Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-30
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Members Get Into Tangls Over the Gas
lighting Contract,
o'BRIES DEHEs MAJORITY OF BODY
Member from Fifth Attends Session
without Documents and FIatIy Re-
fuses to Procure Any and De-
feats Passage of Contract.

fuses to Procure Any and De-
feats Passage of Contract.
Refusal by Chairman O'Brien Of the
lighting committee to produce any docu-
ments in the gas street lighting matter pre-
vented passage Of the SIS ordinance by
the council last night. An exciting and
verbose contest between the majority, con-
sisting Of Evans, Dyball, Schroeder, Hunt
ington and Back, who were lined up for
the contract, and the minority composed
OF zimman, O'Brien, Nicholson and Hoye,
developed that the gas company has made
offers to reduce the price of gas to con-
sumors from ti.S5 to 81 ,25 per 1000 cubic
feet after October l. 1895. and to Sis after
October l, 1906 If the s2S contract for street
lighting is approved and signed, covering a
period Of ive years. Mayor Moores claims
the chief credit for securing this conces-
sion
Salient Points of Session,
Few council meetings in recent years
have been as sensational The features
were numerous enough to form catalogue
Some OF them we're:
Defiance by Councilman OBrien Of all
the powers that exist to make him produce
the gas lighting documents last night
Application of the gag rule by Temporary
President Nicholson to prevent an appeal
from the chair regarding a resolution di-
recting the sergeant-at-arms to get the
papers.
Declarations by Temporary President
Nicholson that his rulings would prevail
unless he was thrown out OF the council
chamber even though the entire police
force was called out
Threats by Councilman o Brlen to resign
and the rendering of his resignation If it
was wanted.
Passing Of the lie so often that It lost
its exciting quality.
Three or more members trying to talk at
once and each using the full force of his
lungs.
Charges and recrimlnations imputing bad
faith and insults back and forth across the
council chamber as rapidly as they could be
shouted.
First Act Runs Easy.
The first act in the gas drama passed of
smoothly and City Attorney Breen's report
OF week ago, recommending the readver-
using of bids and opening the competition
to all variety of lighting on the ground
that the first responses had not complied
with the gas company's franchise nor the
indefinitely on the motion of Councilman
Evans. The vote stood 5 to 4 as II did on
all other questions affecting the gas con-
tract Contrary to expectations, Council
man Schroeder's broken rib did not keep
him at home. He was brought to the city
hall in a carriage and greeted by his
friends in a lively manner Another sur
prise was supplied by Councilman Back
who was in hts seat as usual notwithstand-
ing the fact that he gave 1t out fiat Nom
day that he would leave Tuesday morning
on his vacation, for which he had obtained
a leave of absence from the council meet
Ing The appearance of the two council
men and the presence of Vice President
Clabaugh, of the gas company, was sufi-
Client warning to the opposition that de-
termined attempt would be made to put
the S2S contract through.
O'Brien Held the Trumps.
The plan might have succeeded had not
the minority been better prepared. Chair
man o Brien had conveniently left all the
papers, including the necessary ordinance,
locked up in his safe in his office. He had
in his possession the only ordinance that
could be finally passed. the rules and law
requiring a new one to lay over a week
before third reading and ultimate approval.
He had held the ordinance since July 5.
Despite the fact that the charter penalties
at the rate of $50 day any councilman
who holds a report longer than thirty days.
O'Brien made good his blum that he would
not produce the documents. and what Is
more he made II good saying he would
run his chances on paying fines. AS an
excuse for not bringing in his report with
the papers he said the whole matter had
been laid over week before to wait
Councilman Schroeder's return. He. too,
desired the presence of the full council
when action was taken, but he had been
told by Back Monday afternoon that Back
would not be at the meeting. Therefore
! O'Brien said he had left the papers behind
| rather than bring in a report to only eight
members.
| His position was maintained in the face
| of a resolution introduced by Councilman
| Dyball, which was adopted, directing him
| to return the SIS ordinance forthwith
! After a lot of oratory by himself and Others
the man from the Fifth ward put, his feet
up on his desk and cooly told the majority
FIVE to get the ordinance II they could.
Zimman Argues for Lower Rate.
| Councilman Evans did most of the talking
! for the majority. He received O'Brien's
excuses with scorn and declared that "this
! thing has gone far enough. Tonight is the
! time to act. This Is the place and we are
| here ready TO do business" Before he sal
down President Zimman, who had turned
| the chair over TO Nicholson, was on hi,
feet to make what is probably the most
! eloquent and impassioned speech he evel
made in the council chamber. He said thai
| every other city in the United States except
one has a better price for gas street light
ing than Omaha, that experts unanimously
asserted that the improved Welsbacf
burner, such as used on the Omaha lamps
! does not consume more than 2.5 feet OF
! gas an hour He derided the eighty-candlC
power assured by the gas company and
| said that sixty was as much as could 6l
would be furnished. Cleveland according
! 20 Zimman. pays only Sls a year for its
! gas lamps and Baltimore gets gas for public
| buildings at So cents and for street lighting
at S725 per lamp per year.
Wants 10 Hear from Company.
''The gas company" said he, does moi
approach this council in any way that car
be called businesslike. II is not trying tc
get this price on the merits OF it's service
No attempt is made 70 show that S2s is tho
right price and / believe with Councilmar
Evans that Il is time the gas company /.
heard from on some of these points.
am willing to disprove many OF the state
ments It has sent out and prove everythins
l have said on this matter. The gas com