Omaha daily bee., 1895-03-22
PROSPECT At COURTLAND
Questions that Must Be Settled Before the
Resort is Opened,
NEW SYSTEM OF TRANSFERS WANTED
Omaha Street Railway Company Not In
clined to DO More Than II Is Now
Doing--A Talk with tho
Managers.

The future OF CORTLAND beach as pleasure
resort is being very seriously considered just
at present by the association which has its
affairs in charge. Its prosperous season
last year has encouraged the managers to
hope for even better returns this year, but
according to ]. NJ Dougherty, secretary and
treasurer, there are many questions to be
decided before the policy of the association
can be determined for the present year.
To his mind street car facilities is the most
pressing subject for the consideration of the
association AS the quantity Of water
in the lake not being sufficient to
warrant any preparation for the season, he
does not consider this for n moment in con
nection with the case. In fact, he fears too
much water.
"There has been an element in Omaha
constantly opposed to CORTLAND beach," said
Mr.. Dougherty. This is certainly surpris-
ing in view of the fact that II is an Omaha
institution and every dollar thus far re-
ceived has been spent in Omaha. The most
persistent opposition, l think, comes from
those interested in Manawa.
Nov. this talk about the lake drying up is
nonsense Some have circulated the report
that there is scarcely any water in front of
even the pavilion, when, In fact, there is
twenty feet of water at that point now, and
as soon as the river rises 1t will add five feet
to the present depth In fact, we have
always feared too much water, rather than
too little. Why for more than eight years
| the ice companies have been taking on an
average three feet Of ice yearly out of the
lake, and 1t appears to me If II was SO
rapidly drying up this would contribute to
| that end.
I'm truth, one season Of wet weather will
| fill the lake to its original proportions. But
we have considered the question of an artii.
cial supply in the event that there is little
| rain this year Nothing definite has been
| determined in this line. but canal to Flor.
ence lake could easily be constructed, though
| we want a better quality of water than that
source will supply. Another plan informally
| discussed is that Of number Of artesiar
| wells on the bluffs TO the west, or even In
| the beach grounds. Experts on the subject
are confident of a sufficient supply in either
| case. But. in addition, there are other
| sources for supply of pure water which
thowever, L am not at liberty to discuss a
Tpresent.
PROBLEM OF STREET CAR FARES.
"The question of a different arrangement
Of street car transfers is the great question
| to be settled. We cannot open until it Il
| determined, even IL we are compelled to lie
| the immense Improvements stand idle. |
cost the people too much money to reach thu
| beach. We want the Omaha Street Ralwa,
| side lines, so that it will cost at least
| cents less than it did last year for persoI
| to reach the beach from Walnut Hill or th
! Farnam street line The Omaha street ca
people seem unable to arrange this, and
| do not think we can do more than we hav
| done.
Eve have $4,000 permanently invested a
the beach, and we employ large force o
men during the summer. Our expenses Will
open aggregate $3.50 per day, and all thi
is spent in Omaha. Heretofore this none
went to Council Bluffs and Manawa. w
| think, in view of this fact, we are entitle
to some consideration. The street car people
we think, should remember that this woul
| be practically lost to them but for our in
vestment They claim that they carry pas
sengars under the present arrangement a
cheap as the circumstances will permit, bu
we are inclined to think that they can i'm
prove the situation Certainly somethn
must be done in this respect before the sea
son can be opened at the beach"
The Omaha Street Railway people do no
feel that they are under any special oblga
tions to do more for Courtland beach tha
they have already done. They insist tina
they havF done much to contribute to tn
convenience and comfort of those VIII
patronze the beach. AS an Omaha institu
tion, they explain that they made even bette
terms than the situation from a fair bus
ness point warranted, but in order to en
courage the enterprise, had made many con
cessons.
NOT DISPOSED TO DO MORE.
Secretary Goodrich of the Omaha Stree
Railway company said: "Snce the Court
land beach institution is an Omaha concern
we naturally feel very kindly toward it, an
| nntin IN lima