Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-07

path for the concessions which the water
works company was seeking from the
city? And while the mayor Is talking
aware TINT he and his city engineer are
playing into the hands of the shalpcrs
who wrecked the old company after
bonding 1t for S4,OOO000 and forcing a
receivershp upon it?
In what light does Mayor Broatch
| present himself to the citizens of Omaha
when he pratcs about municipal owner
ship of light heat and water in the
face of his own record? On the night
of December 1, 1896, only five weeks
ago, the council passed an ordinance
perpetuating the electric lighting mo-
nopoly for six years. and within SIX
teen minutes by the watch after the
vote was taken and this job was per-
| petrated the signature of the mayor
was attached. Nobody in Omaha out
side of the parties Immediately inter-
| ested had heard q word about this pro-
posed extension, no discussion was had
in the council and no explanation has
yet been given why Mayor Broatch
should have been on hand to complete
! this job before the taxpayers could pro-
test or the courts be invoked to protect
| the public.
The most uncalled-for part of the
mayors message is his attempt to mis-
lead the public into the belief that he
was the first to point out the objection
able features of the water works ordi-
nance and that to do so he was forced
| to go to the expense of printing
pamphlet because the newspapers were
barred to him. What are the facts so
far as The Bee is concerned? The coun-
| ell took action on the water works ques-
| ton on the night of December l, 1896.
| The Bee of the next day contained the
following editorial, under the head,
| The Water Works Contract"
The proocsitlon to extend the water works
contract Tor period of seven years calls for
| careful consideration before final action shall
| be taken by the mayor and council. The
public interest should be guarded at every
| point and no loopholes left for further mis-
understanding and contention. If an extern
sion Of the contract is to be made let 1t be
upon conditions that will give the taxpayers
| the full equivalent Of the value of the benefits
| conferred on the company
When the original water works contract
| was made Omaha had a population of only
| 30 coo and the most sangune prophet did not
| expect to see the city double its population
| by 1890. The marvellous growth Of Omaha
compelled the reconstruction and enlargement
| of the water works plant at cost of several
millions and the expenditure OF several nun
dred thousand dollars will be required soon
| to make il adequate to the demands OF the
| people who depend upon 1t. On the other
hand the city has increased the number OF its
| fire hydrants from $50 to 14O0, so that at the
present rental 1t pays about $SS,0O0 or per
cent on 81, 100000 exclusive of rentals paid by
South Omaha. The private consumption of
water has increased proportionately and far
beyond original expectations.
Granting that the water company's fran
chise has not been forfeited by reason of
its receivershp and foreclosure sale 1t be-
comes a question how much the city shall
| exact in return for the proposed seven-year
extension and the waiver of its right to pur-
chase the plant before 1907, and at only
five-year periods thereafter. Manifestly the
| object of the water company is to secure
contract that Will enable its new owners
to dispose Of bonds to pay off the floating
debt and raise money for Improvements. To
do this they want ten years of guaranteed
income and undisturbed possession. For
this concession it is proposed to require
them to supply $50 additional fire hydrants
at nominal cost to the city. No concession
is made, however, as to charges for private
water supply nor is any reduction asked by
the council committee in the rental of hy
drants now in use or to be used If more
than the 15O new hydrants should be Or
dered.
The vital question to the taxpayers is:
Are the conditions under which it is pro-
posed to extend the water works contract
such as the city has a right to expect? Does
the city need $50 more hydrants? If the
company insists on its present hydrant rem
tai why should not some concession be made
in rates to private consumers which were
originally fixed on the basis of town of
10000 population? Should not the practice
of requiring royalty, put into operation in
the last gas franchise, be also applied to
the water company? These and other ques-
tiors suggest themselves for discussion be-
fore the proposed contract extension shall
be ratified.
Does this presentment justify the
mayor in charging collusion with the
men he calls New York sharpers?
Could anything more have been said in
defense of the city's interests? On the
heels of this editorial The Bee opened
its columns to letters from John ID.
Howe ana w. S. Poppleton, reviewing
the entire proposition and pointing out
the objections in detail. All this is
known to the mayor, and yet he ac
cuscs The Bee of suppressing from the
public all information that would en-
tighten them as to the merits of the
two sides to the negotiations.
Mayor Broatch doubtless thinks that |
it is very popular to pose as the savior
of the city from the grasp of greedy |
corporation, and If he were honest and
sincere he would certainly be entitled
to credit. But he must not imagine
that his anti-corporation antics will
fool the people of Omaha who know him
and know who made him mayor.
--=
GOLD AND SILVER PRODUCTION.
The production of gold in the United
StotpS last ypnr according to the eSti- |