impressed
by its beauty.
After returning to the city, he held
a conference with the committee,
which consists of G. M. Palmer, Judge
Lorin Cray, Thomas Hughes, NJ. D.
tee was appointed several years ago
by the Commercial club, and has con-
tinued to have immediate charge Of
the park by request of the different
state auditors since then, and Mr..
Chase, like his predecessors, asked
the committee to continue to serve
and take full charge of affairs. The
only restriction placed on the COM
mittee is that the state board of con-
contracts and will pay the bills. Other
matters connected with the manage
ment of the park will be reported to
the state auditor.
Permanent Organization Formed.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Chase,
permanent organization was formed,
with Judge Cray chairman and Mr..
Soaring secretary. Mr.. Chase then ad-
dressed the committee and told of the
odp icfr
ton in regard to the state parks and
trunk highways, which he said should
cooperate. Every state park should
be reached by a state highway, and
be advertised in connection with the
highways for the purpose of attract
ing tourists. 1t was intended to have
free tourists camping sites on these
parks, and he proposed that the COM
mittee provide such place at Min
neopa park, with several stone ovens
to supplement the kitchen for those
who prefer to do their cooking out of
doors.
Mr.. Chase said that there are fif-
teen or twenty state parks now, big
and little, but that eventually there
would probably be~thirty or forty, all
over the state, on the trunk high
partment would cooperate in the
movement which the committee has
inaugurated to have the Garden City
trunk highway go through Minneopa
park instead of up over Pigeon hill.
the new route skirting the Omaha
railroad track on the south and
avoiding two railroad crossings, and
he thought it would be brought about.
May Have State Superintendent.
state superintendent of state parks
would be provided for, it was hoped,
and the parks brought under one gen
eral system and adequate appropria-
ton made for them. He said if any
plating is needed in the future. the
state highway department would send
a man to the city for the purpose. He
asked the committee to consider some
suggestions that he left with it in
him. He requested the committee to
select a superintendent and report to
him, and 1t reported that it had al
ready chosen John V. Ellis, who is on
the job r-.
Mr. Chase spoke of the appropria-
ton for the park made by the recent
legislature, which Senator Widell and
instrumental in pushing through. He
said that the $4,000, appropriation for
bridge might be used for two
bridges, one above the falls and an
other below, if thought best. He sug-
gested that the committee get bridge
designs and figures. He also left
some catalogues and bids on steel
swings, teeters, giant strides, etc, for
the committee to make recommends
TS Hes DO pa se op these 81 'f hnes
will be available July l., The appro-
priation of $500 for completing the
pavilion would not become available
until year from then.
Mr.. Chase asked the committee to
take steps to learn and report the
number Of visitors who will be in the
park during the season. and it was
decided to ask Mr.. Ellis to keep a
record of them.
:. Will Make Ellis Deputy. .
It was also decided to ask Sheriff
Anton Osten to appoint Mr.. Ellis
deputy sheriff, so that he will have
police authority to keep order in the
park and preserve it from, being
damaged It was reported that the
other day, after rain, some young
fellows ran cars down the grade and
across the Lawns.
The committee was highly pleased
with the attitude of the, new state
auditor and of the new state admins
tration, and will meet again in few
days to consider the suggestions made
by Mr.. Chase The latter spent an
hour or so later in the afternoon
visiting his cousin. Mrs. F. j. Sperry,
and family. He intends to visit all
the state parks very soon. Mr.. Chase
appears to be the right man for the
place he is now holding.
On the return trip from Minne-
opa the state auditor was taken
through Sibley park and was much
pleased with it's appearance, and ex-
pressed himself emphatically of it's
beauty and was surprised that such
beauty spot was located in Mankato,
in fact in the state.~