Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-10
NOW FOR THE CITY HALL
The Council Takes Prompt and De-
cisive Steps.
The Ordinance Against Defacing the
Streets With Poles Goes Through
By an Overwhelming
Majority.

/
Bailey, Boyd, Chafee, Ford and Hascall
were the absentees last night when the city
council met as a committee of the whole
Councilman Wheeler took the chair and the
council spent some time discussing the mer.
its of an ordinance declaring certain acts uu
lawful. II was known as the misdemeanor
law and was a relic of the. old
council, which had IL in cons liberation
when the fall elections cut short their term
of Office. 1t defines vagrants, disordcrly
| persons, suspicious characters, and other un.
| fortunates who are generally considered as
the legitimate prey of the police, fixing the
penalty to be enforced when it is proved
they fill the requirements of the ordinance.
1t includes gamblers, ball players without an
engagement, patrons of dog fights, prize
fights, and corner loafers, persons found with
concealed weapons or burglars tools, those
found cnsnarng BIRDS, or destroying nests,
or cruelty using animals and com
mitting other pcccadillos too numer-
Gus to mention, and gives Judge
Bcrka the privilege of tining them or send
ing them "ovcr the hilln One clause called
for the punishment by fine or imprisonment
OF any one found distributing or sanctionng
the distribution of medical pamphlets con-
tanning advertisements for the cure of pri
vate diseases. or anything of a similar nature
bordering on the obscene, The pepalty
called for is a fine of from s. to 800, of inn
prisonment for not more than thirty days.
nothing about the So monthly
fine collected from the inmates, and
| rang the changes, on lotteries, gift enter
| prises, opium jouts and gambling tools and
| houses. 1t rendered liable anyone adverts-
ing lottery or the prizes won, and wound
| up with list of offenses, coming under the
| head of nuisanCes
| For Hftu min
| tained the committee by reading over the
| crimes and offenses that are, may or have
| been committed IN the city, as defined in the
| sixty-sixth section of the ordinances, to-
| gcther with the penalties attached, and then
! on motion the chairman was instructed to
| report back to the council in favor of It's
| passage.
The ordinance to prohibit and regulate the
| erection OF poles BY any street railway COM
| pany along the streets of Omaha was next
| taken up, and on motion it was ordered that
| the committee recommend its passage. 1t
| provides that the erection of poles and the
| stretching of wire thereon in the streets of
| the city of Omaha by any street railway
| company now existing or hereafter organ
| lied is hereby prohibition. Provided that
| wherever or whenever it shall be deemed
| advisable for the public good to erect such
| poles and stretch such wire, authority there
| unto may be given by concurrent
resolution of the mayor and council to
| any street railway company having
| uuiS u lEuuCulSS 10 construct anO
| operate street railroad line in the city of
| Omaha, to erect and maintain said poles and
| wires at such places and in such manner as
| said resolution shall expressly designate.
| Provided further that all poles and wires
| erected and constructed by any street rail
| road company shall be subject to removal at
| any time by the direction of the mayor and
council without compensation to the persons
or companies owning or interested in the
| same. .....
| Any person, partnership corporation or
association, violating any of the provisions of
| the ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a
| msdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof
| shall be fined in any sum not to exceed $50
| or Imprisonment to exceed ten days, or both
| hne and Imprisonment as the court shall di-
rect.
Councilman Kaspar then moved that the
committee rise and report, which it did,
| Councilman Burnham objecting.
After five minutes recess, Chairman
| Lee called the council to order, and the
misdemeanor ordinance was killed by a vote
| of Z to g. The ordinance regulating the
| erection of poles for the use of electric street
| cars was more fortunate, and became a law
by vote of II to /.
! One or two grading ordinances were then
| read a first and second time and referred to
! committee, and Councilman Burnham sub
| mitted the following resolutions:
That the committee on public buildings
and property, the mayor concurring, be and
| they are hereby authorized and empowered
and directed to take immediate steps to pro-
cure by advertisement or otherwise compe-
| tition plans for city hall building to be
erected on lots and 6, block 1l6, Omaha, to
| be constructed of stone brick and IRON, to be
| as nearly tireproof 2s possible, and to cost
| when completed not to exceed S250,0J0. Said
| building to furnish and provide accommoda-
| ton for all city officials and departments ex-
| cept city jail and police court, and employees
| connected thereunto, and also to furnish and
provide accommodations and apartments for
| the board Of education and It's employees.
Said plan to contemplate the removal of so
| much of the existing foundation on the above
site as cannot be used with safety.
| competitition to be restricted to Omaha ar
chltects, the fees or premiums to be allowed
for plans to be recommended by said COM
mittee and reported to the council for APP
proval. Said committee to report progress
from time to time, or as called upon, and to
accompany final report with recommends
| tions, but no action of said committee, with
reference to acceptance or use of plans to be
| final or binding till approval by the council
Councilman Lee then submitted a COM
munication which went into detail, as to the
style of building, and the manner
of inviting competition on their preparation.
The exterior walls Of the building on Eight
eenth and Farnam streets are to be of stone,
the entire structure to be six stories IN
height, above the basement. 1t Is to be fire
proof throughout, including the roof. There
is to be principal entrance on Farnam
street, and one on Eighteenth street, and the
building is to be arranged for the city Offices,
tion. The plans must be accompanied by
memorandum explaining any points in the |
design not obvious from an inspection OF the |
drawings, and there must be plans OF the |
different stories ana basement, the F'arnam |
and Eighteenth street elevations, one section |
and perspective
The first prize will be the appointment as
architect of the building, second prize $780, !
third prize 5000 and fourth prize $500.
The council again went into committee of |
the whole Councilman Wheeler in the chair. |
Councilman Counsuan moved that Burn !
hams resolution be amended SO as to read |
$500, 900 instead of $3.50. 900, and adopted, and
that the communication Of Councilman Lee |
be laid on the table. |
Councilman Burnham objected to the |
amendment, and explained that he had only |
introduced the resolution In order to get the |
matter started as soon as possible. 1T would |
be we'll to leave the amount as II was
$3.50 000-and at any time it could be increased |
If the council saw IT.
Councilman Lee explained that the com
municatlon he submitted was only for the |
purpose of aiding the committee to which the |
matter was referred. Councilman Kaspar /
thought the $300, 600 might as well be inserted |
in Burnham's resolution now, and on vote /
being taken II was done.
The resolution as amended was then adopt
ed and together with the commu nication of |
Councilman Lee, referred to the committee |
on public works and buildings with instruc-
70 att aarliaGt