Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-11

cesslbie location and Il should be a build
ing Of permanent character and OF ade-
quate size and construction.
Health Department.
The work Of this department during the
year was most effective. The duties we're
yery, largely increased by smallpox, WhiSn
months Of the year, there were $40 cases
under the care Of the department a toiai
run OF the disease. The epidemic has been
stamped out by vigorous attention and
light cases Of the disease in the city.
AS is well known. the charter allowance
Tor this department is only $1,000 and but
This amount Is practically taken to meet
salaries and fixed charges, and Il was
impossible last year to make provision In
large increase in expense which Il was
Smallpox epidemic. This Increase had to
be taken care OF out Of the general tund,
faHd, from which It should properly be
drawn. The extra expenses attending the
epidemic OF smallpox amounted TO $l2,4ses4;
OF this amount $4,634.64 was furniture and
emergency hospital buildings, which have
permanent value. The remaining N,s62.@
was expended for help, nurses, transporta-
ton Of patients to hospital, groceries.
drugs, fuel, milk and telephone at the
The charity limitations OF the fund should
be raised. to at least $4,000, for just such
emergencies.
FIRE department.
The record Of successful service in this
department continued during 1902. The
number Of fires was nearly 100 less than
I in 1901 and the fire loss was smaller by
/ This record Is phenomenal, and yet Il
? is as much due to good luck as IL Is to
skillful fire fighting, although no depart-
strength excels our own. But our fire.
: lighting facilities are inadequate and our
: force too small. of course there are parts
of the city which have splendid protection,
= but there are others where nothing short
q OF a miracle could save life and-property
in case of fire.. To afford this protection,
j the city should build a number of depart
ment houses and furnish them with men
5 An engine house should be built in the
t wholesale district on the lot purchased
last year at Eleventh and Jackson streets,
: Vast property interests are jeopardized by
( any fire in this locality. A large .confa-
grafton there might paralyze the jobbing
e A double house for a hook and ladder
and a hose company should be constructed
e in the vicinity Of Twentieth and Lake
e streets. Kountze Place and the north par
- OF the city has very little protection, Ths
nearest companies are at least a mile
A double house should be erected a
Twenty-seventh and Jones street Oh thu
the hook and ladder company. The pres
emit building is an old barn remodeled ant
IT is. SO cold and unsanitary as to be ,nh
l. for living quarters for the men. There 4
II a large territory IN lnlS LOCALITY W1thOu
lie adequate protection. By some peculia
Encouragement, the hose company for tn
protection of Hanscom Park district wa
" placed at the southeast corner of the parl
m In the hollow, 50 that in order to reach tn
If residence district a long run must b
At made uphill, and when the top of the hi
is reached the teams are exhausted. J
ss hose company located at Twenty-sevent
of and Jones streets would afford create
sr section than can the company at Twenty
n ninth and Shirley, as the run from Tween
ne on the level and over well paved streets
j. A single house for a hose company shoul
y ana SS io 6aTen iR the S ylSsetsy f This T%iH oeSIiss Sa
as many valuable buildings, and they are dii
u ttiSeullt Of access owing to the long HI
Ia from their present locations.
a. In addition to these houses the cit
n the vicinity OF Eighteenth and Harne
ne streets and Fourteenth and Howard street
where we now have companies in rente
buildings for which we pay a yearly remit
ks or $500. These bulldings are not suite
ct for our purposes and vet half the amour
we pay as annual rental for them woul
e. pay interest on enough bonds to erect ne
er buildings thoroughly up to date and suite
O. to the needs OF the department.:
s; The necessary sites, for ali these built
,e, ings could b., secured and suitable built
OF believe a bond PROPOSITION should be sui
r. United to the people for this purpose {
course 1 am aware that the expense :
Is buildings would be considerable, but II
re money saved by the reduction in insuran'
nd the maintenance expenses several tim,
lie. over. It''t
Mt A much needed Improvement was beer
last fall In the matter OF placing sire
~ markers on street corners. For a numb,
he OF years past l have called attention
Us have urged the making Of an appropriate
no was set aside for this object n tn
'et with two street signs each, and 6SS sigI
ne of lego signs. Additional money should
~ appropriated to extend this system, as Il
,ae thickly populated parts of the city.
ne The Garbage Problem.
Of Under the present laws and condition
relating to the disposition of garbage, It
eli required that IL be either disposed Of
zee eoS SSass STREET or Be q SaaPE:,d c2 maPS %,l by q, 9l
~ gagged in hauling garbage will neither pr
their loads out OF the city, but depol
,os garbage, ashes, nightsoil and manure
cessible place where they think they CT
~ empty their loads and get away witho
q foui-smeling iith are frequently dump o
inS at night In streets and vacant lots right
5%ess the midst Of thickly, populated districr
,ss feature of 1t is that with our small poll
Ii ~ force It is impossible to remedy IL.
ns l would that a garba
~ creamatory be erected by the city for I
~ abatement Of this nuisance. This could
done 2t a small expense and would be
az improvement welcomed alike by proper
~ owners and teamsters. 1t would material
~ lessen the danger from CONTAGIOUS q
smS eases and would improve the health a
appearance of the city. Many other Cit
'n have adopted this plan and 1t has prov
u entirely satisfactory.
on Engineer and Board of Public WOrl
DlI
itIy The annual report of the city engine
itv gives some figures which will be of int,
for est TO all citizens. The engineer stat
that exclusive of the wooden blocks,
we'd now have in Omaha street pavements &C
la ering in round numbers 35h miles of Z
the phalt, q miles OF stone, 1874 miles of bri
mt and ~ miles OF macadam. In addition
iich this there are an miles of paved allie.
in Our sewer mileage has reached a total
1876 10 miles. Treated as an asset. the
hit yestment. in Omaha public improvemei
"a Is as follows:
line Grading or streets .H.64,
had sewerage l,S4Oi
gas
has
4: "A HELPING HAND