Omaha daily bee., 1896-01-29
orrsT1ON,RIr rroNou,-

QUESTIONABLE ECONOMY.
Now that the work of transforming
the basement of the city hail into a
| Jail is under way and the fire chiefs S
quarters adjacent TO the rotunda are
! being reconstructed into police court
room, The Bee may indulge in com
ment on this piece of alleged reform
without subjecting itself TO the charge
of trying to obStruct great economy.
| Such charge was publicly made by
| Councilman Kennard by innucndo when
the contract for the ironwork was up
! for approval. although this paper had
| studiously refrained from saying any
| thing that could be construed into op-
position to the scheme of Jail removal.
1t is also absolutely untrue that the
| remonstrance filed by citizens and tax
payers against this project had been
| inspired directly or indirectly by The
Bee or any one connected with The
Bee. And yet n protest against the
location of jail in the building ad-
jacent to first class Office building
could not have been regarded out of
place. 1t is doubtful, even if the owner
had been foreign corporation, instead
of an Omaha concern, whether its man
at least consulted before such a step
was taken by Il public body.
Quite apart, however, from considera
tons of the private rights of neighbor-
ing property, it is questionable whether
the location of the Jail in the city hall
will bring about the economy and re-
trenchment which Mr.. Kennard and his
associates have so loudly proclaimed.
The rental now paid for police court
and Jail quarters is $1,000 year. But
Mr.. Kennard claimed that Il saving of
$1,000 year would be effected. There
is no doubt whatever that the rental
of the present quarters could have been
reduced to $500 Il year and a PROPOSE
ton was pending to construct an en-
tirely new Jail and police court building
for an assurance of the old rental. Now
the city will eXpend $1,000 in recon-
struction that will be absolutely worth
less in case the Jail is again removed.
The lOca ton of the Jail and police court
in the city hall will compel the en-
ployment of at least one additional
jantor and an additional police matron.
That means at least $1,000 year ad-
ditional outlay. AT the very best. there
fore, the city will save not over $1,5OO,
computing interest on the Investment
and extra expenses of maintenance.
Such saving would be commendable
and desirable were it not for the ire
parable damage to the city hall building
which will be saturated throughout
with the offensive Jail odors. This has
been the experience of Denver where
the same experiment is in operation.
The worst feature of this plan of
economy will be the invasion of the
city hall by vagrants, vermin and the
be impossible to keep these wretched
people from congregating in the rotunda
and jostling respectable people who have
business in the building. Jailbrds may
be taken in through the back alley, but
the inmates of dives and dens who come
will enter wherever they choose and
nothing can hinder them.
The action of the council in this
matter is also an infraction of the
spirit, if not the letter. of the contract
with the school board. When the board
advanced $4,000 toward the construc
ton Of the city hall the school district
was made part owner of the building
and was accorded IL voice in planning
the structure. The proposition to locate
the jail in the basement was then dis
cussed and it was understood and
agreed that no provision should be made
for the city Jail or police court in the
new building, which was to be reserved
exclusively for city officials, the public
library and the Board of Education.
1t would have been just as proper to
locate the Jail in the basement of the
public library building and compel
patrons of the library to come in con-
tact with all the inhabitants of the
slums.