Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-22
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
Packing House Managers Called to Chicago
OF Special Business.
MERGER ANTICIPATED BY LOCAL FORCES
Nothing known Here, as Dennit In
formation Will Come from Chi
cagO, but Much Specula-
tiOn IL Heard.

Considerable speculation was aroused in
packing house circles yesterday over the
departure OF Mr.. z. A. Cudahy, Mr. T. w.
Taliferro, general manager for Cudahy here
ana X. Z. Howe, general manager OF the
local Armour plant, for Chicago. All Of
these representatives of the packers were
In Chicago yesterday. Nothing appeared to
be known here about the sudden call of
the heads Of the packing institutions to
Chicago. All that remained here Of the
executive forces were A. N. Benz Of the
Omaha company and Mr.. Manchee Of the
Swift company.
What the people here seem to want to
know is whether these heads OF packing
house interests went to Chicago to confer
on the proposed demand to be made by the
beef butchers for an increase in wages, or
whether II is in the line Of the proposed
merger. Information received from Chi
cage last night inclines the people here
to the opinion that the amalgamation Of
the packing interests will come shortly. One
prominent packing house employe said to
q Bee reporter last night that should the
packers succeed in forming an amalgama-
.tion many high salaried men would be
thrown out of positions. The hint went
forth from Cudahy's yesterday that heads
were likely to drop into the basket most
any time and the sudden departure Of Mr..
Cudahy and Mr.. TAliferro, his manager,
only strengthens this idea.
On Wednesday the packers appeared to
know nothing about the demand for an in
crease in wages or the merging of the
plants. The removal OF temporary headquar-
ters to Chicago looks from South Omaha as
II something was doing. As far as the scale
Of wages is concerned, all negotiations will
90 through the headquarters at Chicago, and
nothing will be known here until the re-
suit Of the consultations is announced.
Sidewalks Need ResettinE.
In many OF the permanent sidewalks in
the down own district the base has given
way and the walks are below the curb line.
The attention OF the city engineer was
called to this matter yesterday by a citi-
zen and he promised that as soon as he
could get around to II and the mayor would
permit him the defects would be remedied.
In some cases the property owners are to
blame and should be, II is asserted, served
with notices to make the repairs at their
own expense. Accidents are liable to hap
pen, 1t is asserted, on account Of many OF
the curbs being higher than the sidewalks.
Mr.. Beal is Of the opinion that II would cost
the city hardly more than $50 to raise the
walks in the dow town district. Chairman
Welsh Of the street and alley committee
Is going to give this matter his attention
during the week.
BeaI COmmends Work.
Just now Herman Beal is endeavoring to
be a Jack OF all trades. He is by authority
the city engineer. Then he was supposed
to be appointed to take the place Of the
recent street foreman, who was removed
Monday night. In addition he belongs to
the Board Of Health, the Sanitary commits
sion and other Jobs too numerous to men
tion. When complaints were made to En-
gineer Beal yesterday about the manner in
which the pavement on Twenty-fourth
street was being relaid he said that he was
doing the best he could with the funds at
his disposal. with the money on hand"
said Mr.. Beal, "it will take every cent to
MI the big holes in the pavement. There
is no need Of laying concrete now, as the
city uses the broken stone from the rock
pile to NIL the deep holes, thus saving the
expense Of laying q concrete base. With
the utmost econom It will be hard for the
city to make the repairs needed with the
money provided"
Dirty Streets.
There Is a continual complaint made by
business men about the dirty condition Of
the paved streets In the business portion OF
the city. Councilman Queenan took a look
about yesterday and found that the filth
on the paved streets lay three and four
inches thick In some places. A request
has been sent to the mayor that the hre
department be ordered 20 flush the streets.
but Chief Btter does not seem to want TO
do this. He asserts that every time the
department is called out to flush the streets
1t costs the city considerable money for
hose spoiled. This statement is denied by
members Of the FIRE and water committee
and an effort will be made to induce the
mayor 10 instruct the chief to do the flush
ing act. In case this is not done the mayor
will be asked to direct the street force to
go ahead and do a little cleaning up.
Another Inspector Here.
Mark Beetham anne IN from Kansas City