Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-09
COUNTY BOARDS BUSINESS
Commissioner Finally Decide For OF
Against Numerous Propositions,
PAY FOR SOUTH oMAHAS PEST HOUSE
warrant Cut In Two, Half Going Go
Contractor and Half Co Board
of Health and Row
Dismissed.

At its meeting yesterday the Board
OF County Commissioners decided TO give
Ed j. Brennan a warrant for half the
amount due him for the construction Of the
South omaha emergency hospital; to give
the South Omaha Board Of Health a war
rant for the other half: to give the Douglas
County Agricultural society nc warrant at
all; to give the finance committee power to
do what 1t pleases in collecting realty tax;
and finally, TO give Connolly and O'Keefe
opportunity to fight out. in Of
the whole. the battle for which each has
buckled on his armor and offered up his
prayer in a determination to annihilate the
other.
Contractor Brennan. was on hand again
and Colonel John b. Watkins OF the South
Omaha Board Of Health was also there to
say things. Watkins had attached bills for
material to the documents in evidence and
Brennan took exception to this, declaring
that he needed no guardian mixing in his
affairs. After considerable talk of an acrl-
monious nature the board pushed the YER
bal combatants into their respective cor
ners and agreed to give Brennan a warrant
for $469.4O and the South Omaha board one
for $4sS, the latter to pay Brennan this
amount as soon as disputed bills were
agreed upon.
Pumpkin show Turned Down.
Chairman Ostrom of the committee Of
the whole reported adversely on the appli-
cation Of John Armour as president and
G.. w. Hervey as secretary of the Douglas
| County Agricultural society for an appro-
%priation from the county to assist in hold
ing another fair in 1909, The committee
report, which was unanimously adopted,
reads in part: I'VE have given the matter
careful consideration and believe that the
holding Of the county fair in Douglas
county is not of any special Interest to
the agriculturists at large and that the
cost of maintaining the same is greatly in
excess of the benefits derived therefrom.
The request Of the petitioners is rejected
and no appropriation to be made for the
purposes OF an agricultural exhibit in
Douglas county in 1902"
C~OnnOIIy'a Explosion Postponed.
While the meeting was in progress the
audience had been growing steadily in an
ticipation of forensic fireworks when Mr..
Connolly should make his predicted at
tempt to tie up with the republican minor
ity and shake O'Keeffe's men out Of their
oficial boots. The powder was there, but
It was buried for the time being, to be
touched off in committee room. This is
Connolly's bomb:
whereas, on February Il, 1902, this
board adopted a resolution placing in the
hands Of the various heads of departments
the authority to hire and discharge any
and all employees in their several depart
whereas, This board has no authority in
law to delegate its powers and duties to
anyone, therefore. be IL
Resolved, That the said resolution be and
the same is hereby rescinded.
VUhan GOnnOnV mnVQd the adODtiOn of
this and Harte had Seconded it. o'Keeffe
arose to move that it go to the committee
Of the whole. Connolly was on his feet
instantly and ready to speak, but Chair
man Hofeldt tagged him by ruling that II
should be disposed of as had been suR-
gested by O'Keeffe, and the blaze Of caustic
oratory was extinguished.
Dose for County Druggist.
Then o'Keeffe introduced a resolution
charging Charles BleZek, as druggist and
male nurse at the county hospital with
dereliction in duty insofar as he has, &C
cordlng to the resolution, refused to do
anything but mix medicines, which requires
only a half-hour, or at the most. two hours
per day. The resolution closed by instruct
ing the superintendent 70 discharge any
who refuse to obey his orders, the board to
investigate and act in cases that are car
ried to It by the discharged parties.
In explanation o'Keeffe said that the
druggist YVES employed to act as male nurse
also, but that Blezek is reported to be
spending hve OF six hours a day in town
"sparkin'," and to be Indifferent to the
superintendent because the superintendent
has been inundated by threats made by
a certain member of the board.
Connolly again felt called upon to say
something, but the chair again interviewed
with a ruling that the motion was out OF
order apd it was dropped.
Concerning County Taxes.
Harte's resolution instructing the finance
committee to take such action to collect
the delinquent realty tax as II may deer
necessary was referred to the COMM tee
of the whole, but 1t is understood that II
will pass and that the committee will
start two collectors in the field to call
upon delinquents once or twice. after VIII ct
suit to'collect Will be commenced. The
collection of the delinquent personal tar
is left entirely with the county treasurer
Thomas Gallagher was named as justlcs
Of the peace for Benson precinct. Johr
Drew having failed to qualify.
I 1870 -