Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-10
STANDS BY COAL CONTRACT
City Declines TO Pay for Higher Grade
Because Contractor Cannot De-
liver Kind Sold.

The meeting of the Board of Fire and
Police Commissioners last night was pre-
sided over by Acting Mayor zimman the
full board being present There was
great deal of routine work to come before
the meeting and this was disposed of.
City Attorney BreenT in response to the
request at the last meeting Of the board
In the matter of the Omaha Coal, Hay and
Building Supplies company, appeared I'm
person and rendered an oral opinion to
the effect that the fuel company will be
Obliged to supply the grade of coal called
for IN it's contract. or better one, at the
price named therein The matter was re-
ferred to the city attorney when letter
was received from the company stating
because of the action of railroads in view
OF the threatened coal strike 1t would be
unable TO secure the grade of coal here
tofore furnished the city, asking II the
hoard would be willing to pay the advanced
price for better grade.
A letter to the board from Mary Regina
! Moores widow of the late Mayor Moores,
was read, in which her thanks were ex-
tended to the body for the expressions of
sympathy and coincidence at the time of
the death Of the cty's executive and for
the flowers sent for the funeral. -'
The case of Michael c. Kotch Of hook
and ladder company No. 8. against whom
charges of INSTRUMENTATION and using pro-
| fame and abusive language had been made,
was called for hearing. The accused fire.
man pleaded guilty and showed such I'M
mistakable signs of sincere contrition that,
| considering his good record, the charges
against him were dismissed with a fine OF
\ s. and a reprimand from Chairman
Broatch. Charges were filed against
! Charles r. Fleming, truckman of hook
| and ladder company No 3, and Robert
Oliver, pipeman engine company No. 2
the former for failing to respond to an
alarm and the latter for being absent from
his company. The cases will both be heard
at the next meeting of the board.
A communication from Chief of Polict
j. ]. Donahue was presented and read. tC
the board bearing on the necessity anC
possibility of an increase in the polic'
force. The letter called the attention o.
the members TO the condition of the de
partment as to numbers, efficiency anC
necessity for an increase. 1t stated tn,
department has at present ffty-five enrolle,
men, of which, deducting those disabled
for any reason, an average or fifty ar
on duty, divided into three shifts Will
the coming OF warm weather and tn
greater demand on the force for purposes
OF serving notices on residents regarding
street and alley cleaning and such mat
ters and for the summer entertainment
features, the letter called attention to tn
urgent need OF increasing the force to tn
largest possible number. The matter wa
referred back to the chief with the reques
that he furnish an estimate of what I'm
crease could be made and still be within
the means for the year.
Lesser matters attended to at the meet
ing were: Granting of druggists liquo
license 10 Reich Drug company, l715 Leav
Lenworth street; relief warrants in tn
Eases OF the sickness OF the following al
lowed from the firemen's relief fund Ben
jamin j. Morris, James A. Henderson
Charles o. Matson. Samuel Gross, Ro
Gray, William Welch and Martin Range
aAo a death certificate in favor OF Mar
j. Gray. The resignation of William +
Guider. lieutenant Of hook and ladder com
pany No. g. was accepted and application
for ten days annual leave at the optic
Of the chief were allowed Ohicers NJ
Sullivan, s. S. Drummy, Ed Morrison,
r. Mcdonald and 5. +. Fisk