Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-12

THE COUNTER CHECK oUARRELsOME.
In cataloguing the various stages in
the development of a controversy
Feuchstone listed the counter-check
quarrelsome" as the fifth in success
sion, leading up to the lie circumstan.
tial" and the lie direct" This seems
to be the status Of the case at present
between the Omaha Water board and
the Omaha Water company. In the
meantime the primal object of the
creation of the Water board seems tc
have entirely vanished. The author
of Senate File No. l." which was tc
operate as If by magic, now comes
forth and admits that the law he
framed and so valiantly championed
four years ago is of no avail in Oma-
has necessity. The plant of the Omahe
Water company positively refuses tc
be bought on terms dictated by the
author of Senate File No. l." Such
contumacious stubbornness can only be
met by like proceeding. Hence the
counter-check quarrelsome.
In resembling the ordinance adopted
by the city council under the provisions
of Senate File No. 1" the Omaha
Water board has adopted a legislative
function. Whether rightfully or not is
not here to be considered. 1t has set
for itself the task of erecting q water
plant sufficient for the inhabitants OF
the city of Omaha, to be in operation
in 1908, at the time when the hydrant
! rental contract with the Omaha Water
company expires. Certain little diff.
culties line the way along which this
project must necessarily travel.
To begin with, If the Omaha Water
board had at present plans drawn and
adopted in detail, contracts let and ma.
terial purchased for the erection Of the
proposed water plant, it would not be
able to have it in operation by 1908
as is proposed. 1t is manifestly q
physical impossibility. No contractor
under present conditions would assume
the task But the Water board has
only tentative plans-suggestions that
have been made by engineers and 9th
ers as to what may be done. The com
mittee promises to proceed with such
expedition as it may, but no time is
fixed for its report.
Another apparent obstacle will bt
the funds for the purchase of the water
plant. Six years ago $9,OOO,OOO II
bonds were authorized by the citizens
of Omaha for the purchase of the
water plant. These bonds are no
available for the erection of a plant
Therefore, before the Water board car
proceed far in its present campaign 1
will be necessary to secure permission
from the citizens to issue bonds TO
the construction of its proposed pump
ing and distributing system. Having
secured this permission the board will
be called upon to sell these bonds
With the litigation so involved and ex
tensive as exists it can easily be ap
pretended that bond buyers will b
chary Of purchasing securities s.
wrapped up In lawsuits.
The contention, as it now stands,
based on the refusal of the Water CON
pany to segregate its Omaha and Sout
Omaha systems and to sell to the cit
that part alone which lies within tn
limits of Omaha proper. Unless well
matured plans miscarry, before 100
Omaha and South Omaha will be on
l municipality. Then the objection no.
raised against the purchase will hav
vanished, and the committee on plan
and specifications will have to exten
= the scope Of its system TO include the
| portion which now it 80 strenuousl
e objects to considering. 1t is easy
e read between the lines of the manifest
I published by the Water board and sc
q a gigantic bluff
= --
hn he