Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-18
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Expert to Examine City FOoks for Last
Two Years
BRIDGES WANTS TO DANISH GAS PLANT
OHers Ordinance RequirinE that
Present Plant he Removed within
Two Years TO some site to
he Selected

over the protests Of Bridges and Zimman,
the city council last night authorized the
employment Of an expert accountant at
cost of not more than $3.50 day to check
the fiscal affairs Of the city for at least
two years back from May 81. 1906. The ex-
pert is 10 be selected by the mayor and
approved by the council and to work under
the directions OF the executive and comp
troller Zimman said II was questionable
whether the city had the right to hire the
service without letting a contract and sug-
gested that II 1t were done accountants
should submit bids. f. A. Dworsk asked
that privilege in letter received by the
council last night In response to a ques-
ton Comptroller Lobeck said the expert
was not needed.
Ordinances introduced.
An ordinance was introduced by Council
man Bridges which would require the gas
company to remove its manufacturing and
storage plant from Twentieth and Center
streets within two years or secure the
assent of property owners within a radius
OF 1000 feet. Another site would be desig-
mated by the mayor and council and must
be 1000 feet from any dwelling or have the
consent of the property owners within
that distance. In case the terms of the
ordinance are not met IL will be the duty
OF the city engineer to tear down the plant.
The ordinance insisted upon by the mayor
orders 10 require every chunk of ice sold
to be actually weighed was introduced. Not
only ice but all commodities sold by weight
or measure are affected. All such articles
| OF commerce must be weighed or measured.
In default of compliance, both employer
and employee are to be held equally re-
sponsible and may be penaized by fines
running from SOS to S1OO or up to thirty
days in jail.
Councilman Zimman,s law to bar out
fakirs OF all kinds from the streets and pre-
vent the vending OF patent medicine
samples was passed.
Bids on New Engine House.
Bios were received and awarded for the
construction of the new FIRE engine house
at Twenty-fourth and Cunning az follows:
| Construction, p. ]. Creedon & Sons. SOLOS;
| electric wiring and fixtures E. F. Schurg
Co. S275; heating and plumbing, T. F.
| Balfe. g. 100. There were seven other bids
for construction. all OF them being higher
and one being S24,1OO. There was one other
bid on wiring. two on plumbing and one
| on heating.
/ The city attorney passed up the ice trust
investigation to the county attorney. whom
he said was the proper officer to handle it.,
| For the 'steenth time the appointment
Of T. F. Lee for city prosecutor was re-
jected. That Of John Rakowski for janitor
OF the fourth floor at the city hall was
confirmed
| Another Assistant Attorney.
The ordinance to create the Office Of
second assistant city attorney at 5000 a
year was introduced. A proposal to in
| III. alar 81 ln md
assistant building Inspector from SO to SIS
a month was turned down
Councilman Bridges found fault with a
resolution proposing to authorize additional
expenses in arranging ofIices at the city
hall in order to provide room for the
| county treasurer. Some of the council had
endeavored to sanction the cutting through
OF a door in the rooms that will be. &C.
! cupied by the chief Of police. Bridges.
who is chairman of the committee on
buildings and property, had not been con-
suited. He succeeded i'm mastering enough
votes to kill the resolution. ~ .''
Water Company willing to Help.
Manager Fairfield of the Water company
in response to communication Of inquiry
said that while the company hardly Thought
Il justifiable for the city to ask for ex-
tensions OF mains and new fire hydrants
willis the appraisal litigation Is pending
and the Water Board resisting water
hydrant rental bills, yet in instance re-
ferred to the company would make the
extension II the request was approved bS
the Water Board.
The city clerk was instructed to adver.
tise for bids for building the relief storm
sewer which will run near Jones street
from Sixth to Sixteenth streets and which
Is TO be big contract
Councilmen Bedford and Brucker were
absent.