Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-20
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Municipal Ownership of Water Works is
Subject of Discussion.
CITY ATTORNEY AND ENGINEER DEBATE
RESOLUTION Introduced Reducing the
Amount of Bond Issue for Pnr-
chase of Plant from Five Will
lion to Three Million.

The meeting Of the city council Tuesday
might resolved itself largely into debate
between City Engineer Rosewater and City
attorney Connell on the best method OF ac-
quiring the waterworks plant. The subject
was brought up by resolution proposed by
the committee on fire. water and police,
questing the city engineer to frame an ord-
nance covering the contemplated purchase.
Nr Rosewater expressed the opinion that
tho plant could not be properly acquired
Under the plan now being considered, mas
much as the present contract with the water
com pany does not expire until 1903. He be-
lIeyed IL was folly TO vote a fixed sum OF
bonds at this time, before any appralsement
has been made, and vested too much power
In the council or the board of appraisers
The only proper method, in the city engi
neers Judgment, would be to acquire the
property by right of eminent domain. the
eppTaisement having first determined the
amount of bonds which IL would be neces-
Eaty to appropriate. MIR. Rosewater criu-
cised the published opinion Of the city at
toTney also in its failure to provide for any
method of operating systems in South
Omaha, East Omaha or Dundee. The coun-
eli passed the resolution asking written
expression of his opinion on the subject.
City Attorney Connell, in uphoding the
method advocated by him. said that it had
originally been proposed by Messrs. Yates
and Poppleton and would save the city a
large amount OF money provided 1t could be
ca arried into effect Under seizure by right
Of eminent domain, he said the city would
tlad oubtedy have to make good to the COM
pany the value of the franchise during the
period the contract has yet to run, which
might be anywhere from one to eight years
H..
che city could establish that an opportunity
FOR purchase is open in 1901 this important
Item would be saved. 1t was his original
preference, however, the city attorney
added to acquire the property through the
Cty'S general right Of eminent domain
resolution on the same subject was in
troduced by Lobeck providing that the sum
OF S. 900 stipulated as the bond issue in
che proposed ordinance, be reduced to SO.
OOO. 900. The amendment was referred to
che committee on fire, water and police,
Walnut Hill Grading.
he city engineer under instructions pre-
Vi Ously received, gave a detailed history of
the Walnut Hill grading controversy. He
submitted a plat of the neighborhood af
3eCted. showing in different colors the free
holders both who had paid and neglected to
pay the tax. He described the difficulty
which the city had met with in collecting
Che assessment and the final adverse action
OF the supreme court When it was estab
1shed that the city might collect one half
of the amount several plans were made by
Che city engineer and adopted by the Board
OF Equalization. On each occasion, the city
engineer said, the council had not approved
1he findings through the efforts of interested
parties. He added that the city had been |
put TO the expense of advertising for each !
proposed assessment, amounting to several |
hundred dollars. The report of the engi- |
neer had been requested in an effort to !
Rqualize the burden, amounting to $2916S, !
Between the city and the property owners |
benefit 1t was placed on file.
~ resolution was presented by Mount and |
passed with a view of bringing about the !
coll lection of personal taxes. 1t provided |
shat the city treasurer be empowered to
employ an extra collector at salary not to
exceed 500 month notice will also
he published calling upon delinquents to
settle with the city treasurer before Janu-
ary under penalty of seizure of any prop
erty whatsoever by distress warrant.
The claim of Mrs. Elizabeth Van Brocklin
3or personal injuries, which has made cir
cult of various committees for nearly a
gear, was sent back to the council by the
city attorney, to whom it had last been re-
terred. Mr. Connell declined to make any
recommendation independent of the action
OF the council. The claim was referred
TO the committee on finance and claims.
Judge Gordon's salary.
The city attorney also made report on
the claim of Police Judge Gordon for ad-
ditional salary for the year 1898 In his
opinion Judge Gordon was not entitled to
the 81 300 prayed for in his petition. He ad
nItted that the police judgeship was a con-
stItuional office and the salary could not
be altered while the incumbent was in Of
ACe, Still it is the city attorneys opinion
that the former salary of $4,000 a year
would not extend after the termination of
the concurrent term. The controversy was
sent to the finance committee.
The triplicate contract OF the city with
the Union Pacific and Burlington railroads
for the construction of the Sixteenth street
Y iaduct was presented by the city attorney
duly signed. 1t was placed on file.
resolution introduced by Mount wac
ed making provision for the details of
the spring election.
The report of the council sitting
Board OF Equalization on the Riverview
park special assessment was received and
a approved. A communication was read, rela-
lNt " lue SdLS ouDJett, lIOlH lnt NlNtI- !
view Park Improvement club, in which the
manner of the assessment for the extension
Was endorsed, The club appended request
that some action be taken TO compel the
Omaha Street Railway compafiy to improve
The service on the Thirteenth street stub
lsne.
Notice was given that the council will
s II as Board of Equalization on January
2 and for Ave days thereafter to adjust in
eQualities arising from the 1900 city tax as
sCssment.
The report of appraisers appointed to fix
damages to property owners by reason of
The erection OF the Sixteenth street yiaduct
was received and approved.
Ordinances were put on first and second !
reading as follows; Providing for the pave
nent of Twenty-fourth, Twenty fifth and
Ewenty-slXth streets, from Harvey to st.