Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-22
LIGHTING QUESTION SETTLED
City Council Votes to Accept tho Bid of
Thomas Bowman.
LONG MEETING SPICED WITH 0RAT0RY
Committee Consisting of Johnson,
Atkins and Casper Appointed to
Work with city Solicitor in
Preparing n Contract.
oNe MEETING SPICED WITH oRAToRY

80 ~
Preparing n Contract.
At the meeting of the city council last
night the bid OF Thomas Bowman for sup
plying the city with electric lights for a
term of five years at S69.50 per lamp was &C
on condition that he enter INTO a con-
tract satisfactory to the council. The mo-
ton to accept Bowman's bid was made by
Alderman Christensen, seconded by Alder
men Shubert and Johneon. Alderman Cas-
per moved as a substitute that the contract
be awarded to the lowest bidder. The vote
on the substitute stood two for and Ave
against, Alderman Metcalf being absent. At
kins and Casper alone voted for the substi-
tute. The vote on the original motion stood
FIVE for and two against, Aldermen Casper
and Atkins registering their votes in the
negative.
A committee consisting Of Aldermen John
son, Atkins and Casper was appointed to act
in conjunction with the city solicitor in draft
ing and preparing a contract. The council
will meet again Saturday night, when the
committee will submit the contract.
1t was only after nearly three hours OF
discussion and wrangling that the above ac-
ton was taken, although It was known be-
fore the council met that the five aldermen
who voted in favor of Bowman's bid had
made up their minds TO do so two days ago.
The first matter to come before the coun-
ell was the ordinance granting the Lake
Manawa & Manhattan Beach Railroad COM
pany the right to cross certain streets, av-
enues and alleys between Sixteenth avenue
and the city limits on its proposed line to
the lake. The ordinance was up for its third
reading, and it's passage was opposed by
Johnson, who said that as there was a great
deal of conjecture as to the motive power
the company intended to use he was in favor
of amending the ordinance so as to prohibit
the company erecting poles or stringtng cleo
trio wires within the city limits. His mo-
ton to amend the ordinance received no sec
ond and the measure passed with Atkins,
Brough and Johnson voting against it.
When the vote was announced Alderman
Casper wheeled his chair round and called
out to George F. Wright in the lobby: "By
Jove, that was a close shave" the remark
creating an uproar of laughter until the
mayor raped for order.
Terminal Ordinance Laid Over.
When the ordinance granting the Termi-
nal Bridge & Railway company the right
to build a switchtrack on First avenue to
connect with the Illinois Central came UP
it's passage was vigorously opposed by
Brough, who said the ordinance should never
be passed until the company fulfilled some
Of the promises it had made the city in times
gone by. Brough carried his point and the
ordinance was laid over.
After the transaction of some other minor
matters the question of the electric lighting
bids was brought up by Alderman Christen-
sen, who suggested that they hear from Elec-
trician Lovett on his tabulation. Lovett read
the tabulation which showed the bids to be
as follows: Erwin Dryer, Manhattan series
enclosed alternating lamps, $69 per lamp for
1876 lamps; Thomas Bowman, Council Bluffs
Hartford series enclosed alternating lamps
500. so per lamp for 1876 lamps; Council Bluffs
Gas and Electric company, Jandus series en-
closed alternating lamps, $3.50 per lamp fol
1876 lamps.
At this stage in the proceedings Casper
took the floor and told the council how he
and the other members of the special com
mittee had worked in preparing the con-
tracts, and he would like to have them
read, but unfortunately one section of Ne
contract drawn up with Erwin Dryer, the
| Chicago bidder, had been mislaid and d
person had been sent in search of it anC
until he returned with it he would like TIE
council to take a recess. A ten minute re-
cess was taken, but the messenger failed tC
nut in an appearance and the council re
convened.
Casper urged that the matter be de.
layed, as nothing would be lost by mo-
letting the contract that night. The con
tract had been drawn up with a view Il
protect the city's interest and If one bidder
would not be willing to accept it perhap:
! the other would, and by playing one agains
the other the city would probably secure thu
better terms for the private consumer.
Shubert opposed the delaying Of the matter
and then Casper said:
This is evidently a scheme TO throw al
the bids out. We have got this thing dowr
fine; perhaps too fine for some people. L.
us hear. anyhow, what they have to offer
You may change your minds when you d.
as may change mine. If this contrac
goes the people of Council Bluffs will b.
saved $40, 900 to $15, 900 a year. | don
want to, II l can possibly help it, have e.the,
of these contracts slip the council
Christensen Takes IA Hand.
Casper was at this point cut short b.
| Christensen, who moved that the bid o
Thomas Bowman be accepted. He was sec
onded by Shubert and Johnson, the Latte
explaining that he did so because he under
stood that the Hartford lamp was superio
to the Manhattan and because the men as
ISOLATED with Bowman We're residents OF tn
city, public spirited and identified with tn
city's best interests.
Before the motion could be put the mes
senger with the missing section of the Drye
contract arrived on the scene and one hou
was consumed by the city clerk in readin
the contracts and ordinances that the com
! mittee had drafted for the bids of Drye
and the local company.
When the clerk commenced what wa
claimed by Casper to be the contract sub
mitted by Greonshields on behalf Of Bow
man, Greenshields took the floor and de
manded the contract back, saying he ha
only loaned it to Casper to assist the com
mittee in drafting one for Dryer. After
tilt OF words between Greenshields from tn
lobby and the alderman from the Firs
ward the contract was handed over to BOW
mans representative.
Then Casper got the floor again and spok
In opposition to the council accepting Bow
mans bid. He said he had II on the bes
authority that if Bowman secured the con
! tract he never intended 10 build a plant /
Council Bluffs. but to secure his electricit
from across the river.
II Wirkham one Of ROWman'S as