Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-12
COUNCILMEN SHOW TEMPER
Hot Weather Seems TO Have Bad Effect On
Their Nerves,
MAKE MANY CHARGES AGAINST EACH OTHER
Accuse Each other of Having Politi.
cpl Ends In vicw-stuht BECOMES
Angry mt I<arr and Threat
ems Him.

Last nights meeting Of the city council
was somewhat out OF the ordinary and fur
nshed more excitement to members and
spectators than usual The members lis
tened alternately to roasts Of each other by
their colleagues and caustic messages from
the mayor.
The council refused to pass n resolution
Introduced by Lobeck, to the effect that all
employees Of the city, the streets as
well as in the city hall, be given half
holiday on Saturday and that the half days
work be counted a full day on the payroll,
until September l. The introducer Of this
measure said that 1t was simply in line
with the early closing movement and was
no more than right during the hot weather.
Mercer and Stuht were opposed to it, both
on the grounds that the day laborers In
the employ of the city being paid for
an eight hour day we're treated fairly with
out half holiday. They said there was
no comparison between the clerks in the
wholesale houses and the city laborers, as
the former were often required to work at
night when occasion demanded.
Bingham brought UP the point that the
money at the command OF the Board OF
Public Works for purposes OF street improve
ments was limited and that the efficiency
OF the department would be seriously crippled
by the adoption OF the resolution. He thought
1t was simply a question of money and that
the resolution should go to the finance COM
mttee.
Lobeck stood up for his resolution, though
he was charged by several members, but
chiefly by Stuht, with having political ends
In view. The resolution was referred.
No Money TO Cut Weeds.
The following communication from the
mayor was read and referred to the finance
committee:
To the Honorable. the City Council OF the
City of Omaha-Gentlemen: ] have re-
ceived number of protests, both by letter
and by phone, against the condition OF
Thrty-eighth avenue from Farnam street
north. l am informed that the weeds along
this street have grown very rank and tall
by reason OF the wet weather prevailing
throughout the spring and early summer.
Property owners say that the present con-
dition OF the street is very unsanitary, and
that 1t is menace to the public health to
allow 1t to remain longer in this condition,
and that the weeds should be cut at once,
and dried and burned. Property owners also
say that suspicious looking characters have
been seen hiding in the weeds in that
locality.
The same condition of affairs exists on all
the streets of the city. Weeds have grown
so rankly that on some streets they stand
high mans head. The police inform
me that two or three suspects whom they
were on the point of arresting have escaped
from them by dashing into the high weeds
along the streets. The Health department
states that the present condition is liable tc
bring on malaria throughout the city. / dc
not report these facts to you with the idea
that you can remedy them, because the alb
surdly low levy passed by majority of the
council last February is practically eX.
hausted and there Is no money to pay fol
doing the little work on the streets which
would be required to keep them in decent
condition. My reason for calling it to YOU
, attention is that when the levy is made
next February you will be impressed witt
the fact that there are many people in the
city who have right to be considered who
will not be found at the so-called tax
payers meeting, protesting against the max
ing OF reasonable levy. Respectfully.
FRANK e. MOORES. Mayor.
Lobeck introduced resolution touching
viaduct matters. After reciting the cir
cumstances as to the various proposals eX
changed by the railroads and the city ant
calling attention to the promise of th
roads to hold the city harmless from dam
ages in case Seventeenth street were closed
it read follows:
Resolved, by the city council of the cit,
of Omaha, the mayor concurring, That tn
agreement first submitted by the city o
Omaha to said railroad companies, ant
which includes the closing of Seventeenth
street be entered into and executed, ant
that said railroad companies be directed b.
proper ordinance to proceed at once to con