Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-16
DECISION AGAINST OMAHA
Bridge Arbitrary Case Goes Wrong for the
Gate City.
PRoUTY CASTS THE DEC DING VOTE
Supervising Architect Taylor Issues
Instructions TO Have the Omaha
Pustofiice Completed by the
First of the Year.

WASHINGTON, NCv 15.-(Speclal Tele-
gram.)-Unless something entirely unex-
pected should intervene a decision In the
Omaha Council Bluffs bridge arbitrary case
will be handed down by the Interstate Com
merce commission on Thursday. The de-
cision is written and so far as can be learned
is against Omaha. Courtesy demands that
the entire personnel Of the commission should
review the decision as finally prepared for
promulg.ticn and this cannot be done until
tie return of Judge Yeomans, who is at Blue
field Va. and Mr. Clements, who is at his
home IN Georgia.
After the retirement OF Judge veasey the
commission stood two and two and nothing
could be dcne until the commission was
again made up, which has been done in the
selection of Mr.. Prouty of Vermont. 1t is his
vote that decides the case agains, Omaha.
There will be minority dissenting opinion,
probably presented by Mr. Clements, who
has held with Judge Morrison all through
the case that the arbitrary should apply
equally on goods westbound as well as east
bound and that the discrimination was work.
ing disastrously against the Gate City.
The supreme court Of the United S,ltes has
so shorn the commission of its power that
the members of that body do not know
where they are at" and consequently are
approaching decisions with fear and trem-
bling. AS one of the members said today
The supreme court does not deny the COM
mission the right to investigate any railroad
company for rate discrimination and says we
have a right to regulate any past act but
when it comes to saying what a railroad COM
pany should do, so far as rates are concerned,
in the future, then we transcend our power,
as we are not Il judicial body, which leaves
us pretty nearly without leg to stand upon. ="
OMAHA'S NEW POsTOFFICE.
Supervising Architect Taylor today issued
instructions TO Superintendent Latenser Of
the Omaha postoffice building that every
thing must be done to bring the postoffice
portion of the building to completion and
ready for occupancy on or before January L.
Orders were also given to Contractor Jobst
to hurry the interior marble finish. which
has been the cause of considerable delay
and Mr.. Jobst, before leaving for the west,
told Mr. Taylor that the marble would be
on the ground in the next ten days, or pos
sibly sooner So long as the weather con-
'tinues here as during the past three weeks
it will be impossible to make blueprints of
by the United States court and until the
hlueprints are ready it will be impossible
to ask for bids on specifications.
Mr.. Taylor hopes to push the work so as
to have the building completed before the
exposition opens.
SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT.
1t is intended that the exhibit of the
Smithsonian Institution and National Mu-
scum, to be made at Omaha next year, will
be the most complete ever made at sim
liar exposition. One exhibit Of particular
Importance at this time will be relief map
of Alaska, showing the Klondike gold fields
and the Yukon river valley. The exhibit
will show the methods OF crossing mountain
passes, miners outfits, costumes, culinary
utensils and everything pertaining to that
country. 1t is also intended to show the
Jesuits' connection with the carly history Of
the transmississippi country through relics
of great historical interest.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson in his re-
port made public today says: Large guam
titles OF hemp are grown in Nebraska. II
is intended to arrange for an official trial
of hemp machines next season in connection
with the forthcoming Omaha exposition" A
motion for a writ of certiorari in the case
of the Credits Commutation company OF
Sioux City and others against the Trus;
Company of North America was submitted
to the supreme court today in brief. The
motion will probably be decided on NoTem-
her % when the cOurt meets again