Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-20
AFFAIRS At SOUTH OMAHA
Council Will Make Land Trade with the
Railroad Companies
DEAL SAID TO Be IN cITWs INTEREST

Part of Five streets vacated and n
strip of Land Accepted In Conn
pensatIon from the Rail-
road.
About the only important feature Of
Monday nights council meeting was the
report of the committee on streets and al
leys in relation to the petition Of the
Omaha & North Platte Railroad company
and the South Omaha Land company. These
companies asked for the vacation of GER
tain streets and alleys and offered in pay
ment a certain strip along Boyd street.
The committee, composed of Councilmen
Welsh. Adkins and Queenan, reported in
favor Of vacating that portion Of Thirty
sixth street between the north line OF L
street and the north line OF I street. also
those portions of l, J and streets be-
tween Thirty y-sixth street and Boyd street.
This committee asserts that the city win
lose nothing by the vacation Of the prop.
erty desired by the railroad while on the
other hand in compensation It will acquire
graded street on the west side OF Boyd
street. from l. street north TO street. The
committee recommended that upon a fair
valuation Of the adjacent property for the
streets vacated, after deducting the thirty
feet to be donated on Boyd street that the
petition be granted. This report was
adopted by all members voting in the af-
firmative. In connection with this report
Mayor Koutsky appointed F. ]. Persons,
]. H. Kopeitz and ]. b. watkins as APP
prasers
with this report adopted by the council
It is thought that there will be no further
difficulty in the railroads making improve
ments in the western part of the city.
Contrary to expectations nothing was said
or done about the emergency hospital 1t
is understood that the mayor and city en-
gineer have this case in charge and a re-
port will most likely be made at the next
meeting OF the council, to be held on next
Monday night.
The complaint of L. C. Gibson against
the steward at the emergency hospital was
referred to the buildings and grounds com
mittee without comment.
When 1t came to the reading OF the propo-
sition OF the Wolf G. Murnan company for
land to be dedicated for a packing house,
the members of the council smiled and the
mayor referred the communication to the
street and alley committee.
Carrie Homan wants to settle her claim
against the city for $50, but the city does
not appear willing to settle without an
investigation and the offer made was re-
ferred to the finance committee and the
city attorney.
Change ArIthmetics.
At the Board Of Education meeting last
night a change Ill arithmetics was made.
| The book adopted is already in use in the
! schools here, but about 1900 new books
| will be needed These new books will cost
not to exceed 34OO. Old books OF the same
| issue will be taken up in exchange. Su-
! perintendent Mclean said that he is salts
fed with the change, as he considers the
book one of the best on sale at the present
time.
Three teachers were placed on the per-
! manent list after vote or two had been
taken. Those now on the list are Miss
Thulin, Miss O'Neil and Miss Yost Miss
Eunice Ensor was placed on the assigned
list.
Miss Montgomery will doubtless be graft
fed TO know that her salary was raised
from s55 to 365 a month and that she will
hereafter teach in the eighth grade class.
Mrs. }. n. johnson Dead.
Mrs. ]. B. Johnson died at her home
Twenty-fifth and l. streets, South Omaha
Monday afternoon. The deceased was the
wife of J. b. Johnson, a well known brick
layer, and was So years OF age at the time
OF her death. Funeral services will be
held at the home Of n. Johnson, Twenty
fourth and streets, this forenoon, and
the remains will be forwarded to Wcodbne
la. for inteTment. Mr.. Johnson and his
wife were married sixty-three years age
and lived at Woodbine for ffty-slx years
1t is on account of the old associations al
the Iowa home that the remains OF Mrs
Johnson will be taken there for interment
Makes Business Dull.
Some OF the South Omaha business men
complain that business is dull just now
and they give as a reason the high price oil
coal II is stated that families who form
erly spent plenty Of money in purchasing
clothing and groceries are now kept poor
by the necessity of buying coal at ad-
vanced prices. The South Omaha dealers
say there Is no trust. and that they are
willing and anxious to sell coal at the
lowest market price as soon as coal Is
shipped in here. Some Of the packers are
now paying mine-run prices for slack coa
and even at the money offered the coal Is
hard to get. The rise In temperature IL
helping out the poor here as well as own
eTs Of big buildings who are compelled tC
hustle daily for coal. There is still a lacl
OF wood and this, II is stated by merchants
is another reason for the slack trade just
now.
Tax Titles sales.
In December Omaha spectators took W
81 200 in South Omaha property on taI
sales Yesterday a report was received Al
the ONCE OF the city treasurer giving tbs
amount secured by trust companies foi
fourteen days in the present month. Dur
ing this month thirty lots have been solt
for taxes These tax titles have beer
! bought by outsiders who presumably IN
tend TO forecose as soon az the law will
, permit.
, An error is being made by a good man!
/ people in South Omaha owing to the pro
vision regarding the payment Of taxes
Under the present law city taxes becom
delinquent on January and on June l. Tw
payments are permitted. Some OF the prop
erty owners think that when they hav
paid the taxes up TO January 1 they hav
fulfilled their obligation to the city. Buy
ers OF delinquent tax titles are watching
; for just such cases and will purchase tn
y property when offered for sale. After tn
: nurchasa has hsan made nv those pnga Re,