Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-10
CAPITOL'S FIRE PROTECTION
Executive Council and les MOinss Water
Works Unable to Come to Agreement,
COMPANY INSISTS ON METER CONTRACT
New water Mains Have Been Laid
Around the Building, but They
Are Not Yet Connected
with City System.
COMPANY MsIsTs ON MEIER CONTRACI
(From a Stan Correspondent.)

DIES MONIES, Dec. e.-(special.) --No
settlement has yet been reached between
the executive council and the Des Molnes
Waterworks company as to the terms on
which the company is to furnish water for
IRE protection to the state capitol building.
Following the fire that did great damage
to the north wing Of the capitol the legis-
lature appropriated an amount for laying
large sized water mains inside the capitol
grounds and completely enclrcling the
building with numerous FIRE hydrants. No
water has yet been turned into these pipes
for the reason that an agreement cannot
be reached with the waterworks company,
and the matter may be left to the legisla-
ture to determine. The waterworks COM
rany wishes to put in water meter to
measure the water used and the executive
council does not wish TO go to that ex-
pense There is further disagreement as
TO the terms Of supplying the water
It is probable that in a few days water
will be turned on to test the strength of
the mains.
When the state arranged to put in the
MAINS the Des Moines Waterworks COM
pany made a bid to get the work OF laying
the mains. Tho state had a bid from an
other source $500 less than that Of the
Des Moines Waterworks company and
the contract was let to IT, 1t Is claimed
that the Des Moines company is now
plqued at not getting the contract. There
was trouble even before that, however
the state desired that there be larger sized
water mains laid entirely around the capitol
grounds in the street, so that adequate fire
protection could be furnished the building,
the lesson having been learned when the
fire occurred in 1904 that the mains were
too small. The idea OF the executive coun-
ell was to have the mains inside the
grounds laid by the state and connected
with those outside the grounds, and the
pumps OF the power and heating plant
across the street connected with the mains
thus insurlng pressure. The water com
pany refused to bear the expense OF laying
the larger mains The executive council
held that II was the duty OF the company
TO lay mains large enough TO supply the
water needed In case Of FIRE and pointed
to the fire of 1904 as proof that the present
mains were too small Upon action OF
the executive council Governor Cummins
wrote letter to the mayor OF the city
and also called the attention Of the legis-
lature to the matter. But nothing has been
done to make the street mains big enough
TO carry a sufficient supply OF water for
/ IRE protection
Now the state has laid mains inside the
grounds around the entire building and has
put In 1--WE large water pipes leading to
the top OF the building, and again there
is trouble with the water company this
time being over the question OF rates and
meter. The mains are In no way connected
with the service pipes Of the building and
water cannot be used through them except
for fire, and as fires are not expected TO
break out often In the state house the
state does not want a meter in the mains
to obstruct the flow, and believes that sat
isfactory rates can be decided upon without
a meter. But the company insist on a
meter.
'POEaum Lodge VIII Meet,
The annual possum supper by Jef Logan
lodge No. / has been fixed for Wednesday,
December ~. The gathering Is an annual
affair OF no mean proportions In the poll
tics OF the state. Every governor for
years has been guest and senators and
congressman and Legislators have sat at
the feast and been initiated into the mys-
terles OF the game. The supper Is given
at the home OF the ex-slave, who is now a
prosperous citizen, and regularly IN charge
OF the cloak room OF the senate at each
session OF the Legislature.
Ten Days Encampmene.
In his annual report - the Legislature
| Adjutant General w II. Thrift recon-
mends that the annual camp be length