Omaha daily bee., 1892-11-27
MAJORS AT LOCCERHEADS
Interesting Discussion in the Board o.
Public v orks Over Grading.
WHICH is THE BEST PUBLIC POLICY
Case of the Twenty-rourth Street Grade and
the Pierce street Intersection ke-
ferred to the Council-Othcr
street improvements.

There was fun at the meeting Of the Board
OF Public Works, held Yesterday afternoon,
as tho members arrayed themselves, one
against the other, in wordy war. The
trouble arose over that South Twenty-fourth
street matter, IN which the city council
passed an ordinance ordering the grading or
the street, without making any provisions
for the filling OF the intersection OF Pierce,
the cross street.
Major Furay started the ball on its roll by
accusing the chairman, Major Birkhauser,
of carrying the contract ia hls pocket for Il
couple of weeks without reporting to his
colleagues, or reporting to the council. Then
he got to the front and moved that the con-
tract be approved, with the board reserving
the right to have the inters ection filled, or
to have the space lett open, that in time a
viaduct h.,ght be constructed,
Major Birkhauser openly and unhesitat-
ingly declared that the time had arrived
when the other majors found more delight In
crtlcising his actions than in doing their Of
fetal duties ae held the contract simply
because he did pot think that tho city
wanted to put IN such an unreasonable grade
as was contemplated IN the ordinance.
Major Balcombe fired up at this and said
that it had become notorious fact that
when any person wanted to defeat the legis-
lation OF tho council they went TO the mem
bers OF the board with Their trouoieS, hoping
for Their assistance.
Major I3irknauser retorted that he had
never been so annoyed and that no thought
IT strange that they should have sought out
Major Balcombe TO press their claims.
This response called Tor remark from
MAJOR Balcombe, who said the chairman aud
the city attorney differed regarding the nd
Instability OF the construction OF that par
uculargrade.
VIII write to the Council
/Msior Furay remarked that they were
getting into pretty mess and 10 pour oil on
the trou oled waters he moved that the chair
man be instructed to transmit the papers tC
the council. aud at the same time that he bt
instructed TO send along letter which would
set out the embarrassment that might ensu'
on account OF the changing OF the grade
which would leave the intersection OF Pierce
street some tweaty feet below the line o
Twentieth street.
All OF the members voted Tor this. ant
what promised TO be lively row was thus a
rhe paving OF Twentieth street from
Grace TO Lake was postponed until next sea
son. the threo members holding that owinl
10 tho lateness of tae season IL would not bI
safe TO instruct tho contractor TO start in oil
concreiing tho base for tue laying OF thu
brick.
Upon opening the paving bids, the contrac
for vitritied brick on Center from Tenth Il
Eleventh streets ana on SEVENTEEN, from
jackson 10 Leavenworlh streets, went TO j
B. Smith Il Go. Their bid was sl,S for
five, and g. l3 per square yard for ten.yea
guarantee.
Phree alieys went to Hugh Murphy a
$a 30 per square yard on ten-year guar
antee.
Tho Bemis park sewer contract wa
awarded TO John +. Daley, he being tn
lowest bidder for the work; HIS price
were as follows: Twelyc-inch pipe, tl.2S
ten-inch pine, 81. 20. and eight Inch pipe, 0
cents per lineal foot.
In the construction OF this sewer ther
will be 340 feet OF the twelye-inch, 800 fee