Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-15
BAN FOR SUNDAY. FUNERALS
Mayor Wonld Have Them Prohibited il
City Has the Power to Do So.
NORTHWESTERN TO RAISE ITS BRIDGES
r. A. wickham Leases for One Year
the Dredse which Has Been the
Cause Of So Much worry
to city OmcinIs.

Can the city by ordinance prohibit the
holding of funerals on Sundays except in
cases of actual necessity" was a ques-
ton prUpounded by Mayor Macrae at the
meeting of the city council last night, II
It was possible the mayor insisted that
Sunday funerals should be prohibited In
explanation Mayor Macrae said the Sab
bath was considered day OF rest, but
the prevalence OF funerals on Sundays pre-
vented large number Of men, including
the undertakers, ministers, livery barn en-
poyes, carriage drivers, sections and 9TH
ers from enjoying such rest. The mayor
said his attention had been called to the
matter by the Amalgamated Union Of Car
riage Drivers and he believed that II such
as ordinance would be legal. one ought to
be passed by the city. The councilmen,
not being posted on the law governing such
matter, referred It 10 the mayor and city
solicitor with instructions to report back
at the next meeting
The question Of the disposition Of the
large Indian creek dTedge was solved last
night by the councilmen at least for one
year An offer of Contractor f. A. Wick
ham to hire the dredge for one year at
a rental Of $3.50 was accepted. Wickham
needs the dredge on his work on the
Pigeon creek drainage ditch In Rockford
and Crescent townships and he is to bear
the expense of taking the dredge out Of
the creek and is to return 1t to the city
at whatever place designated in the same
condition in which he received It.
Northwestern to Raise Bridges.
A communication from Chief Engineer
Carter Of the Northwestern conveyed the
assurance that his company would com
mence the work Of raising It's bridges over
Indian creek as soon as the material could
be got on the ground, also that the COM
pany would take up at once with the
street railway the matter of the raising OF
the tracks of the latter on Broadway be-
tween the depot and the bridges.
The contract for the city printing was
awarded to Fryer brothers and that for
drugs to o. H. Brown. c. HafeT sub
mitted the only bid for lumber and it was
decided to reject the bid and permit the
purchase of lumber where It could be OBJ
tanned cheapest. There being no bids for
furnishing ice to the city it was also de-
! cided to go into the open market and pur-
chase it where cheapest. ]. H. Sherlock
was given the contract for city scavenBcr,
he being the only bidder. 49,.
Chairman Younkerman of the committee
on fire and light asked that the city ad-
hose, 500 feet OF one-inch hose, 100 feet
chemical hose and Atty feet of garden
hose for the fire department His request
was granted and the city clerk Instructed
| to advertise.
The purchase by Councilman Wallace,
chairman of the streets and alleys COM
mittee of an Austin road grader at a cost
| of $50 was approved and the bill ordered
paid.
| New Entrance to Park.
Asserting that It would afford an excellent
| entrance into Fairmont park, residents In
the vicinity asked that High street be
! opened from Ninth avenue to Story street
and the matter was referred to the city
engineer and streets and alleys committee.
| M. c. Bethers in a written communica-
tion notified the city council not to give
| permission to the Independent Telephone
company to set poles opposite his property
| on Twenty-sixth avenue until the curb line
has been more accurately determined by
actual survey. The communication was
ordered placed on file.
| Councilman KnUdsen expressed a curios-
ity to ascertain how soon Judge McPher-
! son intended handing down his decision in
the water rate injunction suit recently
argued before him. City Solicitor Kimball
informed the councilman from the Fourth
| ward that 1t might be in a few days or II
might be few weeks, but he felt sure that
Judge Mcpherson would render his decision
at the earliest moment possible,
The city council adjourned to next Mon
day night and will meet as a committee
Of the whole this afternoon at o'clock.