Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-07
VlADUCr PROSPECTS PLEASE
Southwest improvement Club Happy Over
the Present Outlook.
CAUSE FOR SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS
Club Elects Omccrs for Another Year
and Thanks the Council for Push
ing Ninduct Mntters-A Good
Meeting.

The meeting Of the Southwest Improve
meut club held Wednesday night primarily
for the purpose Of olecting officers for the
ensuing year, resolved itself more especially
into fellcilation over the success OF the
agitation, in which the club took a promi-
nent part, for the sixteenth and Twenty
fourth street viaducts.
w. II. Green, formerly president OF the
club, stated in this connections THE South
west Improvement club was organized for
the purpose of securing the much needed
new yiaducts. We have all taken an active
interest in this viaduct question and we
have planned from time to time in order
to bring about the desired end. We have
always had Mayor Moores, the members OF
the city council, City Engineer Rosewater
and City Attorney Connell on our side and
they have done all they could. Never have
we asked them for anything except that
which we were entitled to and through
their assistance we have been successful
in getting everything through.
81 was told by City Engineer Rosewater
and Mr. Connell a few days ago that IL 1t
had not been for the Southwest Improvement
club they did not believe the contracts for
the Sixteenth and Twenty fourth street VIA
ducts would have been signed. They in
formed me that they had been told by rail-
read officials that the contract for the
Twenty street viaduct would be COM
pleted long before the time limit. | think
that the city officials and the councilmen
are entitled to a vote OF thanks from this
club for the assistance they have rendered
us and l make motion to that effect" Mr..
Green's motion was passed by an unanimous
vote.
officers Are Elected.
Officers for the ensuing year were elected
as follows: President. c. w. Haller; vice
president, j. Fred Behm; secretary, NJ. j..
Feenan; treasurer, Fred Zotzmann. Votes
of thanks were rendered Mr. Green, the re-
firing president, and Treasurer Zotzmann
for their faithful and efficient service dur
ing the last year.
Councilman Mount, a member of the club
was called upon to make a statement re-
gardng the present status of the viaduct
question. He stated:
II understand that contracts for the via
ducts have been signed. The railroads have
paid into the city treasury $4,000 and this
shows that the agreement has been salts
factorly entered into. Everything is favora-
BILE for the speedy erection of the Sixteenth
now being completed and l think it will not
be long before the iron is going up for the
new viaduct l don't know whether the
Twenty-fourth street viaduct will be started
before the completion of the Sixteenth
street structure or not, but l believe 1t will
follow Immediately after it is finished. The
railroad companies seem to be well satisfied
with the contracts, although the city has
1up in
city gives up nothing except what is right
and proper"
j. Fred Benin stated that the Southwest
Improvement club had been organized for
the purpose of getting new viaducts and
said that nasmuch as the Twenty fourth
street viaduct Is now certainty some steps
should be taken to straighten out that
street.
1--WE must get the kinks taken out" he
said, and have a good thoroughfare in
readiness for the viaduct as soon as its
construction begins, for the reason that
when we get this viaduct Twenty fourth
street will be the principal street between
Omaha and South Omaha"
committee, consisting of Councilman
Mount, j. Fred Benin and William Mulhall,
was appointed to investigate the need OF
Strengthening the street, especially at the
point where Pacific street intersects with
Twenty fourth, and submit report at the
next meeting Of the club.
Municipal Ownership.
The question of municipal ownership of
water works was taken up for discussion
and the sentiment of the club was favorable
to the ownership of the water plant by the
city Councilman Mount stated that pre-
lminary steps would be taken by the pres
cnt council for the purchase of the water
works at the expiration of the existing
franchise, provided the citizens indicate
their desire that euch action be taken In
the consideration of this question Mr. Behm
stated that the present water works system
was undoubtedly the Holly system, instead
of the reservoir, as was generally presumed.
On this point Mr.. Mulhall said:
"Organized labor fought this Holly sys-
tenn twenty or twenty-five years ago with
all it's might and was ably assisted by Ed
ward Rosewater and his paper. Any old
time resident of this city can tell you how
much we are indebted to Mr.. Rosewater
for his efforts in behalf OF this city,
The next meeting of the club will be held