Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-27
Third ward Member Holds W. j..
ConneIl Largely Responsible for
Manipulating Fireworks
ut the city Hall.

at one point he had opened window In
the council chamber and suggested to Dave
O'Brien that he jump out Mt O'Brlen
courteously declined and remained for the
ruction as a true Irishman would be eN-
pected to do
Mr.. Zimman insisted that the minority
members of the council were in the chamber
under Imprisonment.
Il wanted to leave" he said, ITO prevent
the passage of the ordinance and the max
ing of the contract. / wanted also to get
Mr.. Cornell out of the chamber. because
then thought we would be able to manage
the majority, as we often had before; but
he was there to guide them and he steered
them right. He was parading up and down
the floor at one time like one of those flying
Dutchmen, with his coat tails standing out
level with his shoulders"
Not the square.
The meat of Mr. Zimman's testimony
went to support his declaration that the
gas contract did not go through the city
council on the square.
Il mean those words said he, ''as Theo-
dore Roosevelt means on the square
In reply to questions by Mr.. Giller, Zim-
man said he had put himself into communi-
cation with many cities on the lighting
question ana IlAu SluulCu up Oll llBhlNS anu
literature. He had come to the conclusion
there was no appreciable diffrencc be
tween an eighty and sixty candle-power
street lamp and had therefore expressed a
willingness to vote for the contract on the
S25 bid. He thought even that bid was too
nigh would consider SEQ rate eXorbitant
and 81 to SIS a fair price.
81 insisted the city ought not to pay
more than private consumers for gas In
my opinion the company was making
clean profit of $4,000 year. Some of this
profit was being absorbed in the form of a
ROYALTY of SS n wear to the Welsbach com
pany which is controlled by the same in
terests as control the Omaha company"
Mr.. Zimman gave it as his understand
ting that the Omaha Gas company was
bonded for 81, OCOO, in addition to it's cap
itaI stock of s5,DO.OOO The company pays
! a royalty to the city of per cent per
100 cubic feet or ) cents for every 81
worth OF gas sold to consumers in Omaha
exclusive of the city. During 1904 the
city realized from this royalty something
! like s17.Oco
On cross-eXamination Mr.. Zimman adj
mltted 1t was by a mutual understanding
away from the regular meeting, Of Octo-
/ Der 10 and for the purpose of breaking IA
quorum.
Asked by Mr. Cornell about the electric
light contract and whether he had dis
cussed 1t with Mr. Nash, Zimman said he
had talked with Mr.. Nash and had voted
for the contract in council.
Nailed down as to his intention when
he went to the council meeting of October
H. witness admitted to Council he fully
| intended to leave if any attempt was made
( to act on the gas contract.
I'VE depended on the unfamiliarity of
the majority with parliamentary law Ia
beat them. They had no man of ability
on the floor. but the mayor and yourself
(Connelp directed them this time
Gun In His Pocket.
! Mr.. Cornell went after witness on the
gun toting proposition, it having been
brought out that Nicholson at one point
had asked Zimman for gun; that he was
going out" Witness admitted that he
had often carried a gun in his pocket &c
| the council chamber. seventy-five or IN
times He has also had the gun in his
pocket one day in court during the last
week. He was in the habit of carrying
| a gun for many years when away from
his room, when going to call on his CIR
and getting home late.
you weren't afraid of the young woman
We're you?" asked Mr.. Connell
NO." replied Mr.. Zmman, but getting
out late at night l always liked to be pro
tected."
OF his daylight gun toting the presden
of the council said it was merely tn,
habit of years"
City Attorney Breen was called b,
plaintiffs attorneys and recounted tn,
events of the council meeting seriatum p
literatum, so far skeleton record pre-
pared by the city clerk would allow
Mr.. Gller, for plaintiff, read an AFFIDAVIT
made by Frank NJ. Gregg, president of tn
Cleveland Street Lighting company. Thi
set out his company was lighting part
of the streets OF various cities at thes
prices per lamp per year: St Louis. s23 10
Washington, ID. c.. $50; Indiana polls S2ia
These prices, the affidavit says. are base,
on an all night and every night contract
The affidavit went in the record
The hearing will go on this morning a
10 o'clock.
Michaelsen the stand.
, City Electrician Michaelsen, under tx
: animation, expressed the opinion that n
man could tell the difference between a
eighty and a sixty candle-power lamp o
, the judgment of the naked eye. Person
ally, he would never advise a contract 70
over sixty candle power II he were buyin
gas as city does. He gave II as hi
judgment that the present gas lights ar
about equal ~ thirty-two candle power O
perhaps forty.
| Under cross-eXamination by Mr.. Cor
| nell, Mr.. Herdman said he did not consde
. J the council meeting in question an orderl