Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-22
AFFAIRS At SOUTH OMAHA
Present City Charter Needs to Be Revised 81
Amended.
CITY ATTORNEY ENGAGED IN THE WORK
No Proper Provision for IssuinG City
Bondr-DatIes Of city Omcers Not
Clearly Dehned-Other
Deficiencies.

Deficiencies.
It Is now an open secret that the pres
ent charter OF South Omaha will have 70
be either redrafted or amended before q
can be Of much service to the cities Il lie
supposed to govern, and 1t is stated that
the legal department Of the city is having
more trouble than is confessed in trying
to make its provisions meet the require
ments Of the city.
In the first place. the sharge is made
the charter is so poorly arranged that il
requires entirely too much work to ferret
cut its contents. The provisions regard
ing public Improvements and the duties OF
officers seem to be scattered throughout
the entire list Of laws. and to connect
these different provisions end make them
correspond with each other Is a task that
Is far from being easy.
On the question Of Issuing b~onds-except
those bonds which are provided to pay for
grading and p~avlns-it is extremely doubt
full whether the city has the right to con-
tract this kind OF an Indebtedness. 1t lie
stated that when the charter was originally
drawn there was a blanket section incor-
porated In It providing for the general is
suance OF all kinds Of bonds. But this
seems to have been lost when the charter
reached the legislature for passage. As It
now stands the charter contains no such
provision.
City Attorney Murdoch is said to be
working on a revision Of the charter. and
that as soon as a legislative session is held
the new draft will be introduced and
passed. Whether Mr.. Murdoch will at
tempt to redraft the entire charter, or
whether be will simply amend those fea-
lures Of 1t which now seem so deficient,
is not known.
Early Hour HoIdup.
Two masked men entered the saloon OF
Fred Pfeifer, Thirty-second and G streets.
at an early hour yesterday morning and
at the point of their revolvers forced the
proprietor to deliver to them all of the
money on hand, about $40. Pfeifer imme-
diately reported the robbery to the police
and special officers were detailed to the
scene of the trouble. Yesterday morning
a suspect was arrested, but as Pfeifer
could not identify him as one OF the guilty
parties he was released.
Laughs at Alternative Writ.
Mayor Koutsky does not seem to be in
the least worried over the alternative writ
Of mandamus served upon him at the in
stance Of the Anti-Saloon league. In which
he is enjoined from countenancing any vio-
lation Of the state liquor laws. Mayor
Koutsky states that shortly after ne as
sumed his office he gave out orders that the
saloons should be closed on Sundays and
after IL o'clock at night, and that IL this
order has not been lived up to, It is not
the fault Of the police. but on account Of
the fact that the city has not sufficient
funds on hand to warrant an increase in
the number Of policemen now enrolled in
the city.
Churches Reopened.
After having been closed for several
weeks, almost all Of the churches of South
Omaha opened again yesterday. During the
summer months most of the local churches
closed their doors in order that the union
services being held in the city might be
more literally attended. At all of these
different places, Notwithstanding a drizzliug
rain greeted the church-goers during the
entire day, large congregations filled their
respective houses Of worship.
Funeral OF w. ". Habery.
Notwithstanding the disagreeable weather,
hundreds Of people attended the funeral
services Of w. II. Mabery, the pioneer Of
South Omaha, who died on Saturday morn
ing. The services we're held at the home
Of the brother Of the deceased, NJ. Mabery.
Rev. NJ. a. Head oficiated. After the
services the remains were placed in a
metallic casket and in the evening we're
shipped to Newcomerstown o., for inter-
ment. The remains we're accompanied by
the widow of the deceased, his brother and
other relatives from this place.
No Council Tonight.
Unless a special call is issued today there
will be no council meeting tonight. The
council was billed for a session during
the early part OF the week, but as only the
/, mayor and one councilman appeared, an
adjournment was taken. In making the
adjournment no time Of meeting was stated
' and it is thought that the first regular
meeting Of next month Is the first session
4 OF the council. II that is so, no meeting
of the council will be held until October 6.
: saloon Cases soon.
The trial OF the saloon men who were
arrested during the months OF July and
August for violation of the state liquor
laws by keeping their places OF business
t open on Sundays will come up for hearing
on September 20. At each time thes,
= cases have been set for hearing the saloor
men have in some manner secured a con.
tinuance. However, II is now stated thai
all parties are ready and anxious for trial
It was stated yesterday that in caseI
! brought under the city ordinances. new
y complaints have been filed, as the liquor
ordinance OF the city is thought to b,
I invalid.
, Magic City Gossip.
The Board Of Education will have a meet
ing tonight, IL Is said.
Franz j. Fittle has returned to Lincoln
after spending several days I'm Soutl
z Omaha.
Mr.. and Mrs. ". /. Brooks of De
Moines are the guests of Mrs. Brooks
z parents, Mr.. and Mrs. David Condron.
II was stated yesterday that an orde
had been given for the new benches de
} manded for use In the police court room.
The lecture of Rev. ]. N. Wright OF
a Persia; the Habits, Customs and tn
Needs Of the Persians," at the First Pres
byterian church last evening, was largel
q attended.
o Chief of the Fire Department Lou Ettei
who was injured by being thrown froT
HIS buggy while making a run to a hr
q on Saturday night, was able To be aroun
4 again last evening.
PRESIDENTS NEBRASKA VISI'
"a VIII Make stops at Kearney, Gran
Island, Hastings, Fremont
> aud Lincoln.