Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-20
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Much Discussion Over the Condition Of the
Road Repair Fund,
NO MONEY TO COMPLETE WORK BEGUN
Board OF Public Works Points out the
Condition and Finance Commit-
tee VIII Try to Apply
the Remedy.

streets made necessary by the damage done
by the recent rains combined to present a
difficulty to the city council at last nights
meeting which II could not get around very
easily.
The predicament of having almost ex-
hausted already the sl2, 600 street improve
ment appropriation forced itself on the at
tention of the city fathers in a communica-
tion from the Board of Public Works. Ac-
cording TO the financial statement when
had been prepared by Comptroller westberg
the road fund has dwindled down to an
available balance OF s649.S4 The communi-
cation from the board called the councils
attention to the fact that about 1900 worth
OF unfinished work Is in hand and the rains
had damaged the streets to about 81, 800
more.
The lines of your retrenchment are too
radical" observed the document, Ito permit
compliance with them and at the same time
keep the streets Of the city in proper con-
dition.' 1t asked the council to take some
action that would relieve the situation.
Councilman Karr, whose ward, the Sixth.
has suffered considerably from the rains, was
eager to see something done at once. The
comptroller's statement showed 1871. % still
in the general fund, which he commended
could be used, saying that since the water
| from the rains nau urle0 up IL nau le1t
numerous holes in the north part Of the
city, to which Councilman Bechel quickly
retorted that there is a big hole in the
general fund, too The council concluded
not to touch the general fund for the pur-
pose of street repairs and, on a motion by
Mr.. Bechel referred the matter to the
finance committee.
Some Minor Repairs Ordered.
Quite a few little improvements involving
trifing sums managed to get through under
suspension of the rules, though eventually
Councilman Bechel voiced an apprehension
that there was just a little too much of that
sort of thing and that proper reference to
committee should be insisted upon. Some
bridges at Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth and
Louck streets, among other things, were
taken care Of in this manner, but when
Mr.. Karr had a resolution to fix up the road
bed and the sidewalks at Ames avenue and
Fortieth street, Councilman STUNT made a
vigorous kick, and the only way the mat
tor could b. compromised was to dire
the Board of Public Works to see to the
repairs there If absolutely imperative.
Some discussion, too, was prompted by the
report of the finance committee. The coun-
ell generally agreed that the bills for street
lighting should be first passed upon by the
gas inspector and the electrician; also that
the water bills should have the sanction of
the fire, water and police committee.
The committee had reported against the
payment Of S400 to NJ. b. Reese, who had
been employed as special counsel on behalf
of the city by a majority of the councilmeni
at a meeting in the mayors office, in the
fire and police commission case. President
Bingham took the floor and moved that this
portion of the report be stricken out. Mr.
STUNT, one of the members of the commit
tee, objected strenuously on the ground
that there was no record of the council hav-
ing employed Mr.. Reese. Mr.. Bingham
stated that Mr.. Reese had been duly EN-.
ployed, though Mr.. STUNT had not beer
present at the time, and explained, in oppo.
sition to a contention of Mr.. STUNT, that
the council had a perfect right to employ
additional counsel whenever necessary, Mr.
Stunts position being the same as that Of
the report, to-wit, that the council had al.
ready a city attorney and an assistant ant
did not have need of additional legal help
This position, however, Mr.. STUNT did mo-
take until after the motion of Mr.. Bingham
to strike out the adverse recommendatior
of the report had been carried without OPP
position from even Mr.. STUNT, himself. Thu
Reese item will be covered under the heaC
Of miscellaneous expenditure under Mr.
Bingham's motion.