Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-24
No Change in Salaries.

The appropriation for salaries is the
same as last year and lie made up as fol-
lows: Mayor, 5000; auditor, $1,000; treas
urer. $1,000; solicitor. $1,000; city clerk,
$1,osO; deputy city clerk 5000; physician,
$3.50; eight councilmen at $3.50 each, $4,000;
custodian Of city hall, 1920; judge of SUI
perior court, city's share, $1,000.
The amount appropriated for the police
department Is the same as last year, but
$500 is Topped on this year of the appro-
p~riation for the fire department. For the
fre and police telegraph $500 is cut of the
amount appropriated last year. The engi-
neers department suffers a reduction Of
$500 this year. For the streets and alleys
the appropriation is increased from 81, 900,
which was appropriated last year, to $4,000
thls year. For printing and supplies the
appropriation is reduced 5000. Last year
there being no city election there was no
appropriation for this expense. The APP
preparation for the city pound is the same
as last year. The appropriation to meet
the deficiency in the water fund this year
is $4,000, aa against $4,000 last year. This
increase is made necessary by additional
hydrants installed during the last twelve
months.
The 1o-mill levy, as provided by statute
for the general fund, will bring In about
$50, 900, so the committee estimates that the
remaining S35 900 will be made up by saloon
licenses and other sources derived from the
police fund. The 5-mill levy, the limit al
lowed for the water fund. will produce
about SIS. 900, whereas the hydrant rental
amounts to see. 800.
Gas and electric lights, sewer depart
ment, city bridges, intersection paving,
grading and sewers, interest on funded
debt. judgments and improvement funds, are
provided for by special levies.
Discusses Telephone Franchises.
Following the council meeting the alder
men held a session behind closed doors in
the ONCE Of the mayor and discussed the
independent telephone franchise ordi-
nances now before the committee OF the
whole.
The city marshal was directed to notify
the motor company to take up its old
tracks on Sixteenth street between Avenue
A and Fifteenth avenue,
Alderman Mcdonald brought up the mat
ter Of new paving for this year and the
aldermen are to report at the next meeting
the streets In their respective wards which
need paving.
The Trades and Labor assembly in a com
munication to Alderman Mcdonald. chair
inan OF the sIreeJb ana alleys committee,
asked that a day and a half be deemed
sufhclent to work out the 81 poll tax. 1t
was decided that the request could not be
complied with, as the city had no ~alterna-
tive in the matter for the reason that the
state law provides that every able-bodied
man must work two days OF eight hours
each, or In lieu thereof pay q sum not to
exceed $3.50 a day for the two days as poll
tax, Thus the city has only the right to FIX
the amount to be paid in lieu of the two
days work and the ordinance has fixed this
at 81.
The CitiEens' Gas and Electric Light com
pany extended the aldermen and other city
~oflcials an invitation to visit and inspect
its remodslled suhatation and Its new gas
purifying plant. The invitation was ac-
eepted. One OF the aldermen facetiously re-
marked that an inspection might throw
some light on the general complaint of the
poor quality Of gas furnished.
In the matter Of the protest OF the Grone-
veg & Schoentgen company against being
assessed for the paving OF the intersection
OF Union avenue and Ninth street the coun-
ell decided to let the original assessment
stand.