Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-28
HYDRANTS CAUSE DISPUTE
Counoiln en- Indulge in Few Personal
Thrusts at Each Other.
STUNT SAYS MEMBERS ARE MERE TOOLS
Objects to Being Deprived of Hy-
drent for Nearly lcar-Con-
tract Let for Iron
Waste Roxcs.

sonalties and that officer was forced to de-
nand that they cease talking and come to
order Their heated dialogue arose over the
location OF fire hydrants and extension Of
water mains, which has been tender subject
with the council for some time.
Mount introduced a resolution declaring
that the council would refuse to allow any
claims for fire hydrants put in after the
present date because Of a lack of funds.
He wanted the rules suspended and the res
oluton adopted
Stuht moved to refer the resolution TO the
committee on street improvements and VIA
ducts. He declared that he wanted the
council to indulge in no more such sharp
practices as tad been at the last meeting.
4 hydrant had been ordered put in at Ninth
and Homer streets in October, 1898, which
order had not been complied with yet. He
proposed to hold up the resolution until the
promises OF the water company to put this
hydrant in had been fulfilled. The only rea-
son he had failed to get the hydrant he
maintained was because he had fought the
water committee in the council "one OF the
most corrupt concerns fastened any city
in the country
Mount said he had tried to get some hy
drants in his ward, but had failed. He had
since learned that there was no money in
the fund for the purpose and therefore had
introduced the resolution. The resolution
carried
Mercer then told STUNT that II he had
adopted the same plan that he, Mercer, had
used to secure the hydrant he would have
had It long ago. 1t could have been put in
and not paid for until next year.
Mount said no hydrants had been put in
in his ward this year, to which Stuht re-
torted that twenty hydrants had been put
in since the one he wanted had been or
deTed. He declared that 1t was a shame
that hydrants were put in whenever the own
ers of fine residences wanted them, but four
teen families in the vicinity Of Ninth and
Homer streets were compelled to go half a
mile to a park for water. He had nothing
against Mount but he denounced Mercer as
tool OF the water company for introducing
the resolution at the last meeting rescind-
ing the ordinance in which his hydrant was
ordered
Mount offered to amend the resolution so
as to exce;t he hyd'.nt desired by STUNT.
but tn amendment was not made. Mercer
replied to Stuht by sa.'ing that he did not
know what he wa. talk:.g about. The quar-
rel was interrupted at this point by the
chair and oder restored.
STUNT Again Hostile.
The city treasurer was authorized by a
resolution introduced by Mount to employ
his Office force overtime to make out tax
statements against property appropriated
for bouevards the park board desiring to
obtain possession of the property imme-
diately. This action was not taken, how
ever. until Stuht had made a violent protest
against it. He charged that the city treas
urer seeking to club the council into
acceding to his demands. He charged that
the treasurers Office employees went about
their private business in office hours. Pri-
vate business houses, he said, were not in
the habit OF paying their employees for any
little overtime work that was necessary in
an emergency and the city treasurer's office
was costing twice much it should
Mercer also opposed to the resolution
in a general way. as the council was allow
ing holidays and paying overtime at the
same time.
The resolution was finally amended to
limit the overtime to ten days. AS amended
stuht voted for it, but Burkley and Mercer
against 1t.
Paper box Contract Awarded.
The contract OF John Corbett for placing
iron boxes on the street corners as recepta-
cles for waste paper, accepted in gen.
eral committee the day before, was formally
approved. 1t gives the city IL per cent OF
the gross receipts from advertising and the
privilege is to run ten years, which Stuht
declared was too long a term.
The council received proposition from
c. W. Porter offering to place $50 or 300
iron boxes on the street corners of the city
for the reception of waste paper, to have
all boxes made in Omaha by resident skilled
workmen, and to pay the city Is per cent
OF the gross receipts from advertising placed
on the boxes. Previous offers had been OF
10 and IL per cent The offer was referred
to the committee on fire. water and police.
In connection with the same subject a
notice was received from the Clean Street
company OF Chicago, warning the council
that the city would be prosecuted II a con-
tract to place waste paper boxes was
awarded to any person company without
their consent. they claiming TO hold patents
on such boxes The notice was referred TO
the same committee
Mayor Moores sent to the council the nom
nations of Herbert T. Leavett, Frank l..
Haller and j. ]. Dickey TO be members Of
the Library Board for the term beginning
July /, 1899 to July l. 1902. The nomina-
tions were unanimously confirmed. J. j.
Dickey succeeds T. *. Sudborough and the
others succeed themselves.
The resolution directing the mayor to
deed part of Nicholas street to the Adams
Kelley company on the payment of $50, was
vetoed for the reasons that the price was
aoSuruly low ana the proceedings attending
the sale were irregular, The resolution was,
however, passed over the mayors veto.
The mayor sent to the council his veto OF
certain items in the appropriation ordinance
passed at the last meeting against the health
fund These were for expenses incident TO
the smallpox epidemic and the maintenance
OF the pest houses. The items were passed
over the veto.
resolution TO waive the statute OF liml-
tations on certain warrants outstanding
against the grading fund, which cannot be
paid on account Of a lack OF money, was re-
ferred to the finance committee
An echo of the lamp ordinance troubles
was heard when the protests against the
papers were placed on file on motion OF
Mercer.
An ordinance prohibiting the scattering