Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-04
NAY crr powN EXPENSES SOME
Several Things In the Way of an All
ArnufiI u q q Il q


Around Rctrcnchmcnt.
The action of the city council, abettsd by
Mayor Cleaver, ordering a Tetrenchment in
the various departments of city work has
provoked no end Of discussion. and the opin-
ions Of the public are preety well divided
Some approve of 1t, on The ground that the
city has gone on spending more than its in
come for long time now, and II is about
time a. New Years resolution be made to
live within its income This is the light in
which large proportion OF the taxpayers
look at the mater. On the other hand thsre
rs quite considerable number Of people who
think this is simply one of the schemes that
are won't TO be sprung on an unsuspecting
public about the time somebody or other is
looking for a chance to get a denomination.
They do not have much faith in the sincerity
OF the motives behind the action, and conss
quently take sides "agn" the government.
There are some who are even unkind
enough to say that the council might have
shown its sincere desire for reform by cut
ting the mayors $1,000 salary In two, and
that the mayor could likewise have sug-
gestsd that the councilmen turn four-ffths of
thnir salaries back into the city treasury and
work for their health and the good OF the
city.
At all events, the plan does not seem to
work with the whole souled unanimity that
was hoped for. Mayor Cleaver has done half
his duty as laid down in the order by letting
out Detective Weir He will do the other
half January 1, when L. B. Cousins will be
discharged from the force TO take a position
under the new county sheriff City Engi-
neer Etnyre has Kicked out of the traces and
says that he cannot do the work required of
him IL the order is carried into execution,
and nothing has YET been zone by Chief
Templeton 20 reduce the fire department.
AS was intimated in an interview with
Mayor Cleaver published in The Bee the
morning after the report Of the committee
was heard. the clause Of the report referring
to consolidation Of the marshal's and po-
lice department seems to have bsen made
up largely OF wind. The intimation was
given the appearance Of gospel truth by
the failure OF the council to pass an ordinance
doing away with the office of chief Of police
The city marshal's office Is created by stat
ute. and cannot be done away with excepting
by the action of the legislature. The office
OF chief Of police. however, is made by or
dirance, so that II the council had a really
sincere desire to rip the finances of the city
up the back 1t could do so without much
trouble. 1t passed q resolution dealing
with several other departments, but said not
a word about the consolidation" scheme.
A week ago last Monday night Mayor
Cleaver stated to a Bee reporter that he did
not think the office of chief of police would
be abolished at least for some time That
was not the kind of Consolidation" that
was wanted. The plan was to move the
police office into the Jail building and do
away with day man and night man,
letting one man at nights attend to both
departments. Until the "citizens' REFORM
movement carried, about seven years ago,
the two offices were together, and no Sc
rious trouble was had, although It is re-
lated by people who were on the inside at
that time that for weeks at a time the mar
shal and chief would decline to recognize
each others existence, even by a nod Those
were cat-and-dog times, but the hope of those
pushing the scheme is that dispositions of
office holders have been improved by seven
years spent In fasting and self-denial
In Des Mcines the two offices have been
consolidated In different way for several
years. 1t being commonly understood when
a man is elected mayor that the man who
Is elected to the Office of marshal shall be
appointed chief of police also. This brings
both departments under one head without
any Of the friction resulting from the plan
now proposed, and 1t is very likely that as
the subject has now begun to be agitated
enc or the other of the parties will find
1t necessary to incorporate plank provid-
ing for such move in its platform.
Two Infant Boys Borrow Rig and
Start ON Pleasure Jnunt.
j. e. Miller. farmer living near the city
limits on East Broadway, left his horse and
wagon hltched last Wednesday evening on
Broadway, near the corner of Main street
while he went into a store to make some
purchases. When he came out a short time
later the rig had disappeared. He organ
lied himself into a special detective service
and started out over the country to hunt for
1t. He had not been out very long before he
heard that it was in the possession of the
TWO boys, one Of whom had a coonskin cap
on with this as clew he Travelled over
most of the western half of the county, hear
ing scraps of news here and there, and con-
stantly following up new clews
Yesterday afternoon he was driving along
the road from Glenwood to Council Bluffs
and came to secluded spot about two miles
below the city. when he saw horse and
faded-out wagon that had familiar look.
The two boys and the coonskn cap were
there too, and he greeted them cordially,
He asked them where they were going, and
they told him Genwood. He got down from
his wagon, and after moments inspection
told them he would see that the rig got back
to Council Bluffs, and told them to Jump in
and ride with him. They did so, and when
the party arrived at the sheriff's office in the
court house the two boys looked rather woe
begone They were Freddie and willie
Strong, and IL years old respectively, and
the sons OF Joe Strong. who lives in the poor
house on South Eighth street, and has been
supported by the county for years They had
spent six nights camping out, and would have
been ready for some more had they not been
caught. Notwithstanding they were so cold
that their noses were blue and they almost
shvered out of their ragged boots
Miller took them up to Justice Viens court
room, where he filed an information charging
them with larceny. Although he has been
deprived OF the use Of the horse and wagon
for week he is considerably batter provided
with miscellany. for the wagon contained a
box Of corn, feather pillow, an assortment
of old overcoats, the fragments of an old
stove, and lot Of other things more notable
for variety than utility. The two boys had
gotten them all by begging along the road
They told pitiful tale OF the abuse at
the hands Of their father which had driven
them from home. The old man goes around
from house to house collecting garbage. His
boys claim that one time he ordered them
to eat the garbage They refused and he ,
beat them into submission with a horse
whip. He has frequently punished them in |
this way, and they were afraid to go home |
last night for fear OF the conse equences Jus
tice Wen will have them up for a hearing |
this afternoon at o'clock, and will prob |
ably refer them TO the district court as |
candidates for the reform school There is |
a strong probability that their father will |
be called upon TO explain the treatment he |
has been giving them.
Wednesday and Saturday afternoon Cole e. |
Cole will present every lady or gentleman at |
tending their Buck and Born range exhibit |
samples OF three kinds of home made candles |