Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-10
WHERE ARE THOSE wArcH DOCS,

" AEhN dAAhN Afib1E " avn DNtRf
For a number of years past the Omaha
Commercial club, and especially the
members of its executive committee,
have manifested intense anxiety to place
the city in control of the water works
Municipal ownership of the water works
has been discussed before the club by
political economists and politicians, and
resolutions favoring the acquisition Of
the water works plant by compulsory
purchase have been passed and spread
upon the journals of the club.
When the water works purchase bill
was before the legislature last winter
the Real Estate exchange fell in with
the Commercial club and gave the bill
unanimous endorsement without dis
cussing its merits or demerits. Since
the enactment of the Howell-Gilbert
bill the effervescent enthusiasm over the
proposed purchase has died out and an
inexplicable Indifference is exhibited by
the executive committee of the Com
mercial club and the Real Estate ex-
change concerning the danger that con-
fronts the city in the three appraisers
arbitration.
While The Bee cannot justly be held
responsible for the lack Of interest mani
tested on the part of any organization
or the suggestive silence of its con-
temporarles. 1t does not propose to put
anybody in or out of Omaha in position
in the future to charge it with derelic-
ton of duty or betrayal of public in
terests for private advantage. 1t will be
remembered that the glaring defects in
the compulsory purchase bill were
pointed out by this paper before its
passage, but for some reason the watch
dogs in the Board of Trade building did
not bark a bark. There was ample
time to amend the defects of the bill
between its passage and the adjourn
ment of the legislature, but for some
mysterious reason nobody in the Doug
las delegation ventured to introduce
amendments that would safeguard the
interests Of the city.
When the water board selected ]. W.
Alvord as the city's appraiser The Bee
called attention to the fact that an extra
hazardous risk was being assumed in
the selection of an engineer compara-
lively unknown to negotiate on behalf
Of the city a deal that will involve
millions of dollars. But Mr.. Alvord, al
though not known to a single member
of the council, was unanimously con-
flrmed by that body without even nam
ing the price for his services and given
the privilege to name the third ap-
praiser Jointly with the appraiser named
by the water company. This imprudent
proceeding on the part Of the water
board and council did not evoke n soil,
tary murmur of dissent on the part OF
the Commercial club or the Real Estate
exchange.
And now we are approaching the cul
mination of the extraordinary proceed
ing. 1t is announced that Mr. Alvord, as
the arbitrator for the city. and Mr.
Benzenberg, the engineer selected by
the Omaha Water company, are to con
vene in Omaha within a few days t.
select the third man, with a view t.
proceeding with the appraisement a,
rapidly as possible.
The question that naturally presents
itself is: What voice will Omaha hav,
In this appraisement2 Will Enginee
Avord make up his own list for tn,
third man or will he pick a man from
the list prepared by the water board o.
by the water works company? VIII
he in making the appraisement stanC
up for the city or will he stand in witt
his colleague and let the city whistle?
Whether these questions have fittet
across the minds of the members of tn
executive committee of the Commercial
club or the Real Estate exchange w
cannot surmise, but the suggestion 1
thrown out so that in the future thos
who always hold The Bee responsible
for strikes, storms, floods or any othe
ill-fortune that befalls Omaha may no
truthfully lay the blame for bad bal
gain at its door.