Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-09
AFFAIRS At SOUTH OMAHA
No Effort Likely to Be Made to ReSssess
the Special Taxes Declared Invalid,
BOARD OF EDUCATION DISAPPOINTING
Fails to Take Any Action on Teacher,
or swing the Az on JanItOrs Al
legged TO Have Been Too Busy
with Politics.


matter OF attempting a reassessment Of
the special taxes Of the city Of South Omaha.
which have been declared illegal, will never
be attempted. At the time the present char
ter Of the city was drafted, it was the inten-
ton OF Mr.. Lambert, who drafted the sec
tion pertaining to reassessment to so ar
range the matter that a reassessment of
the void taxes could be accomplished. How
ever during the time that Mr.. Lambert was
city attorney the attempt TO reassess the
special improvements was never made. and
now that Mr.. Murdoch is city attorney Il
Is understood that he has openly declared
that a resssessment could not be made so
as TO be legal and binding. This leaves the
special assessments that we're made by the
city councils OF the city prior to the year
1897 in about the same condition that they
were at the time all OF the suits to set
aside the taxes we're started and in all prob
ability the last effort OF the city to reim-
burse itself for the money expended on the
old grading, paving and sewer districts has
been made.
The extreme care In passing upon spe-
cial improvement petitions that was exer-
cised by Mr.. lambert is being followed by
Mr.. Murdoch. and every precaution is geing
taken to provide against future invalid pro.
NVuhihk VI lub COuntli IN pdShlnR OTul-
nances providing for the special improve
ments. The council when sitting as an
equalization board will hereafter be under
the personal supervision Of the city attor-
ney. 1t was almost directly upon this one
question that the bulk OF the special taxes
were declared illegal, the court holding
that the council acted in an irregular man
ner when acting as such board.
At the annual levy which will be made
this year ample provision will undoubtedly
be made for the paving OF intersecting
alleys and streets. Thus far there has been
insufficient money in the treasury to per-
nit the council to allow special improve
ment work to go on and the city attorneys
have refused to sanction such work until
sufficient funds we're provided, as is dictated
by the present charter of thecity.
No Teachers Elected.
A great group of spectators was allowed
to leave the High school building last night
disappointed, II they went there expecting
to see much Of Importance accomplished.
Other than to name the census enumer-
ators. nothing OF Importance was accom-
plished, and the subject of ousting political
j~anitors and electing teacher was not even
touched upon by the board, The school
board appointed the following census enum-
orators: Mrs. Mary Newman, J. O. East
man, Mrs. Mullin. s. E, Ralph, c. w. Will
liams and p. A. Barrett. A great many ap-
plications for the positions OF teachers
and ~janitors were read by. Secretary Lott,
but other than to nle them away, nothing
was done. 1t Is expected, however, that
at the meeting Monday night, a number OF
teachers VIII be chosen. Schroeder was the
only member absent.
stockman 10 Injured.
J. B. Buckley of stromsburg, a prominent
stockman at that place. was quite Sc
verely injured at the yards yesterday morn
ing. Mr.. Buckley had brought stock to
the market, and as he was about to leave
the train a sudden stop threw him to the
floor. He was carried to the ONCE of the
Cox-Jones Commission company and a doc,
tor was sent for. 1t was feared last
evening that he had suffered internal in
juries, although the full extent Of his in
juries could not then be determined.
Hot After PeddIers.
The police are now daily arresting ped
dlers who have failed to secure license
to carry on their trafic. An ordinance OF
the city council provides that before doing
business here they shall hrst secure the
pTOpST liCbubc, anu SuleL bTlBBS mas ln~
structed his men to arrest all persons VIC.
lating the ordinance. Two arrests were
made yesterday.
Crowds Attend Horse Sale.
The horse sale which commenced at the
yards yesterday morning drew in large
crowds from Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.
Some of the finest horses ever on exhibition
at the yards are included In this auction.
The sale started successfully yesterday,
with spirited bidding. Some OF the stock
brought large prices. At the auction yes
terday afternoon. in addition to the buyers
present, there were quite a number of
spectators from Omaha and South Omaha.
The sale will continue today and tomorrow.
Jesse Barr Explains.
Chief of Police John Briggs returned
from st. Louis yesterday morning, bring
ing with him Jesse Barr, the young man
who Is charged with having mortgaged
property under assumed names and then
having removed the same from the state.
Barr was seen at the Jail during the after
noon and stated that the whole trouble
was practically patched up and that he did
not think he would have to stand trial. He
stated that he was always ready to pay the
mortgage and was yet. but that now he
had been brought back from 81. Louis II