Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-09
THREE IMPORTANT SENATE BILLS
| Measures Relate to Paving In Omaha
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Measures Relate to Paving In Omaha
and Various Commissioners.
LINCOLN March S.-(Special Among
the bills passed by the senate today are two
or three that are of especial Importance
BY almost unanimous vote the senate passed
the bill introduced by Senator Prout pro-
viding for code commission. The bill was
amended in committee of the whole SO that
1t can hardly be classed as the measure OF
the senator from Gage lnsteal of naming
the commission as proposed in the bill 1t
leaves the selection of "nonpartisan" com
mission to the governor ana the fees OF
each commissioner are reduced from $3 500
to So OOO
call of the house was necessary to Sc
cure enough votes to pass II. Il. ia with
the emergency clause. This Is the supreme
court commission bill that was laid over n
few days ago. II not passed with the
emergency clause 1t would leave vacancy
in the three commissonerships until about
August l. AS the republicans only have
twenty-one members, one fusion vote was
necessary to give the required two-thirds
The fusionists were unsatisfied with the bill
because it left the appointive power with
the court instead of the governor-the pres
ent law also placing the appointive power
In the courts hands. ONell of Holt voted
for the bill, but changed his vote As sew
eral OF the fusion members were absent at
tending the fusion caucus that had been hur-
riedly called, the republicans moved q call
OF the house to get them on record.
senator Canaday was among the number
Drought In by the call, and he cast the nee
| essary twenty y-second vote for the bill In
explaining his vote Senator Canaday said
the bill did not exactly suit him. but a ma
Jority had voted in its favor, that If the
emergency clause was not attached it would
leaVe these places vacant for three months
II the governor approved the bill, hence he
would vote in the affirmative. His vote met
with applause from the republicans.
Senator Crows bill relating to paving in
Omaha reads follows:
The mayor and city council shall have the
authority to create street Improvement dis
trlcts Tor the purpose of improving the
streets, alleys and other public grounds
thereln, by paving, repaving, matchmaking,
curbing and guttering, or recurring and
sutterlng, in such manner as they may de-
termlne; provided, that in no case shall an
assessment or special tax be levied upon
the property in or abutting upon an i'm
provement district to pay the cost in whole
OF In part OF local improvements, unless
petition signed by the parties representing
a majority of the taxable feet fronting upon
such street or alley or part thereof shall
nave been filed with the city clerk When
an Improvement district pursuant to peti-
tlon is created, by ordinance or otherwise
then 1t shall be the duty of the mayor and
council TO give the property owners within
such district thirty days from the approval
OF the ordinance, to designate by petition
the material to be used in making such i'm
proNements. improvements carried on
under any of the conditions referred to
snail be done by contract with the lowest
responsible bidder with the material desig-
mated in the petition if such petition repre-
sents a majority of the taxable front feet
In the district and. if not then with such
material as the mayor and the council shall
designate.
None of the improvements herein named
shall be ordered unless there are sufficient
funds available to pay for the street and
alley intersections and such other portions
of the street or alley to be improved as are
not subject to special taxation For the
purpose of paying the cost of improving the
streets and alleys in any improvement dis
trlct, when the proper petition has been
hled, exclusive of intersections the mayor
and council shall have power and may by
ordinance, cause to be issued bonds of the
city, to be called district street improve
ment bonds" payable in not exceeding ten
years from their date and to bear interest
payable annually not exceeding the rate of
per cent per annum with interest COUPONS
attached, and in such case shall also pro-
vide that special taxes and assessments shall
constitute a sinking fund for the payment
of said bonds and interest. Provided The
entire amount levied upon any lot piece or
parcel of property may be paid by the owner
thereof within fifty days from the law