Omaha daily bee., 1896-01-14
CITY COUNCIL STANDS PA
Not Ready TO Yield 60 the Terminal
mr.

At the adjourned meeting OF the city coun-
ell last night the special committee, consist
ing OF Aldermen Greenshields, shubert and
Brewick, made a report concerning the con-
ference with the Omaha Bridge and Terminal
company's officers relative to the company's
proposed improvements on Union avenue and
Its taxes due the city of Council Bluffs.
The report stated that the company had
not paid It's taxes, had failed to report its
trackage to the state executive council as
provided by law, and was seeking to evade
taxation on q technical objection as to own
ership, and that the company had not filled
the avenue as required by its franchise prior
TO the laying Of It's tracks on the avenue.
The report concludes as follows: OF the
day of the conference with the officers Of
said company, but not until 1t had taken
place, 1t zane to the knowledge Of the COM
mittee that the said company, although
aware Of the facts that the time had elapsed
for improvements to be made by 1t, as sttp-
ulated and agreed in its franchise, the said
company was laying It's tracks on said ave-
nue.. Believing that 1t was for the interest
Of the city that no further steps be taken
or rights secured by said company on said
avenue until a complete understanding and
arrangement should be made in regard to
these matters, your committee procured a
restraining order from the district court OF
this county and stopped said work. This is
the condition of our relations with said COM
pany at this time. We therefore ask that
with said company, IL 1t so desires. and di-
rect us to have said restraining order con-
tinued until such time as said matters are
adjusted"
The report OF the committee was concurred
in.
A report was made by Alderman Brown
recommending a reduction of the bill Of the
Nebraska Telephone company for November
because the night operator had been asleep
and had failed to answer a call from the
police station. The other members Of the
committee reported in favor of allowing the
entire amount OF the claim. Manager At
kins of the telephone company denied that
the operator had been asleep. Alderman
Brown insisted the operator had been
asleep and that many complaints had been
made of poor service. He insisted that the
reduction of $3.50 be made, as that amount
Of money was lost to the city by the In
ability of the police, owing to the telephone
operators negligence, to notify the gas and
electric light company to shut OF the lights.
After burning s4.90 worth Of electric light
the report of Alderman Brown was adopted
and the city clerk instructed to present a
bill for $3.50. But that didn't end 1t.
Every alderman in the group had a whack
at 1t. A motion to allow the bill anyway
met Alderman Browns opposition and was
withdrawn. Then a motion to adopt the
bill, less $500, brought another tangle, and
finally the report of Alderman Brown was
reconsidered and the bill Of the company
for the full amount, s2S.35, was adopted.
A resolution by Alderman Brewick was
adopted providing that hereafter each in
! dividual or corporation seeking the passage
Of an ordinance granting privileges in which
the general public does not participate shall
be required to deposit s25 with the city clerk
to pay the expense Of publishing such or
| dinances.
The ordinance granting the Iowa Con-
s%truction company the right to build a sewer
out Of Indian creek and use the space of
said creek for a railroad was read and re-
| ferred to the committee of the whole.