Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-01
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Members Start In to Do a Little Cutting
Down Of Expenses,
REDUCr ON OF THE CoMP1RoLLsR'S FORCE

REDUCT ON OF The CoMPTRoLLER'S FORCE
Scheme TO Plant Gus Lights strikes
snng by Mayor interposing
veto and Calling Attention to
Condition of Funds.
The city council convened Tuesday night
shortly after o'clock and hustled business
through in order to permit the members to
attend the Elks' production of "a Night in
Bohemia" at Boyd's theater for the benefit
OF the Nebraska soldiers in the Philippines.
All business was not disposed Of and conse-
| quently an adjournment was taken until 9
o'clock this morning.
Tho tenor of the proceedings was very
| largely in the direction of a reduction of ex-
penses The finance committee reported in
! favor of tho resolution introduced several
weeks ago, cutting two men off the force in
| City Comptroller Westbergs office, who
were employed last summer for special work
and have been retained since that time. The
| report recommended that the date of dis
| charge be March 10. owing to the absence
| OF Councilman Burkley, chairman of the
| finance committee, however, the report was
| laid over by unanimous consent and without
! discussion.
| Councilman Stuht also introduced reso-
, luton that the office of assistant building
| inspector be dispensed with commencing
! with March 1. He moved to adopt the reso-
| luton but no second was forthcoming and
consequently the resolution was referred to
tho finance committee, also without discus
| sion.
| al Iittf tn, n1pp 90
gas lamp at Twenty ninth and Hamilton
streets and the following extract from the
veto message will indicate that the people
OF Omaha need have small hopes of more
| light during the coming year:
| Expresses Some Surprise.
must say that / was rather surprised
| that in view of the present condition OF the
funds your honorable body should see fit to
| order another gas lamp placed, when 1T is
a fact known to all the members that If all
the present lights are maintained there VIII
| be shortage in this fund of more than o,OOU
at the end Of the year. 1t seems to me that
| IL your honorable body is going to be con-
sistent you will at once order enough lamps
discontinued to bring the expenditure of the
| year within the levy and not pass resoiu-
| tions ordering new lights placed, increasing
| the deficit. take 1t for granted that ma
| jority of the council in passing the recent
| levy did so with the full knowledge of the
consequences and with the intention of show
ing good faith during the year in cutting
| down the expenditures to meet the levy.
| The citizens of Omaha certainly have right
| to expect that they will do so at once, al
| though such a course will require the cut
| ting off of 100 gas lamps, 100 gasoline lamps
| and number of electric lights. desire to
state that until such action Is taken by the
! council | will be compelled to veto every
resolution calling for the placing Of add-
| tional lights.
| Assistant Engineer Resigns.
Another reduction in city forces was Of
fered, but not exactly of the same character
| as the foregoing. Assistant City Engineer
| August Stenger presented his resignation tC
| the council to take effect March l. A mo-
| tion to accept the resignation was not sec
| onded and on motion of Stuht, who said the
| resignation was sent in under pressure from
| City Engineer Rosewater because Stenger
refused to assist him in supporting his
| charges against some of the councilmen, the
matter was referred to the judiciary COM
| mittee. The chairman Of this committee
is Councilman Mercer, one of the members
accused by the city engineer
| The memories of the recent trip taken by
the council and other city officials to Kan
| sas City were revived in a report from the
committee on arrangements. This report
|
ences of the party and concluded with the
following resolutions, which will be en-.
crossed, framed and sent to the Kansas City
| council:
Whereas It was the experience of the vis-
| ting delegation to Kansas City from Omaha
| that their gold and silver even though the
| latter contains 16 to /, had no value or pur-
chasing power; and,
Whereas, 1t was thoroughly demonstrated
| that ollr would he Pratifed and an
ticipated as If by mind readers; therefore
be it
Resolved by the city council of Omaha
| the mayor concurring, That we, the city
officials of Omaha, do hold in reverence and
| look back on our visitation to said Kansas
| City with pleasure and delight, and also fee
| greatly indebted to said city officials fol
their kindness in so successfully carrying
out and anticipating our wants, thereby
| causing our visitation to be continuous
round of pleasure; be it further
| Resolved, That the city clerk is hereby
| instructed to send copy of the foregoing
! report and resolution to the Kansas City
officials
On the Opening of a street.
City Clerk Highly reported the receipt o.
| the answer of General Manager Holdrege o.
the Burlington to the resolution passed {
week ago, requesting that road and the
Union Pacific to open Twenty-fourth stree
| over tHelT ITdCkS Dy IelHONlHb ah'
to establish a watchman and an electric
light at the crossing.
General Manager Holdrege said that the
| crossing would be dangerous one and il,
| believed that the council had not fully in
| vestigated the situation. He advised tha
the city engineer be instructed to investigate
before any further action be taken. This
suggestion was adopted, the matter being
referred to the city engineer.
A committee report recommended that the
city lease to the City Garbage company {
tract of city land lying 300 feet east o.
Sixth street on Leavenworth for period o.
| five years or less at a yearly rental of SOL
| and permit the company to erect CORFU
gated iron stable thereon. Some opposition
was evident and the matter was again re-
| ferred.
An ordinance providing for the grading
| Phelps street from Thirteenth to Sixteenth
| was introduced and read a first and seconC
time. The February salary and claims ap'
| propriation sheet was also introduced.
|
Dr. Bulls Cough Syrup cures Group ant
| whooping cough. 1t is a family necesslt!
and should always be kept on hand.
|
| Courier Comes in Time.
ANTLERS, l. T., Feb. 2S.-The race will
death of the courier of United States Judg'
Clayton's court for the life of Wallatonka