Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-04

Jefferson and the Odd Fellows Com.
mittce CnnnOt Agrec.


mittce Cannot Agree.
JEFFERSON, Ia, March 3.-(Special)-
is altogether improbable that any steps will
be taken this year toward the erection of the
Iowa Odd Fellows Orphan Home that the
grand lodge voted to be located in this city
at its meeting in October. There is but one
point OF difference between the committee ap-
pointed by the grand lodge to close a con-
tract with jefferson and the local committee
but that is of such Importance, and the two
committees are so far apart on this point,
that there does not seem to be any likelihood
of getting together. All that stands in the
way is the question of school privileges The
proposition made by the Odd Fellows to the
grand lodge contained no reference to the
point of education for the simple reason that
the preamble Of the resolution to erect an
orphans home states that the same is to be
place for the care and education Of orphans
of deceased Odd Fellows, and that was one
of the main arguments used to induce the
Odd Fellows to erect such home Now the
committee representing the grand lodge says
that Jefferson must agree to, educate and
furnish free tuition to the inmates of the
home, whether there be 10 or 800. If there
should be 300, and 1t is said there will be-
this would involve an outlay Of $4,000 for
new building, and an annual expense of at
least $1,000. This is burden that would
not fall upon the 10000 Odd Fellows in Iowa
who propose to build and operate home for
the education and care of the orphans of their
brethren, but rather upon the citizens of JEFF
terson, the great majority of whom are not
Odd Fellows. The Board of Education said
1t would not enter into any such agreement
that would saddle heavy burden upon the
taxpayers without any corresponding benefit.
Ihere the matter stands, The committee
says 1t Will not sign q contract with Jeffer-
son unless free school privileges are granted
all the inmates Of the home, and Jefferson
says in leply the grand lodge and Iowa Odd
Fellows never contemplated any such require
ments, and that they are unreasonable.
TWO months ago the locating committee
came to Jefferson and threw down a contract
that compelled the city to furnish a water
service mat would throw a stream of water
100 feet perpendicular through a one and
half inch nozzle attached to 100 feet of hose
The proposed grounds are higher than other
portions of the city, and there is not a water
system in Iowa. it is said, that could comply
with such requirements. The committee said
IT would not recede an inch from this con-
tract, and that Jefferson could either sign it
OF let IL alone Jefferson did not agree to do
anything OF the sort. 1t was proposed sim
ply by the town to bring the regular city
service to the home building free OF charge
and this the town has always stood ready TO
do. Jefferson declined to sign such a con-
tract, and then the committee reconsidered
lts proposition and agreed to take the kind
or service the town could supply Then the
school matter was brought up and the com
mittee says 1t will never recede from its
demands on that point. Jefferson will not
accede to the demand because it does not
propose to cripple itself and impose burdens
the people cannot meet, and which were
never intended to be demanded by the Odd
Fellows of Iowa. In all probability the whole
matter will be carried over until the next ses
sion of the grand lodge, when the real wishes
of the representatives will be ascertained. II
there should be an attempt on the part of
the committee to close a contract with any
other town there is liable to be trouble The
committee is not representing the sentiment
of the Odd Fellows in the state in its de-
mands