The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-05-19
ter TO the city council.
Mankato MAY 4.

M4ukAl0 May IL, lSz~.-At-
torney S. b. Wilson. City. Dear
Sir: have your favor OF even
date herewith In repaying road
bed of the Mankato Electric
Traction company. The com
munication will be handed to
the. council at its next regular
meeting. ] have no authority
to answer the questions you ask.
Yours very truly, c. r. Gil
more.
Conference Was Held
Just before the council convened
informal conference was held be.
tween the council and q committee
representing the Civic and Com.
merce association at which the
street car situation was discussed.
The attention OF the councilmen
was called to the letter written by
Attorney s. B. Wilson and the DEG
larauon that the Mankato Electric
Traction company will tear up its
track from the west end OF the Van
Rrunt slough to Sibley park rather
than stand the expense of paw
ing on that street.
Mayor W. A. Beach and several
OF the councilmen characterized the
threat as bluff and remarks were
made to the effect that the tracks
will remain Just where they are.
Discussion Of Ordinance.
The ordinance which the city
council proposes to submit to the
voters of Mankato as an amendment
to the street car company's fran
shise, relative to paving is as fol-
"The company shall not be re-
CURED TO pay for any future paving
on its road bed, between the rails
and to the end of the ties outside
Of the outside rails; provided, how
ever, that this amendment shall
not be construed to relieve the said
company from maintaining and
keering in good repair, at its owl
expense, its said road bed after it
is paved, or to relieve the said
company from replacing, at its own
expense, paying torn up or removed
by said company in an extension
paving of the said road bed of the
Of the permanent improvement
fund of the said city, which perma
nent Improvement fund is main
tanned from taxation of taxable prop
erty in the said city, without spe
cial assessment for said paving
The street car company wishes to
have the last sentence stricken
from the proposed amendment. The
city council wishes to have it left
on for the reason that the council
desires to inform the people how
this paving Of the street car road
bed will be paid for in the future.
The Street Car company contends
that this burden of which they are
seeking to be relieved should be
met by the abutting property own
ers, except the excess cost of paw
ing due to the street car tracks in
the center of the street, which ex-
cess costs the city should pay out
OF its general funds. The city coun-
ell maintains that the roadbed of
the street car company does not
benefit the abutting property, and
should, therefore, be paid for from
the general funds of the city.
1t was the contention of the city
attorney that it would be illegal for
the city to assess the abutting prop
erty owners for the paving on the
street car. compapy's right Of way
Some legal authorities contend that
1t would be Illegal to tax the city as
a whole for the paving on West
Front street.
The conference ended as II be-
gan-gettipg nowhere. Mavor Beach
suggested that the committee put ia
its efforts trying to persuade the
company to accept the
as it is framed.
Mayor Beach maintained that the
Traction company has not shown q
to do anything toward
paying for the paving nor to re-
pair. the paving on Front street. He
that the company has not
acted fair In the matter and Is not
disposed ito do anything" 1t Is q
matter of record that the Mankato
Electric Traction company has paid
about $500 for street paving: S..
900 or whereabouts for the repair OF
almost every day this
spring the company's workmen have
been repairing the paving on Front
street, The men were engaged in
that work today. The Mankato
Electric Traction company contrib
uted $4,000 toward the construction
of the Minnesota river bridge and
bought the electric light poles for
that structure at cost OF about
$500. These sums do not include
other expenditures that have been
made by the company to assist en-.
terprises in Mankato, In view OF
the figures presented, the contens
ton OF Mayor Beach that the Elee
trio Traction company does not do
is not well founded.
Where's That coiered Gent!
During the conference last night
'awas a niger in the fence?"
"Wen, who Is the niggef?" ask
ed J. 2. Reynolds. q member of the
The councilmen admitted they
didn't know.
Something was said to the effect
that the company desired to have
he paving burden lifted and later
would seek TO raise it's fares.
Mr., Reynolds took issue with the
roupcilmen ON this suggestion
declaring that the company had at
10 time shown any disposition to-
raise fares and he very much doubt
I'd If it would do Sc IN the future.
+ Mayor Beach took me position.
u at lifting the paving burden would
not increase the earning capacity
Of the street car company.
Possibly not, but the tact that
he coppany would not be forced
10 pay out la:gc share Of its
earnings for paving might place the
concern In a position to borrow
money which could be expended on
needed plant improveklsnts. The
money expended for paving could
De devoted to paying interest on
longtime notes,
Cars WooId Rur, Anyway