Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-01
ADDING TO COUNTY PAYROLL
Commissioners Shoot Two More Holes in
Retrenohment Schedule.
DEE AND BoDwELL SECURE EXTRA HELP
Connolly Tells Ostrum that the New
salary Schedule IL So Full of
Holes that He Could Never
Recognizes IL.

The Board OF County Commissioners shot
two more holes in it's retrenchment
schedule yesterday by giving Superin-
tcndcnt Ed Dee Of the court house another
~janitor and f. J. Bodwell, superintendent
OF instruction, the assistant he formerly
had. County Clerk Harry C.. Miller APP
pealed for authority to retain two Of the
extra men now in the tax department. but
his democratic brother from South Omaha
said he would insist on the communication
going to the committee of the whole. and
Mr.. Miller had to wait. When the board
adjourned at 1870 the persevering clerk
had the recalcitrant Mr.. O'Keeffe backed
into a corner and was showing him forty
seven pages of figures in an effort to prove
the necessity for the extra men remaining
on the pay roll for at least sixty days.
OKeeffe voted to allow Dee his man at
$50 per month, but voted a solitary nay on
the assistant for Bodwell at the same
salary. Later he created a smile by moving
to Increase the salary of the assistant
county auditor to SS3.33 per month. Under
the old schedule this was the figure, but
the retranchment axe whitfield It To SIS.
Now, however, the assistant county auditor
is his personal friend, A. J. Webb, and
o'Keeffe argued that he sis as good a man
40 ne lOTLleI assistant duulLOT ana ought
to have as much pay"
Retrenchment Wave Passing.
When the balloting got around to
Ostrom, whose man was the one sacri-
feed to make room for Webb, there was
an embarrassing pause. Finally Ostrom re-
marked that the evidences of that wave of
retrenchment seem to be Disappearing
whereupon Connolly exclaimed with de-
lighted emphasis: "Why Henry, YOU
wouldn't know that revised schedule OF
yours If you were to meet It face 10 face"
But everybody voted aye to the motion in
hand.
Clerk Miller In his communication to the
board stated that he had found it would
be physically impossible to carry on the
work of the tax department with only the
chief clerk and one assistant, but would
not retain any extra help a minute longer
than necessary.
The addition to Dee's force gives him
four day men and one at night, including
the lawn tender. The total now lacks but
one of being what it was before the re-
trenchment axe was swung with such
gusto and loud acclaim.
Collection Proposition Goes over.
Thu propositions of local attorneys to COL
lect the taxes due the county on percentage
were not taken up today, but will be at a
meeting of the board to be held next Thurs
day. Included in the routine business was
the extending Of an invitation to a commit
tee of the Woman's club to attend, that
meeting of the board and discuss their Pin
gree gardens" project. The committee had.
by its chairman, Ida ". Tilden, filed with
the commissioners a request for SIS or 500
with which m huv caad pototoas TO- a.
gardens, and Harte moved to draw a war
rant at once, but ostrom wished to be more
fully informed on the plan before voting
on such a resolution, and action was &C.
cordingly deferred.
Harte introduced and moved the adoption
OF a resolution making the Board OF
Commissioners a county board of health.
O'Keefe had visions OF the board being
called into infected houses to investigate
conditions, and concluded he didn't favor
the arrangement. Finally the resolution
was changed to include the C~unty physi-
clan as a member of the health board and
the motion then prevailed. Thomas Davis
was appointed special deputy health COM
missioner at SO per day.
Improving Thirteenth street.
John Carson was authorized to carry out
his plan to distribute 2,400 cubic yards OF
dirt along South Thirteenth street for 5000.
This makes possible the new park connec-
ton by street car that South Omaha people
had asked for.
A committee representing the Douglas
County Agricultural association asked the
board to say what II proposed to do toward
helping arrange for next falls fair, and
called attention to the fact that Bennington
is bidding for it. The board told the COM
mittee to file a financial report and then
call again for further consultation.
Two BOOks-TwO Cents.