Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-17

male citizen could be collected only al =
cost rfcutcr thau the collections would be
The scheme could also enable The tax COM
missioner and his deputies To- overlook their
friends Mr. Yates said
u d. not say that this law was gotten w
with g dishonest purpose" he casually re-
marked. 'but ] tumbled onto the scheme
wRttIes Replies
In answer 30 q call from the spectators.
Gurduu w Wattles answered some Of Mr
Yates arguments conhuiuE himself how
ever TO the amendment providing for
substitution OF certificates Of Indebtedness
for interest bearing warrants Mr. Wgtues
declared that the certificate plan has been
tried with great success by other cities.
vbere they frequently draw as low as ~
per cent He predicted that such certid-
Gates lu omaha could be foated al Sia per
cent. and therefore insisted that IL would
bt nothing hut business policy TO issue such
paper instead of warrants drawing : per
cent lie disagreed with Mr. Yates that
these certificates must run fJr q year, but
said they might be issued for a few months.
City Engineer RosewH'er attacked Mr.
Yates advocacy of the Crow bill He as
serted that that measure would destroy
competition and Omaha would have to pay
as high q price for its asphalt pavement
for example. as it did In past years, before
the competitive system was adopted
The result Of this competitive system.
said Mr. Rosewuter has been TO give Omaha
asphalt for the lowest price in the country
under the best conditions that can be made
"a requirement from contractors unoer
guaranty bond TO maintain pavements for
q period Of five years. Omaha's success
has resulted in the adoption OF this com
. ny, nj no
"If this system is dropped now we will
get back to the days Of corruption" said
i City Engineer Rosewater. Suppose 20 per
cent Of the properly owners want Trinidad
asphalt. The Trinidad asphalt people-as
they have done before-wil offer rebates
/ to il per cent more of the property owners
and in this way dearer pavement will be
laid than half the property owners can per
/ hBps pay for. And it will be the same
/ whenever other pavements OF specified
manufacture are asked for. These rebates
. and bihes too will not be given to the
I small property owners but to the one VINO
has large holdings and whose signature Will
therefore be worth more on the petition
That is what has been done in this city
and in other cities Of the country
A. to Colorado sandstone.
During the course Of his argument Mr.
Yates had stated that by the competitive
system not only bad paving, but also bad
curhinE. is being placed in the city Colo
rado sandstone, be said, is known to be the
best curbstone and yet it is not selected
unless it is offered for the lowest money
This fact is inducing the Colorado sand
stone people TO withdraw from the city and
Mr. Yates predicted that it would be hard
for Omaha TO get its curbing In the future
In answer TO this, Mr.. Rosewater said:
1t is not strange that Mr. Yates should
be advocating the Crow bill, because it Will
allow Colorado sandstone curbing to be put
in at a higher price than is being paid by
the city for curbing now, for the reason
that Mr. Yates is interested in the Colorado
sandstone quarries."
The city engineers remarks were heartily
applauded This encouraged him to intro
duce the resolution that the meeting dis
approve Of the Grow bill AS already stated
this resolution was adopted without a dis
senting vote. although Mr.. Yates spoke be-
fore the vote was called for.
Without taking up any Of the other
amendments the meeting adjourned to Sat
urday night