Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-10
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
More Delay in the Matter Of Building tie
Sixteenth Street Viaduct,
WORK BEGINS WHEN MATERIAL ARRIVES
Meanwhile the burlington aud Union
Pacific VIII Repair the structure
All Vehicles to Carry Lighted
Lamps After NightfaIl.

II action taken by the city council at its
regular meeting last night is followed out
the present Sixteenth street vaduct Will
not be torn down until the Burlington and
Union Pacific railroads have the material
for the new viaduct on the ground, ready for
start on the construction. In the mean
while the two roads will be required to
| repair the yiaduct sufficiently to put 1t in
safe condition, as City Engineer Rosewater
| has declared the structure dangerous at the
present time.
The resolution taking this action was in
| troduced by Councilman Bingham. In the
preamble 1t was stated that two weeks will
elapse before the final plans for the struc-
| ture are completed and that there is such
demand for iron that the necessary ma
| terial for the viaduct cannot be secured for
| a considerable time.
BY thus unnecessarily closing Sixteenth
street to traffic, the resolution stated that
the business interests of that thoroughtare
and of other portions of the city would be
seriously injured The cost of putting the
viaduct in a safe condition will be but
! 5000, stated the resolution.
Therefore, 1t was resolved that the Viaduct
should not be torn down until the plans
of the new structure are completed and the
material for it is on the ground and that
the two railroads should be instructed to
make needed repairs to the present struc-
ture so as to make it safe. 1t was specific
ally set forth that this action should not
be considered as extending the time in
which the viaduct is to be completed. The
resolution was unanimously adopted.
Exposition Liquor Licenses.
A partially unsuccessful attempt was
made by Councilman Mercer to put the
council on record disappearing of the
action of the Board of Fire and Police Com
tn. thn or
America Exposition company to run all
liquor establishments on the exposition
| grounds this summer under one license.
| The councilman introduced resolution
which requested the police board to issue
a blanket license covering all places on the
grounds "on the payment of the proper fee"
Councilman Mercer insisted that the same
treatment should be extended to the COM
ing exposition as was extended to the one
last year, without considering the legal
questions" Other councilmen thought that
the matter was none of the councils busi-
ness. Councilman Bingham said he was not
ready to vote on the resolution because
he did not know the law, and was es-
pecially unprepared in view of the fact that
the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners
had unanimously refused to issue a blanket
license. Councilman BeChel was in the same
frame of mind and therefore moved that
committee for a week. This motion pre-
vailed.
T.. j. Cornish whose term as member
of the Board of Park Commissioners has eX
pired, was reappointed to succeed himself
and to serve for term that will expire on
the second Tuesday in May, 1904 The ap-
pointment was unanimously confirmed
Veto by the Mayor.
Mayor Moores returned with his disap-
proval resolution passed week ago remit
ting the 1868, 1869, 1870 and 1872 regular
city taxes against the BalbaCh property at
the southeast corner of Sixteenth and Har-
ney streets, which was recently sold. The
taxes were remitted on the ground that tue
Balbachs did not know of the taxes when
they purchased the property and did not gain
such knowledge about them until recently.
The Balbachs do not therefore think they
should be called upon to pay these taxes, al
though they are ready to pay several thou
sands of dollars worth of other delinquent
taxes.
Mayor Moores asserted the fact that
persons have not paid their taxes for thirty
years should not give them right to escape
such payment. He did not think, either
that the council has any right to cancel reg
ular taxes. Finally he declared that an un-
fortunate precedent would be established
saying:
"It would practically say to people that if
they failed or refused to pay their taxes
for long enough period that the tax would
be cancelled. The city may have been negli-
gent in not demanding payment of these
taxes before this time, but certainly Mr..
Balbach or Mrs. Balbach is also negligent in
having overlooked the taxes for so many
years"
Councilman Mercer declared that under
the circumstances the city could not legally
collect tho tax and might lose some of the
taxes the Barbachs are preparing to pay if
the matter is taken into court. The resolu-
tion was adopted over the mayors veto by
six votes.
City Treasurer Edwards referred back to
tho council the resolution which authorized
, him to enter into contract with George II.
Stillman for the collection of delinquent per-
> sonal taxes on a commission basis. He de-
clared that the city attorney has advised him
that the proposed contract would be illegai.
He also called attention to the fact that no
, bond is asked from the collector. He there
, fore asked for further instructions. The
communication was referred.
l Bicycles to Carry Lamps.
The ordinance requiring all bicycles to
! bear lighted lamps after nightfall, but
amended so as not to include other vehicles,
was passed on the third reading. The sec
la II 9Th