Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-05
WATER BOARD is ORGANIZED
Latest Addition TO 0maha's Government Has
Taken on Formal Life.
JAMES G, BOYD ITS FIRST CHAIRMAN
Matter of Naming a Commissioner
Secretary and Choosing an APP
praiser Left for n Future
Session.

Six Of omahas most distinguished, in
Guiding some Of the most wealthy, citizens,
went to work for the city last night at $50
a month each and organized themselves as
the frst Water board. They we're selected
by the governor to control and operate the
first water works plant and system owned
by Omaha, after they have assisted in ac-
qulring it, An utter lack OF feature char
acterized the first meeting. which was wilt
messed by Albert c. Wells, agent for the
surety company that bonded the members,
a newspaper photographer and two news
paper reporters.
II was held in council committee room c
on the second floor at the city hall, which
the council had designated as temporary
quarters for the board. Apart from the
fact that illumination had been provided,
there was no sign that a new department
of city affairs was to be organized.
Former Governor James E. Boyd was
elected chairman. Isaac r. Congdon tenn
porary secretary the hour for regular
meetings fixed at $3.50 in the afternoon and
a recess taken until that hour Saturday,
March %. The latter action was done as
a matter Of precaution, so that all points
of law might be complied with.
John +. Coad was the first member Of
the board to arrive. He came at 740, sat
down and lit a cigar Five minutes later
Isaac e. Congdon and former Governor
Boyd appeared climbing the stairs and
Joined him. Guy C. Barton came under
the wire a few minutes before the 8
o'clock bell sounded, while Milton T. Bar
low was just late enough to be late. T. J.
Mahoney was fifteen minutes tardy and the
ether members smoked and chatted until
he arrived. Meanwhile the agent of the
bonding company appeared and presented
applications to each member for bonds
that have been issued and approved by the
mayor and council. Then a staff photo
grapher for The Bee came with his machine
and made a negative of the entire board
as soon as Mr.. Mahoney entered.
Setting the Board in Motion.
BY common consent the other members
appeared to look to Mr.. Mahoney to lead
them. He did so by moving that Mr..
Congdon act as temporary secretary. This
motion was seconded by MIR. Boyd and
was carried unanimously. Then on motion
Of Mr.. Congdon Mr.. Mahoney was made
temporary chairman. The temporary chair
man stated that the next business in order
would be to appoint permanent chair
man to serve for one year. Mr.. Congdon
made the. motion which provided for the
eltClluu ny AAS Woo hohlOu aS NSAAOl
OF the vote.
Each member of the board took a loose
sheet of paper on the long table around
which they we're seated and tore OFF a
scrap, which he wrote upon with pencil
drawn from his pocket. Almost instantly
the ballots were folded and placed in Mr..
Congdon's hands. There were FIVE votes
for Mr.. Boyd and one ballot was blank.
The chairman said:
Gentlemen: 1 thank you for the favor. 1t
shall be my purpose and my pleasure to
execute the pleasure OF the board, knowing
that what It does will always be for the
best interests of the people of Omaha.
Mr.. Congdon was then elected temporary
secretary of the permanent organization to
serve until the commissioner r-secretary is
appointed The chairman asked whether
the first meeting is to be considered the
first regular meeting and after opinions
had been expressed by Members Mahoney
and Congdon, the two lawyers on the board
that It would not be deemed the first reg
ular meeting, such was informally agreed.
MIR. Barton. by motion. had the time OF
meeting at regular sessions fixed at $50 in
the afternoon.
Appointment of Appraiser.
The board then discussed the question as
to whether or not an appraiser will have ia
be appointed 'before the next regular meet
ing of the council. Mr.. Mahoney said that
the board was not bound to appoint the ap-
praiser until notice had been received from
the mayor and council to do so, and that in
asmuch as such notice could be served or
the board only while 1t is in ses-ion, and
the notice will not come until Thursday
that feature could be arranged later.
At the first regular meeting the board II