Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-07
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Water Works Question Passed Over Owing
to Absence of Councilman Allan.
FOUR NEW ARC LIGHTS ARE ORDERED
Mayor, City Attorney and Council
Hold "a Secret Session After the
Regular Meeting to Consider
the New Charter.

The report of the special committee on the
water works question did not materiallze at
the adjourned council meeting yesterday
afternoon. This was on account of the alb
sence from the city Of Councilman Allan.
The councilmen who oppose the proposed set
tlement with the water company demanded
a call of the house as soon as the council
was called to order, but when they were as
sured that the water question would not be
brought up the call was dropped and the
council took up the regular order Of bust
ness where 1T left of Tuesday night.
The first additional arc light that has been
ordered in over a year was directed placed
at Seventeenth and Nicholas streets. This
was declared to be an emergency case, as
the corner in question is absolutely dark. 1t
proved to be a precedent, for it was imme-
diately followed up by the location of ad-
ditiona1 lights at Fourteenth and Williams
streets, Burdette street and Military ave-
nue. and Thirty-sixth street and Ames ave-
nue..
The council again accomplished its stage
trick Of overriding an ordinance with a res
olution by granting permission to a local
firm to construct a cloth sign over the side
walk on one of the principal business streets.
ELEVENTH STREET vIADUCT.
STUNTS ordinance ordering the repair of
the Eleventh street viaduct and approving
the plans and specifications was introduced
and referred to the committee on viaducts
and railways.
The amended curfew ordinance, which was
introduced some time ago, was favorably re-
ported by the committee and passed.
An amended market place ordinance by
Mercer extended the limits of the district and
also OF the market season. Referred to
committee on police.
The ordinance authorizing the employment
or a sergeant-at-arins was passed on third
reading. Burnley, Duncan and Wheeler
Immediately after adjournment the men,
bers of the council, with Mayor Broatch and
City Attorney Cornell, held a conclave in
the presidents private office. The nature of
the secret session was not explained and
councilmen assumed an air of mystery when
approached on the subject.
After the members had congregated in the
private office and the sergeant-at-arms had
been placed on guard at the door, Mayor
Broatch explained that it was essential that
the city officials should take some action to
prevent the adoption of some of the features
or the proposed new charter. These were
discussed at some length. City Attorney
Council commended that the passage of the
charter as now proposed would bankrupt the
city. The most serious feature was the
clause which prohibited the issuing of re-
newai ponds to aggregate more than $500. 900.
The renewal bonds already issued reached
ABOUT that amount, and the effect of the law
was to prevent the city from issuing any
more bonds OF like character. Several other
features came in for criticism and the nm
Outstanding was reached that the city at
torney and as many members of the coun-
Gil as could make it convenient would go to
Lincoln this week to endeavor to prevent
the passage Of the charter.