Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-31
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Public Service Corporations Come in for
Large Measure Of Attention.
STREET RAILWAY TRANSFER REMINDER
Ordinance introduced for Municipal
Electric PIant-FunkhOuser's Gas
Ordinance Comes Into
the Light.

AZ an duJbuIlltu HlttlAllb Va lAAN NiNs NSN''
ell held Saturday night three Omaha public |
service corporations were brought into the |
councllmanic spot light. The three In dues-
ton were the street car. gas and electric
light companies
Councilman Bridges offered an innocent |
looking little resolution which he explained !
was a reminder for the Omaha & Council !
Bluffs Street Railway company that on De-
cember IL the city council passed uni
versal' transfer ordinance, and that on
January 10 ii will be expected that the
street car company carry out the proVis-
ions Of such ordinance. Counclmen Davis
and Brucker thought the resolution was
premature inasmuch as January 10 was
some days hence.
As a matter Of fact the resolution was
offered for the purpose of getting some
light on an amendment which has been pre-
pared to that ordinance after a. consulta-
ton by street car company representatives
and the railway committee of the council
Councilman Zimman declared that the
street car company can and should carry
out the provisions of the ordinance, and he
objected to such meetings as the one held
during the week at the office Of Attorney
John L. Webster who represented the
street car company. An expression OF the
present temper of the council was obtained
by the vote which followed, the vote to
table the resolution being against and
for and the vote to adopt the resolution be-
ing to In favor of such action. All OF
which would suggest the fate of the amend
ment when II is brought up for considera-
ton in the council chamber.
Move for Municipal Electric Plant.
Councilman McGovern led the charge
against the electric light company. Mr.. NC
Govern introduced an ordinance to author
ize the mayor to issue proclamation TOT
special city election November 5, 1907 to al
low the electors to vote on the matter OF
issuing $4,000 in bonds for the establish
ment Of a municipal electric light plant. The
bonds are to be of 5000 each, OF twenty
years life and to draw 4 per cent interest.
That ordinance was read a first and second
time and referred in the usual manner to
the lighting committee Mr. McGovern said
he was in dead earnest about the matter
and believed 1t would be a boon to the citi-
Gems to vote for such a proposition.
Then Councilman Davis offered a con-
current resolution that 81 cents per hour
per arc lamp be deducted from the electric
| light company's bill against the city for
| all Cottage" of arc lamps, instead of 2
/ cents as is now the case. Mr.. Davis said
he had figured It down carefully and ar
rived at 81 cents as correct figure. while
City Electrician Michaelsen showed that
205 would be the figure, according to his
reckoning. The Davis resolution was unani-
mously adopted. During his remarks on
outage of arc lamps Mr. Davis said
many arc lamps are out some time before
they are reported and that some are never
reported at ALL in some instances the fall
ure being due to lack of patrolmen. who
. | Ia Of a laOoDa
not burning, .-...
Gas Company Comes Next. '.
Councilman Funkhousers ordinances on
the gas commissioner matter were read
first and second times and referred TO a
committee. One ordinance provides for the
duties term of office, manner of appoint
ment and other details of the office of gas
commissioner while the second goes into
detail as to the quality of gas that must
he furnished in Omaha and how the COM
missioner shall proceed to make tests. Both
ordinances have already been explained In
detail.
Mr. Funkhouser also had an ordinance
providing that the city electrician shall
have control Of all gas and electric city
lights and of all electric meters in the city
In addition the electrician shall have under
his supervision meters by which he may
determine what current the city Is receiv
ing under its contract with the electric
light company. This ordinance was referred
to the lighting committee.
The city clerk was directed by resolution
to advertise for bids for apparatus needed
by the gas commissioner for tests OF gal
and meters and for the city electrician II
the matter of keeping a check on currents
to the arc lamps.
An ordinance appropriating $500 for tn
maintenance of a hospital for contagiou
diseases was passed on final reading. II
connection with that ordinance a concur
rent resolution was adopted to authoriz
the mayor to enter into a contract with tn
Visiting Nurses association, which organi
zatlon will have charge of the hospital tn
health commissioner. however to be 4
real authority. TIE contract will be for
year, the city ressrving the right to term
mate 1t at any time.
Contract for City Hall Repairs.
1t was resolved that the bid of RutheI
ford & Jensen for the repairs OF the cit
hall be accepted and a contract prepared
The consideration is S2,slS, which was tn
lowest Of six bids.
]. c. Ritchey will be awarded a contraC
for tho construction Of a temporary work
house for s29s. The workhouse will be a
Twelfth and Nicholas, near the pawn
plant.
Mayor Dahlman rejected two items o
the general appropriation ordnance. n
items being for supplies for the treasurer
ONCE. The city legal department held thu
according TO q charter provision the cit
should pay the county only 1900 a yes
and l per cent of collections as expens,
for collection and disbursement of ell
taxes.
A concurrent resolution offered by Coul
Gilman Brucker to direct the building Il
spector to have removed certain building
was adopted. The resolution referred
small homes of squatters on North Thi
teenth street