Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-20
FORWARDS WATER WORKS BILL
Senate in Committee of the whole
Recommends Howell Measure
for Passage.
tTrom a Sian Correspondent.l J

LINCOLN, Jan. 19.-(Special )-Senate
Die No. 1, by Howell Of Douglas, has been
approved by the senate as a committee Of
the whole and ordered engrossed for a
third reading. This is bill to compel the
city council Of Omaha to purchase the
water works plant Of that city.
Senator Howell made a statement as to
the objects Of the ,biIl sand it's contents
He stated that both political parties OF
Omaha had pledged themselves in their
platforms at the last election to have the
coupcif purchase the plant, though nothing
had been done.Gk ..-r .f
The bill" be said "is to compel the city
council 7 TO carry out the wishes of the
peopleiand purchase the water works. At
our last city election the proposition to
purchase the plant, carrying with 1t a
proposition to bond the city in the sum
OF $S,QoQOOO for that purpose, was carried
almost unanimously, and II is the wish Of
the people OF Omaha that the city own its
water works plant"
we nov have the opportunity Of pur-
chasing the plant without paying for the
remaining five years franchise. 1t will
mean the saving to the city OF Omaha of
$175,OOO year, for we are at the present
time paying 100000 for hydrant rent for
hre use. The people of Omaha are paying
S5 cents per 1000 gallons for water while
the people OF Lincoln, the city owing the
plant, pay Is cents and the city pays moth
ing for hydrant rent. This city gets its
entire fire department free Of costs, from
the revenue derived from the water rent.
1t Is the object of this bill to compel the
city council OF Omaha to do it's duty as the
people see it,
No one made any objection and the COM
milf taH
to the senate the passage OF the bill.
Another Revenue Resolution.
Another revenue resolution was intro
duced by Harrison OF Hall. 1t provided
that the revenue committee of the senate
hold itself In readiness to confer with a
committee that may or had been appointed
by the house, on any revenue measure thai
may come before II. The object OF the res
clution, the Yhereases explained. was tc
prevent the house and senate from working
along different lines.
Harrison announced that under the rules
of the senate the resolution would have Il
lay over for one day. but II there was nc
objection the senate could pass It at once
o'Neill promptly objected and said tn,
senate should have some time TO think ovel
the matter and he desired the measure laiC
over until tomorrow Jennings OF Thayel
seconded O'Neill and said he saw very lit
tie difference between this resolution anC
the one proposed Friday and tabled on mo
tion OF Harrison. The resolution was theI
laid over until tomorrow.
Senator O'Neill became wrathy Will,
trying to arrange his senate file and tool
the floor to protest against the files as fur
nished by the secretary OF state. THE peo
pie who got up this thing" he said, "surel!
thought We could stand on our heads. Tit
business is always upside down and a maj
would have to spend half a day to arrang
his bills. Every bill has to be taken ou
in order to arrange them in Rnv order ant
l protest. We are not a company OF aero
bats" BY the time the senator from Ian
caster got through lambasting the files,
half dozen senators Jumped to their fee
and added a few sizzling words expressing
their opinions. The windup finally cam
when Dean OF Phelps moved that the com
mittee Of printing call upon the secfetar
Of state and require him to furnish differ
ent hles or have those now in the posses
sion OF the senate hxed so they would b
less troublesome.
Another senator desired to know VIII
the senate bills were not printed in tn
order they were read. The bills have bee
coming back to the senate in any old orde
and this gave rise TO the suspicion ths
therv was reason for II. President Har
rison announced that the printer had in
formed him that in the future the bill
would come back in the order read.
The senate adjourned at AIS o'clock unit
10 o'clock Tuesday
Senate Routine.
President Pro Tenn Harrison called tn
~. N.
showed ali present.
During the reading OF the journal a mel
sage was received from the governor.
CHM Of Dawson was called to the cha