Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-09
SLATE FOR THE COUNTY BOARD.
stenberg Likely to he Chairman for
the Next Yenr.

Stenberg Likely to lie Chairman for
the Next Year.
The new Board OF County commissioners
will hold its first meeting next Tuesday
morning. and will then organize for the work
of the year AS the board is now consti-
tuted 1t consists of three republicans and
two democrats. Messrs Stenberg, Klersteaa
and Ostrom are the republican members,
and Messrs. Hoctor and Hofeldt constitute
the democratic minority Commissioner Stem
berg has been a member of the board for five
years, and Commissioners Kierstead and
Hoctor have each served one year, while
the other two members were elected last
fail.
The organization of the board for the en-
suing year has been fruitful subject for
speculation about the court house for several
weeks and many states have been made up
by those who will have nothing to say about
the matter when the time comes. 1t has
been taken for granted by all hands that
the republican majority will organize the
board, but the members themselves have
maintained a sphinX-like silence upon the
subject, and are not giving out any in
formation.
A man about the court house who has
kept close watch upon the proceedings OF
the board for number of years has made
prediction of the manner in which the
new board will be organized and has given a
few of his friends "tip" on what is COM
ing. The prediction is substantially as
follows: 1T is an unwitten rule of the
board that the oldest member shall be the
chairman, unless there is strong objec-
tion on his part; hence Commissioner Stem
berg will probably occupy the position this
year. 1t is another unwrltten rule that the
other older members shall be given the
most important committees. Commissioner
Hoctor has made no secret of the fact that
he wants to be chairman f>the committee
on roads and bridges and he has done good
work during the past year as the second
member OF those committees. The other
members seem disposed to steer clear of
these committees and they will probably go
to Hoctor Mr. Kierstead has been a hard
worker during the year he has been on the
board, and has put in all of his time famili-
arizing himself with the affairs of the county.
The handwriting on the wall says he will
be given the most important commit
tees. 1t is not customary to give new
members more than one committee each,
and this procedure II 1t is followed this year,
will give Kierstead the three most important
committees. These committees are finance,
Judiciary and poor farm, and If Kerstead
draws them he will have his hands full for
the year. That would leave tho committee
on court house and Jail and the charity
committee to be divided between Ostrom and
Hofeldt and / ventura the guess that the
charity committee will go to Mr.. ostrom."
Careful inquiry among the members Of the
board seems to indicate that there Is no dis
position to disturb the present incumbents
of any OF the appontive offices. NJ. Fl.
Horner will probably remain the clerk of
tho board, W. S. Askwith will likely remain
i'm charge OF the charity store. as he has
become familiar with the work. Miles
Houck will continue to be in charge of tho
court house and Jail and George Wright will
continue as superintendent of the poor farm,