Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-05
SALOON CASES Up IN COURT
City Attorney Breen and Attorney ThOms
Appear in Supreme Court
BRELN OuEsTIONs TROMAsI GOOD FMTH
Irrigation Board Meets and Hears
Report Of Work Done Daring
the Past Year by Sec
Rotary DObsOn.
{From a stan Correspondent

From a stan Correspondent
LINCOLN. April 4.-(SpeciaL) -City At
torney Breen and Elmer E. Thomas at
torney for the Omaha Civic Federation.
aired the troubles of the board and the
people Of Omaha before the supreme court
this afternoon in the most approved
fashion. The history came out in the case
wherein Thomas Is trying TO get the board
TO pay for the transcript OF testimony
offered IN the protest cases which he filed
against the granting of a number Of saloon
licenses. and Breen wants to save the
board from this expense. In the, lower
court Thomas secured a mandamus to COM
pei the board to furnish the transcript at
once and the board appealed.
The case was set for oral argument yes
terday. but as neither lawyer was here
the court allowed them to take it UP to-
day. Breen argued that Thomas did not
want the transcript for the purpose of APP
peal TO the district court from the de-
cision OF the board, but merely to hold
as a club over the heads of saloon men
to compel them TO keep an agreement
made with the Civic Federation regarding
Sunday closing. Breen further said the
board had no money with which TO pay
for the transcript, which would cost in the
neighborhood of 5000.
Thomas said the members drew pay at
the rate Of $ an hour for what work they
did, and besides that they employed a clerk
who was paid g. 200 year There was
no reason. Thomas said. why this clerk
should not be a stenographer and furnish
the transcript for nothing and incidentally
earn his salary. Then Mr.. Thomas went
after the Board of Fire and Police Com
missloners.
Board of Irrigation Meeting.
The State Board of Irrigation held its
semi-annual meeting this afternoon and be-
sides approving the actions of the secretary
during the last six months, it held up a
claim filed by Prof. o. v. p Stout, who is
in charge of the government experimental
work. for $780, The last legislature APP
propriated 5000 to be used in this work un-
der the direction Of the government, the
latter at the same time agreeing to give
5000 to the work Prof. Stout in charge OF
the work, has been experimenting with
wells out in Chase county along the French
man river, to see what will be the cost of
getting water for irrigation purposes. At
Lexington experiments are being made in
drainage. This land has alkali in It and the
government is trying TO find a way the al
kali can be taken out by means of drain
age pipes beneath the ground. Later, ex-
periments will be made in the western
counties TO see just how little water can
be used to insure a crop.
The bill filed by Prof. Stout was held up
because no statement had been filed with
the governor that the government had APP
propriated an equal amount of money.
The report of Secretary Dobson. filed
with the board and approved, showed he
had approved sixteen applications for water.
dismissed six petitions. cancelled twelve.
issued twenty-five certificates of approval,
issued three certificates extending time,
five applications of extension were refused
one motion fora rehearing was denied and
two petitions for relocations were approved.
Assessment Question Decided.
The State Board of Assessment met this
afternoon to pass upon the question of
where cattle should be assessed, in the
county in which they are pastured or where
the owner resides The assessor of Dawson
county assessed cattle which were being
pastured in Custer county and the asses
sor Of the latter county also got them on
his rolls The board decided the cattle
should be assessed where they are pastured.
Farmers TO Quit Business.
The Farmers Grain and Stock company
of Kenesaw filed statement with the sec
rotary of state today that as soon as it
coulu VIM up It's buslnesS IL would cancel
its charter.
Redfern Doubles Up.
E. l.. Redfern, some time state chemist
has been appointed by Governor Mickey
as deputy food commissioner to succeed w.
f. Thompson resigned. The salary is 81, 800
"a year. Mr.. Redfern will continue to act as
chemist and Will also do his own steno-
graphic work. which will be a saving to
the state of $1,150 year, Mrs. Thompson
formerly acted as stenographer and was
paid for the time she put in. Last year she
worked five months. The governor will
appoint no other stenographer or chemist,
but will have Redfern do all the work in
the office.
school Bonds Registered.
The city of Grand Island this morning
registered $4,000 school bonds voted TO
erect a high school building. Owing to the
history Of the bonds they have been held
up for some time. but were finally passed
by the legal department. The town of
Henderson also registered 5000 water
bonds.
Politicians Are Gathering.
John wall. Senator Fries and Congress-
man Pollard reached town tonight and all
win remain until after the state commit
tee meeting tomorrow night, though the
two candidates for governor said they
cared not what the date Of the convention
is to be. Mr.. Pollard's committee meets
Friday night. AS yet Pollard is unde-
cided whether TO urge a primary.
II was reported here tonight that Con-
gresham Mccarthy was dangerously III
at his home in Ponca, though the report
could not be verified
CehteRaFian Dies in Asylum.
Mrs. Julia Massey, aged 100 years, died
IN the Lincoln Insane hospital this morning
after having been an invalid for years
The woman was taken 70 the hospital over