Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-16
WATER RATES STILL UNDECIDED
Council Committee Holds n FruitIess
session.

Council Committee Holds n FruitIess
session.
THE whole matter Is still up in the air."
was the announcement made by Mayor
Macrae last night after the city council
meeting as a meeting, of the whole had
discussed the proposed waterworks con,
tract franchise for nearly three hours be-
hind closed doors in his Office in the city
building.
One result of last nights discussion was
that Harl & FINLEY. the special counsel en-
gagged by the city to represent the city in
the negotiations for the municipal owner
ship of the waterworks plant were in
structed to redraft the proposed contract
franchise and furnish each member of the
city council with a copy that he could
peruse and consider same at his leisure.
Most of the discussion last night was de-
voted to hydrant rentals, although the
matter of rates to private consumers also
came In for some The committee was pro-
vided with data from other cities in the
state and elsewhere which showed that the
rates charged to private consumers in
Council Bluffs were not higher than the
average elsewhere Several of the alder
men, however. are holding out for a re
duction of these rates, especially In the
case of fve-room cottages, which they con-
tend should be lowered from 81 TO S.
While the contract-franchise proposition
has been submitted to the waterworks
company by the special committee and in
general way accepted as satisfactory by
the company, nothing so far has been sub
mitted to the company as to the matter OF
rates and in fact, according to Mayor
Macrae, nothing definite has as yet beer
determined on this phase of the question
by the special committee or the committee
of the whole.
The contract-franchise as discussed las
night is substantially the same as hal
7 already been explained in the columns o.
The Bee 1t is practically a double headed
ordinance, containing a contract which 4
to govern the operation of the plant pend
J ing the ruling by the courts on the lega
questions involved in the effort of the cit!
} TO purchase the plant. The franchise por
} ton provides for twenty-hve-year char
ter, to become operative in the event tina
the city finds 1t is unable to acquire own
ership of the plant.
The details OF the contract. in which vii
be embodied the rates for hydrant rental
and the rates to be charged private con
sumers by the company, are as yet, so
was stated after the meeting last night
undetermined. 1t is understood however
that the special committee, Of which Alder
man Weaver is chairman. recommends Il
the matter Of hydrant rentals that the cit
pay $40 year each for the first 800 ny
\ drants and $35 each for all above that mum
Der. Under the present franchise the rents
. is $50 for the first 800 hydrants and 81
, for the remainder, the total rental amount
ing to $4,000 annually. Under the renta
proposed to be embodied in the new con
tract this would be reduced 20 S12 500. TIL
contract further provides in it's presen
. form that the company shall furnish waite
free for all public buildings. fire station,
, library. schools and hospitals.
A reduction is also suggested In mete
rates.