The Mankato free press., 1923-04-20
WHAT SECRETARY w. E. OLSON SAID TO THE
MANKATO CIVIC AND COMMERCE ASSOCIATION

/ Ing came about largely as a result OF
work done by this association. A num-
per OF campaigns were conducted in
Mankato 10 pay for the construction OF
this building. ,Mankato raised in aX-
cess OF $4,000 for this. The building
represents an important acquisition TO
the MankatO Fair association property.
and Is used frequently for I've stock
sales,
MANkATo FAIR
The work done hy this association in
cooperation with the Mankato Fair
and Blue Earth County Agricultural
association should also be classed un-
der rural relations. In 1927 ana in 1922.
/ successful Independence Day celebra-
/ lions were held for the benefit OF the
/ Fair association. Committees appoint
ed by the civic and Commerce asSoc.a-
/ ton in each Instance raised a little
over $1,000 among the business men in
! connection with these celebrations The
| money derived as a result OF these un-
dertakinGs helped considerably to i'm
/ prove the financial condition OF the
! Far Association. Another similar cele-
! hration We understand is TO be held this
year. as q new grandStand is needed
! at the fair grounds and olher improve
mentS are absolutely necessary. Our
/ association will no doubt he OF con-
! siderable assistance again this year,
Mr.. Olson serves the Fair NssOCia iSn
! as secretary. so the affairs OF the as
| sociation are largely handled through
our office.
GOOD ROADS
Good roads is always an important
plank in our program. On March 10
/ this association with the co-opera ton
of the Mankato Automobile club sue
| Ceeded in having Charles NJ. BahcOck.
! state highway commissioner, come to
! Mankato and deliver an address on the
! proposed twenty millon dollar highway
! bond issue We Engaged The Orphcum
theatre for this meeting and the Auto
| mobile club furnished the Elks Legion
| band. Hand bills were printed and dis
tributed through our office. Letters an
/ nouncinG the meeting and inviting
| people to attend same. were sent by US
/ to several hundred county, village and
! township offices in Blue Earth and
| NiCollet counties. TO forty newspapers.
! twenty-five commercial clubs, fifteen
mayors outside OF Blue Earth and Nj
/ Collet counties. eleven representatives
and nine senators. We also sent out
! considerab bic newspaper publicity and
in connection with this We wish TO
! state that the Free Press gave us con-
siderable help. " this meeting eight
| counties were represented. Seven hum
dred copies Of The Mankato Daily
! Free Press containing a detailed ac-
| count of the meeting were sent by this
! association to all members OF the
state senate and house of representa-
/ tives and to approximately 1--WE hun
/ dred newspapers throughout the state.
. Ii was decided at this meeting TO send
a delegation Of three men to st. Paul
/ to attend a public hearing on the bond
| issue question. which was held by the
/ house committee on highways. We had
| five representatives at this meeting.
! Last winter steps were taken by
! this association IL have the Madison
! Lake road regravelled No funds were
availa BILE at the time, but as the con-
| tractors were willing to wait for their
money until the highway department
! had he necessary funds. II was possible
! to have the work done during the win
. ter months when work Is not as plenti-
/ full as II is during the summer. This
+fhen not only provided work for a
! number Of men but put the road in
question in condition for spring travel
! Our association sent a delegation OF
! fifteen men to LIE Sueur last fall when
| the Trunk Highway No. Improve
ment association was organized. Thls
! association has for its object the has
! tening Of paving this highway between
Mankato and the twin cities. John Ny
| quist was elected president OF the or
| ganization. A meeting of this organl-
! Zation was held at Mankato immedt-
ately following the recent bond issue
meeting mentioned above.
When the celebration was held AT
/ FaribauIt dedicatIng the stretch 0i
! paving between that city and Little
/ Falls. we were represented by n dele
CATION Of about twelve men. This gave
, MS another opportunity to snow Ihat
! Mankato people are boosters FOR oet
! ter highways. and at the same utne IL
I demonstrated again that Mankato Is
| always on the job
| During the mast three years appro-
priations were made in several IN
! stances for road work in the vicinity oil
| Mankato ~
1t might be well TO call atten4Gn hin
here to>the important part that TINS
] association played in the campaign lot
| the Babcock Good Roads amendment.
l This amendment gave Minnesota lts
| present splendid system or trunk
| highways and has done more TO de-
| veiop our principal arteries than has
| any other single thing. When tee
| campaign for amendment No. ! was
| under way. il will be recalled that this
association conducted two a )moolie
band was carried on each tour ana
| speakers addressed meetings at each
1 stop Thousands of pieces of literature
| pertaining to the amendment were
| distributed by and through this as
| sociatiOn: we had tooth at the Man
kato fair where this literature was dis
| tributed and questions answered per-
| tanning to the amendment
EDUCATIONAL MATTERS
| Matters pertaining to education have
program. When the Mankato State
Preachers College was destroyed by
| fire last winter, this association with
tother organizations arranged for a
meeting of business men and others on
the afternoon of the fire. and steps
| We're taken there that made 1t possible
to have the college resume its regular
lwork on Tuesday morning. This quick
and efficient action proved the means
iof keeping many students in Mankato
| who had reached the conclusion that
1.-THE institution would be unable tC con-
| tinue due to the loss of the building
land equipment. From a commercial
lstandpoint this action meant thousands
Of dollars to our merchants and in turn
TO their employees. While the appro-
ipriation for the rebuilding of the col
IIege was pending in the legislature, the
| Civic and Commerce association did
/ some very effective work in getting
this appropriation made Strong efforts
| were made to cut this appropriation Ia
such a degree that the new building
would be seriously effected. The Civic
land Commerce Association did some
splendid work in averting this reduc-
| that the association Is entitled to con
siderable credit in preventing a reduc-
tiOn Of $94, coo in the appropriation.
For a number OF years the assoc!a-
ton has made small appropriations tC
lhelp defray expenses incidental to the
observance of American Education
Week in Mankato.
| Last year we purchased a trophy
Icosting $25, which is TO be contested
for annually at the high school district
/ track meet
When the LINCOLN school bond issue
was under consideration here, the as