Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-29

Sewer fund OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
STi1se m iun1 fund
Judgment fund ....,..........'.....'....''.
Water works ITPS sinking fund.
Bond funds as follows
intersection paving and grading.........
BOND loan tund .........'..'.'''''.''''''
Funded debt tund .................s..''....
Park fund "a
Total ......................................4z1a .4z1a
Agricultural lands within the city and
personal property necessary for the
cultivation thereof, in city limits......
The Indian creek dredge, judging from
the acrimonious discussion which it was
responsible for yesterday afternoon, is not
only proving somewhat of a white ele-
phant" on the hands OF the city, but also
bone Of contention among the aldermen
A week or more ago the committee in
charge Of the dredge OF which Alderman
| Weaver Is chairman, was directed to place
! the machine out Of commission, discharge
the crew and place a caretaker in charge
OF the machine at a compensation of not
! to exceed 81 a day. 1t developed, however,
! yesterday afternoon that Foreman Brown
| and the engineer had>been retained to look
after the dredge, and each was still draw
ing his 81 a day. Alderman Weaver, who
was ably backed up by Foreman Brown,
| contended that the foreman and engineer
ought to be retained until such time as
the city disposed OF the dredge or made
| arrangements in the event of not selling 1t
| to store II for the winter. Five of the
aldermen, however, objected to such an ex-
| pense, seeing that the dredge was idle, and
! the committee was instructed to carry out
the original directions OF the council and
! hire a watchman at not to exceed 80 a day.
Despite the fact that the books of City
Auditor Schmidt show that the dredge has
] cost the city close on to $4,000, Alderman
| Weaver declared with considerable warmth
and emphasis that the dredge did not owe
| the city one cent.
| Coal to he Handled.
Over carload of coal ordered for the
dredge, which is bunked on the bank OF
the creek a mile or more from the city
limits, was ordered hauled to the city build
! ing at cost not to exceed 75 cents a ton.
II was stated that an offer of $3.50 ton
| had been made for the coal but this was
not deemed sufficient In view of the fact
that the city paid about 81 a ton for 1t.
| When the Indian creek water proved too
muddy for the boiler of the dredge, the city
sunk well, or IN fact several wells, to sup
| ply the machine and constructed portable
shed for the pump at a cost of s3O An
offer of $3.50 for the shed was tabled yes
terday.
4
more attorneys" remarked one of the alder
men, when City Clerk zurmuehlen read the
notices Of three damage suits against the
city. They were the $4,000 suit of the
Walker Manufacturing company, the $1,000
personal injury suit OF J. s. Williams and
suit for SIS by Thomas Butler, who claimed
that the city employees while flushing the
streets had frightened his team which was
hitched at Main street and Sixth avenue,
causing 1t to break loose and runaway,
damaging his wagon TO the amount
claimed.
The waterworks company presented its
bill for hydrant rentals for the six months
ending September l amounting to Sl3, 30
and at first the aldermen decided that it
could not be ordered paid until the regular
monthly meeting in September which will
be held September 5. After some discussion
II decided TO order the auditor to issue the
warrant for the bill September l. Later
during the meeting one alderman enquired
as to what had become of the hydrant at
Fifth and Union avenues and this brought
forth n statement from Alderman Weaver
that in tearing down the old motor barns
he discovered a hydrant which had evident
ly been buried for considerable length OF
time. II was ordered that the rental of
these two hydrants for the last six months
the company's bill.
Regulation Of Automobiles.
Mayor Macrae suggested In view of the
z number of automobiles now owned in Coun-
ell Bluffs that an ordinance regulating them
q would be in order. He said that several
owners drove their autos at night without
lamps which was a dangerous practice and
should be prohibited. He also suggested
that the speed at which they may be
driven on the public streets should be regu.
lated and also that they should be re-
quired to take the center of the street
when turning corners instead Of hugginl
Q the curb as many do now. On motion OF
Alderman Weaver the city solicitor wa,
directed to draft an ordinance embodyina
y the regulations suggested by the mayor
< The railroads also came in for some at
tentIon. The Milwaukee was ordered noti
| fed to remove its tracks from Eight
e street and Twelfth avenue. which It wa
: stated was not used. The Great Western
a was ordered notified 10 put in waterways
Sixteenth avenue and Third street. tn,
= Wabash at crossings at Sixteenth avenu
and Third street and the Burlington a
= crossings at Twenty avenue an,
!, Thirteenth street.
request of the Singer Sewing Machin
company 20 be permitted TO erect trans
" parent sign on an iron pole at the curb Il
- front Of It's store at $40 Broadway was con
p" signed 10 the piseonhole.
An invitation to attend the annual meet
~ ing of the Iowa League OF Municipalities. t
a be held at Burlington September Is and L
was received.
II The council adjourned to the regula
meeting in September
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N r.... uausta s,,..,,,.. A. Mt