Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-02
FRANCHISE FOR POWER CANAL
CONTINUED from First PaEe.l


council are to be given power to nullify
the Will Of the people II they grant the
franchise, and IL such a notification is post
sible money will flow like water to effect
1t. l do not object to the provision for a
bond to save the city from damage.
Then comes the forfeit clause, Q pro-
vision that provides for forfeiture of all
capital invested in case Of failure to live
up to all terms Of the franchise. There Ia
no forfeit clause in the electric light
~company's franchise, and no business man
would invest capital where the whole in
vestment is at the mercy of some clerk.
Mr.. Rosewater then retired and gave
place to the chairman, who said that this Is
not a contest with the Thomson- Houston
Electric Light company, but with the city.
He then read ordinances granting a franz
chise to a motor company which provided
that 1t should conform to changed grades.
When pressed he was forced to admit that
1t was a franchise granted to the Omaha
Motor and Railway company, a corporation
which does not now exist. His next refer
ence was to a franchise granted to a gas
company which has also gone out Of bust
ness. 4
The chairman then said that there are
fnanciers in Omaha who are willing to ac-
cept the terms offered in the amended or
dinances.
Herman KOuntEe's idea.
Calls were made for Herman Kountze,
and in response he said that he had not
read the ordinance nor did he know the
reason they we're not granted; that Mr..
Rosewater said that he did not want an
exclusive right and would give cheaper
power. II the facts we're as he understood
Mr.. Kountze did not see why the franchise
should not be considered by the people.
J. Frank Carpenter, president of the
Commercial club, said: ut may be that
the Rosewater plan lie best; 1t may be that
the electric light company or Mr.. Riley
might have a better plan. AS far as l
am concerned, as far as the club is con-
cerned, what we want is a proper ordi-
nance" 90"
Euclid Martin said that Mr.. KountEe
had expressed his idea, and that at the
meeting Of the Commercial club he said
that before the club acted 1t should have
discussed the matter fully with interested
parties, f'""' '~'
j. e. Riley was then recognized and
declared that Mr.. Rosewater has always
INSTRUCTED water power plans, and re-
lated what he said was history of other
plans which had been proposed.
Riley. said that, Mr.. Rosewater's. engi-
neers had been paid by the city and one OF
the engineers emphatically denied the truth
Of the statement. " 20 o.,
Mr.. Rosewater started to talk, but was
interrupted by the chairman, who said
that he was willing to be guided by the
recommendations OF, the Commercial club
after the matter has been considered by
that body fully.
Fremont CompRny's
J.. F. Hanson Of Fremont told Of the
trials and troubles, Of the Fremont canal
project and said 1t would be difficult to
secure, enough money for such an undertak-
ing. He said. ~.
HThe experts sent out by J, Pierpont
Morgan to Investigate the power plan came
during a dry time. They were we'll satis-
fed with the Loup river and recommended
the plan. The canal would have been able
to come to terms with the Omaha COM
~panies."
Mr.. Lobeck said that when the Thomson
Houston company wanted subways last
spring the. people were forgotten.
Mr.. Rosewater reminded the audience
that there is room enough here for a thou
sand subways. In Cleveland and In Paris
the subways are under the
every report l ever made to the council
was in favor OF municipal subways. lam
willing to pay rental for city subways
but / don't like to see a foreign question
brought in to knock down the main propo'
sition."
Mr.. Lobeck continued by saying that the
Thomson Houston company was given q
franchise by Judge Keysor; that Mr.. Rose
: waters ordinance is the best proposition
so far proposed and the people should b
! given a chance to vote on 1t. (Cheers'l
} He then said that the amendment to TIT
Rosewater ordinance he would propose
{ would be q percentage on the gross earn
; ings, rather than a fixed sum to be paiC
the city.
Chairman Hascall then started to en-
pIain the Keysor decision, while the GROVE
started to leave, the Judge declaring tho
; meeting adjourned without action.