Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-09
COMMERCIAL CLUBS SMOKER
Members Hear Addresses and Are Given
Some General Entertainment.
DR.. NIPPLE ON WATER BOARDS WORK
History of the Controversy since the
Passage of the Howell Bill
and the Naming of the
Appraisers.

DIR. A. II. Nipple, member of the Omaha
Water board, and DR.. @. W. Wadsworth'
president of Bellevue college, were the
speakers at the Commercial club smoker
Friday night, between whose addresses was
sandwiched clever stunt by Godwal Dick
erman. an lmpersonator and entertainer,
who made a decided hit. Before and after
the speaking an orchestra of colored
musicians played, the entire program being
pronounced one of the most pleasant Of
recent smokers.
Dr. Nipple talked of the water works
proposition from the standpoint of a mem
Der OF the Water board and while taking
a few shots at the water company out
lined what the board intended to accomplish
and what II had accomplished. The board,
ne said. had three great objects in view:
to acquire the water plant at the earliest
possible moment: to acquire IT at the least
possible expense to the city, and until II is
acquired to afford the maximum amount Of
relief from the arbitrary treatment and
exorbitanta charges" OF the water COM
pany
work of ApprRisement.
Dr. Nipple then told of the appointment
OF the three appraisers one by the city,
one by the water company, and the third
by the two thus selected. At that time, he
said, 1t was expected that the work of APP
praisement would be accomplished within
a few weeks. This board was appointed
about two and a half years ago. First
the water company wanted to file with the
appraisers schedules of it's property and
this was allowed. Schedules were filed
until there was a wagon load of them.
one schedule was for three coats Of white
while others included flower beds and such
like. Another included a schedule of rip
rsplng which had been done by the United
States government.
Even then" DR.. Nipple said I'VE
thought the matter OF appraisement would
only occupy a few weeks, but there came
another delay. We found the engineers
were not agreed upon what to include in
the appraisement, whether to separate the
plant or value It in lump, including the
mains to South Omaha. We had no way
to compel the engineers to make their re-
port until they got ready, so we finally
got them to come to Omaha to view the
river when It was up and see whether the
ripraping was worth what the company
claimed it was. They came here and were
served with. papers to compel them to re-
port and also to restrain them from bring
ing In report finding the valuation in
a lump sum.
other Achievements of the Board.
The city has no authority except that
delegated TO it by the Legislature, SO we
cannot furnish water to South Omaha un-
less the legislature gives us that right. II
the plant had been appraised as the water
company wanted II appraised. any citizen
haU m
that ground. We were sustained by the
federal court. and then we reduced the
meter rates from IS TO % cents per 1000
gallons. Again the water company went
into court and said the rate was too low.
We beat 1t on that case and two OF its off,
cars were fined for contempt for not bring
ing their books into court as we demanded
and as the court ordered. Then we found
the water company was making people put
in meters out 10 the curb line at great ex-
pense so we reduced the fiat rates. though
ne do not believe in fiat rate. This re-
1uction means a 50 decrease"
Dr. Nipple concluded by thanking the
hub for Its endorsement of the Water board
and its assistance during the Legislature.
DR.. WadswOrth n Booster.
DR.. wadsworth spoke Of advertising
Omaha and said though he had been hero
only short time he had been careful OBJ
server and he believed the most magma
tive real estate dealer could not tell of the
sreat things that were in store for the city,
and herbelieved that in ten years Omaha
would have a population of 10000. and that
II would include all the good towns around.
which meant that Bellevue, which came
very near being Omaha would be among
the number. President Wright OF the club
presided. and the rooms were comfortably
filled.
s. Ginning Report.
WASHINGTON, Dec. S.--A bulletin Is