The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-12-07
as a shelter and lesser recreation

and the variety OF use and material
which will be given the surface.
This would be supplemented by pro-
files and cross sections to the ex-
tent necessary and by quantity es-
Inmates and specifications.
Three. A planting plan with
specifications.
"Any thoroughgoing plan for this
tract may properly include a study
Of the present condition of the vege-
tation In your present parks. very
attractive now and at the height Of
their effect, many of the shrub
masses will very soon bear thinning
to their advantage and the general
appearance. It is probable the plants
can many OF them be included in
the planting Of the new area
Approaching the courtesy OF your
request for a statement which am
very glad to comply, am, Yours
respectfully. Phelps Wyman."
Letter From A. c. GODDARD
This is another letter received by
Mr.. Palmer:
city Planning Commission of
Minneapolis, June IA, 1923.-Mr. q.
NJ. Palmer, Hubbard Milling Com
pany, Mankato. Minnesota. Dear
Mr.. Palmer: Your letter to Mr..
Wirth relative to development OF the
low land in Mankato as a public
park or playground has been referred
to me, and note you request for
information as to desirable methods
Of making surveys and sounding,
and securing necessary information.
also received from Mr.. Wyman a
copy OF his letter to you outlying the
desirability Of carrying out your
plan.
THE area which we viewed on our
visit to Mankato is, in my opinion,
more suitable for park development
than for any other purpose, and Will
be of greater benefit to your city as
park and playground than as a
residential, commercial or Industrial
district The lands owned by the
City Of Mankato are not adequate.
You should extend your acquisition
further up the valley and should ac
quire a sufficient portion Of the
wooded banks so as to protest them
for all time to come, and make them
part of the park project. AS an
engineer of many years experience
on the designing and construction OF
parks and Fairgrounds, and in the
reclamation of waste lands, believe
no greater difficulty need to be an
ticinated in the construction work
which will be necessary to trans
the work can be carried out at "a
ever, know for certainty either as
to the feasibility Of the project or
its estimated cost until proper
soundings have been made and the
entire area has been plated in such
manner that a study OF the pro-
blem can be made in detail.
II would suggest that you have
your city engineer make topographic
surveys of the swamp lands and the
adjoining hill sides, said surveys to
be made by cross section methods,
and levels be taken at sufficient in
teryals so that the accurate plating
Of one foot contours will be posi-
BILE. This survey should be extended
to where the valley meets the Min
iesota river, and there should be
indicated on the plans high, low and
mean water levels of the river, and
The approximate duration of the high
water levels, also 3oundings should
be taken at one hundred foot levels
over the low lands; soundings to
determine the depth of silt or mud,
depth Of clay or hardpan, and the
total depth to sand The character
of the soil should be noted as to it's
consistency, and a sample of the
sand or gravel, if amy, should be
taken and screen tested. These
soundings can be taken with suffi-
cient accuracy with a hand auger,
using three-fourth IF an inch gas
pipe cut into four foot length and a
drill commonly known as a one and
one half nut auger. On the topo-
graphic map your engineer should
indicate the nearest sewers wit their
elevations, water mains, public ser
vice conducts. street railway lines,
streets and alleys, with the eleva-
tons OF the same as determined and
established by council ordinances.
With this information plated on
a scale of from 40 to 80 feet to the
inch so as to make map not greater
In area than approximately Axe feet,
1t will be possible for Mr.. Wyman to
prepare a plan for the development
OF this ground, and possible for me
to advise as to the probability Of
the project. Also with 81 CHI a sur
vey | would be glad to give you an
approximate estimate of the cost Of
the project, which wouIl be suffi-
cient to guide you in deVtsing a me-
thod of financing.
Wishing you success in your ef-
fort to further beautify your city
and provide additional spaces for the
pleasure and recreation of your
people l am, your very truly, A. c..
Godward, civil engineer"
Another Interesting Letter
The following is another letter re-
ceived from Mr.. Godward:
"City Planning Commission Of
Minneapolis, June IS, 1923.-Mr. c.
NJ. Palmer, Hubbard Milling Com
pany, Mankato, Minnesota. Dear
Mr.. Palmer: do not remember any
statement in my communication to
you which would indicate that a
lake could not be made in the low
lands or slough which the city of
Mankato now own and wish to i'm
prove. In fact in outlaying the sur
vey and data to be obtained | had
in mind the creation of a lake COW
ering at least part of the area-the
lake to be formed either by dredg-
ing or the damming Of the outlet
from the present low lands.
Naturally. without any accurate
data available l did not comment at
any length upon the possible de-
velopment of the area in question.
In stating in my letter of June IA
that this area was more suitable for
park area than any other purpose !
had in mind park development SINH
lar to that carried on in our own
city, which means the providing for
both land and water area; provision
for recreation which includes aquatic
sports, playground activities. road
ways, bride paths, land and orna-