Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-01


At the next meeting OF the council the
mayor sent in a scorching communication,
declaring that the nonsense had gone on
long enough and that the time had come
for the city to assert it's rights and take
possession Of the water works plant. This
suggestion was right in line with the desire
which Howell processes is now, so dear to
his heart, but did he take OF his coat and
try to carry out this idea? Never! The
letter Of the mayor wa referred to the
shows that Howell ever attempted to res
urrect the communication from the grave
in h It had been buried, but he allowed
it to sleep peacefully on.
Record on Gas Ordinance.
Howelrs record in connection with an
other of the franchlsed corporations. the
Omaha Gas company, is short, but what
little there is Of II indicates what he
would have done had he had more oppor-
%tunities. The gas company has generally
avoided openly showing its hand in con-
nection with city council matters. but when
its franchise was about to expire II went
systematically to work to secure the re-
newal of this very valuable concession on
terms which 1t regarded as highly favorable.
In accordance with a we'll laid plan, one
of the most iniquitous ordinances which
ever disgraced a city was passed through
the council November IA, 1898. This ordi-
nance gave to the gas company a franchise
OF fifty years and provided that the com
pany might charge consumers Of gas S1.75
a thousand feet. The provision for scaling
down the price OF gas according to the
gross amount consumed by all the consum-
ers commenced at a figure which would not
have been reached for generations. No
A.H -
to pay the city any royalty and no charge
OF any kind wos made on the company in
return for the very valuable franchise thus
bestowed upon it. Edward z. Howell voted
for this franchise.
At the next meeting Of the council, No
vember Fl. 1898, this ordinance was vetoed
by the mayor. but the council, by a trick,
adjourned before the veto message Of the
mayor had been delivered TO it. The claim
was then made that the ordinance had be-
come a law without the signature Of the
mayor, Notwithstanding the fact that In
junction proceedings had been instituted to
test its validity in the courts.
At a meeting Of the council November 2S
the city clerk notified the council that he
had received from the mayor. Immediately
after the council had adjourned so abruptly
at the last meeting, a veto of the gas
franchise. A communication was also re-
ceived from the mayor notifying the council
that he had sent in q veto Of the ordi-
nance. An animated discussion ensued over
receiving the veto of the mayor and a mo-
tion was carried by which the council re-
fused to receive the veto message. No vote
was recorded on this motion. but the records
chow that Howell was present.
After public discussion OF this outrageous
franchise had waxed very warm and the
injunction suit promised trouble for the
gas company and council, the gas company
thought better Of its action and another
ordinance was passed and accepted, cutting
the period Of the franchise down to twenty
five years, making provision for a royalty
to be paid the city and thus. saving millions
OF dollars TO the public.
Howells record 'bn the infamous garbage
contract is in keeping with his record on
all other questions in which the interests
OF the mass OF the residents Of Omaha is
arrayed on one side and that of the cor
po'ations is on the other side.
with the Garbage Monopoly.
July 6, 1898. the city council opened bids
for removing the garbage of the city.
Three bids were received and at the meet
ing of July IS, 1898, the contract for re-
wing NhN % bhbN q dhaIutu u AUX
ander Macdonald. The contract was
awarded on a verbal motion, but the
records show that Howell was present at
the meeting.
The contract Of Macdonald was submitted
and approved at the meeting of the council
held three days later. In the meantime IL
had become generally known that Alexander
Macdonald vas simply a stool pigeon and
that the real party behind the contract was
Scion L. Wiley, the manager Of the Thorn
son-Houston Electric Light company.
Under the exposures Of The Bee public
sentiment against the contract crystalized
rapidly. Edward E.. Howell was afraid to
meet the issue s~quarely and he dodEed.
When the contract was presented for APP
prevail he was conspicuous by his absence
and it was approved without his vote.
Between that time and the next meeting
of the council. July rs. 1893, public sentiment
ran very high and the people Of the city
were greatly wrought up by the Infamous
features OF the contract. The mayor vetoed
the contract. but the veto was overriden.
Again Howell lodged. He knew the drift
OF public sentiment. but, afraid of Offend
ing his dear friends, the managers Of the
corporation pool, he was conveniently alb
sent from the meeting.
The supporters OF the garbage contractor
evidently feared to brook public opinion too
frequently and nothing was lone in the
way Of passing ordinances TO put the con
tract into effect until December 4, 1898.
when the ordinance was passed which pre-
scribed the conditions under which garbage
was to be removed. For this Howell voted.
This is the ordinance which prevented poor
men owning teams from earning a pittance
by hauling manure. The ordinance was
sweeping IN Its terms and put into the
hands OF the garbage contractor the haul
ing Of everything in the nature of refuse
matter. The practical effect Of this in
~iquitous measure is too we'll known to the
citizens of Omaha to require recital.
To cap the climax, however, an ordi-
nance was introduced by Edward e. Howell
In April, 1895, and passed by the CITY
council, which makes Il unlawful for any
one to haul clean ashes or cinders without
hrst securing a permit from the mayor and
council. This ordinance was much more
sweeping in its terms than the old ordi.
nance and included all the little odd Jobs
that had been left teamsters after the
passage Of the previous ordinance.
This ordinance was vetoed by the mayor
April 80. AS was done with every Other
measure affecting the interests OF the cor.
porations as against the people, this ordi,
nance was passed over the veto. Edward e
Howell voting to pass it over the veto.