The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-01-14


Crawling north from Kerns.. $3.50
Crawling poor farm road. 100 90
Crawling upper Lake Wash
ington road. ............. 1900
Crawling lower Lake Wash
ington road. ........... S.25
Crawling Jones ford road. 500
Rapidan dam road. 200. 90
Crawling Judson road. ... 100 90
Crawling Fletcher road. ..... 100 90
Total NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $685.. rs
bile association. .......... 345. 90
! Aiding good roads amendment
Donated MINI. Highway Imp.
Assn ............... 25O. 90
Rent Of opera house for meet
/ ing .................. $500
Running advertisement. ..... 20. 90
Secretlry's commission. 10. 90
Trail painting and road signs. 1880
Donations TO trail associations 60 90
Expense delegates to state as
ISOLATION ............... $3.50
| Office rent. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 80. 90
| Printing and office supplies. 23.75
Postage NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. IA 90
Blue Book and road MAPS. 30
, Miscellaneous ......D...... 100
lOldl Sl, 100 UU
Balance on hand Jan. |. 1921 1914 81
The total membership OF the club
the past year reached 342, as com
pared with 3l6 the previous year. a
net gain of 26
The enumeration OF the road i'm
provement in which the club through
! its efficient good roads committee,
assisted, speaks for itself. and does
not need elaboration. SO. also. in re.
gard TO financial assistance extended
toward bringing about the adoption
OF constitutional amendment No.
at last falls election.
In regard 10 help extended certain
trails passing through Mankato,
might give word of explanation.
! The Sioux Historic Trail association
was given $780, this being Mankato's
assessment. The marking OF this
trail has been started. and | am as .
sured by It's president that II will
be completed as early In the coming
spring as the roads will permit. Our
| Club paid the Hammond Highway
assessment of So and took five
memberships at one dollar each, and
also paid for the material used In
painting the Mankato and Lake
Crystal sections of the highway. The
Lake Crystal Automobile Club prom .
pity refunded to the club its share
of this expense. The secretary OF our
club donated his time and services
two sections. Three coats OF paint
were put On, and there is not a
automobile trail in the Northwest as
we'll marked as this is in the vicinity
of Mankato and Lake Crystal.
In regard to the big sign board
work, the plan of using iron posts,
set in concrete, was adopted, and the
newer signs are of the best quality
of iron signs, with plain lettering
In \.
during, pleasing to the eye, and leg
I ible, but easy to repaint without re-
moving them. The coming year
should see more of these signs erec
ted, as there are places in and near
the city where they are badly needed
| to direct tourist traffic. Some OF our
| old signs were reprinted, with cor
rected mileage, some danger signs
put up and we still have few signs
on hand to be erected in the spring
i The club furnished numerous tour
: lists, as well as it's own members
with road maps, but its activities in
this field were curtailed when 1t gave
up it's headquarters June LIST, at which
time the CONNER cial club was sue
ceeded by the Civic and Commerce
association. The latter body has ser
we'd tourists at its headquarters, and
through the CO operation of this club
will probably be able to do so still
more effectively the coming year
exhausted, and the supply should be
renewed. The Commercial club dur
/ Ing the last few years shared equally
with our club IN the expense of road
| sign and road map work, but this is
q work, that l believe is more ap-
propriately that Of an automobile
clue, and as We are well able finan-
cially to bear the burden, I do not
think that from now on we ought to
ask any other organization to share
! 1t with us. We as an organization
ought TO put more money into sign
board work. during the last ten years
the Minneapolis Auto. club has ex-
pended $4,000 for sign board work
as compared with $4,000 for road
work, which is an immensely greater
proportion than this club has done
Sign boards help the tourists, and
! tourists are what we want.
Another matter that ought to be
provided for the coming year Ia free
camping sites Tor tourists. Mankato
! Is very backward and behind the
| times In this regard, although this
city could provide most ideal camping
, sites at almost no cost to itself.
Our club has nice membership
! in nearby villages, as well as few
/ farmer members, and there are
evidence that this membership could
be increased materially were the
| proper effort to be made. The club can
accomplish more by having members
In various parts Of the country, and
1t Is a question whether we ought moi
, to change the name OF the organiza
; ton to Blue Earth County Automo.
, bile Club, and seek to make 1t such
! in reality.
The adoption of amendment No. ]
provides new and important work
! for this and all other automobile
clubs, as we'll as new and brighter
future for motorists in this state
There never was a time when motor
lists needed organization as badly as
they do now, and those not in should
! get In as soon as possible-Respect
fully submitted, e. 3. Soaring. Sec
rotary.
| Report Of Treasurer.
| The report OF :. X. Measher as
! treasurer OF the club showed the