Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-29
AFFAIRS At SOUTH OMAHA
County and City Have White Elephant in
Emergency Hospital Contract
PUZZLE TO GET ROAD TO INSTITUTION
Some Litigation VIII BE Necessary
Before the situation VIII BE
Satisfactorily Adjusted, hut
Settlement is Expected.

The county and city evidently got a white
elephant when a contract was entered into
last spring for an emergency hospital on
the river bottoms between o and p streets.
When ii became imperative that something
should be done to secure secluded quarters
for smallpox patients and one or two tenn
porary pest houses had been burned by
indignant citizens the city authorities
looked about for a new location. Some
land was found east of the Burlington
tracks and a tract comprising fifteen acres
was rented for a term Of years. The county
erected a building costing $1,000 on the
ground with the understanding that the
city wat to maintain the institution. Then
came the question Of a roadway to the hos
pital. Arrangements were made with Her
man Kountze for the use OF a road through
his ground and also with r. S. Berlin Of
Omaha. These arrangements we're consid-
cred satisfactory and are supposed to be
still in force.
Monday. when the first case of smallpox
was called to the attention of the city
physician, the patient was ordered to the
Emergency hospital. J. D.. Homan. the ten
ant on the place. dig not want to receive
the sick man as he said he had a steady
job and would not quit to take care Of one
patient. Then came q clash of authority
and the agreement between Holman and the
city had 10 be brought forth to show that
he was under bonds to perform the duties
he agreed to do.
In the end Homan took in the patient,
although he did il against his will. Holman
is, according TO the contract, to receive so
cents a day for each patient and some
| perquisites which the city allows. This
does not seem to suit and the chances are
that other arrangements will soon be made.
But the most serious problem is a road to
the hospital. Seiger, who looks after the
Kountze property on the bottoms, has
placed a lock on the gate across the road
leading to the hospital and declines to allow
! Rny one to go through the ground unless
paid for it. This is in direct violation OF
the contract made with Mr.. Kountze and
the city authorities will take the matter up
at once and see that Seiger takes on the
lock on the gate.
While Berlin offered to dedicate half Of
the roadway to the city the details have
never been attended to and consequently
the city is now at the mercy Of seiger, who
demands q fee for passing along the road
to a building erected by the county and
maintained by the city
"MuEging'' Suspects.
A number OF suspicious characters ar
rested in South Omaha within the last
few days we're taken to Omaha yesterday
for the purpose OF being photographed and
going through the measurements OF the
BertiIlon system. The police OF omaha
and a number Of railroad detectives visi-
ted the city jail yesterday and saw the
prisoners. With one accord they declared
the men under arrest good people to keep
under lock and key at nights and this Will
be done providing the police judge can
be induced TO impose the necessary SEN
tence. Every effort is being made by the
police Of South Omaha to get rid Of the
crooks in this vicinity and all that is
needed, SO the officers say. is the co-opera-
tion of the police judges of Omaha and
South Omaha.
Stock Yards Grading.
II was said at the ONCE of the Stock
Yards company yesterday that grading
operations on the hill would not m
before November 1. Steam shoyels, tracks
and other apparatus is needed before work
can start. Employment will be given to a
large number Of men and the moving Of
1916. 900 yards Of dirt will keep the force
at work a greater portion Of the winter.
Printed Copies Delivered.
Bound copies OF the city charter and the