Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-22
WATER ENGINEER WANTED
Council Committee Asks Authority to
Employ Competent Man.
REQUEST GOES TO COMMITTEE or WHOLE
City Attorney Reports that Ordinance
Prohibiting sunday Funerals
Would Not he Sustained
.... By the Courts.

Contrary to announcement the special
COMMITTEES on waterworks OF which Coun-
Gilman Wallace is chairman did not make
a report at the meeting of the city council
last night recommending that negotiations
for the purchase OF the present plant be
abandoned and that the city proceed At
once to take steps looking towards the
construction OF an entirely new waterworks
system The special committee, however.
submitted a report stating that. after
numerous conferences between Il and the
representatives OF the waterworks com
pany and the special counsel engaged by
the city It deemed it advisable that a
competent and skillful hydraulic engineer
be employed to Sompute the value Of the
present plant and give an estimate OF the
cost OF Che construction OF new one.
The committe further asked that it be
authorized to engage the service OF such an
hydraulic engineer.
While some of the councilmen had been
prepared for such request following the
visit of Engineer styles Of Minneapolis to
this city last week they were in no hurry
to rush into acqulescing TO It, They wanted
further time to look into the matter them
selves and would like to be consulted TO
who the engineer should be. Others said
they did not feel like mourning the
pense of engaging a presumably high-priced
engineer without taking time to consider
what benefit the city would obtain by doing
so. The result OF more less discussion
was that the report and request OF the
special committee was finally referred to
the committee OF the whole
No Ban on sunday Funerals.
A. to an ordinance prohibiting Sunday
funerals. City Solicitor Kimball submitted
q written opinion to the effect that. mas
much funerals are regarded by the law
necessary and charitable, no ordinance
prohibiting such on the Sabbath would be
held legal AS substitute Mr. Kimball
submitted a draft of an ordinance prohibit
ing a number OF things, such as dancing.
hunting. horse racing. buying and selling
property Of any kind. etc, on the Sabbath,
but the measure was promptly and without
discussion laid on the table, the council
men taking the whole thing as a Joke.
A communication from Secretary. Reed
of the Commercial club. embodying the re-
quest OF the special committee appointed 10
devise ways and means for improving the
condition of Lower Broadway, that the
council pass wide-tire ordinance, hll up
the holes on Broadway so as to make It
passable and experiment with Louisville,
fefrsd to the committee of the whole. A
1ide-tire ordinance, such as proposed by
this committee. was introduced by Council
man wallace and referred likewise 20 the
committee OF the whole after the first read
ing. --..--.
Mayor Macrae brought up his hobby, the
street sweeper, but before he had time to
expatiate upon Its advantages Councilman
Wallace said the committee on streets and
alleys. OF which he is chairman, was look
ing upon the matter and would make
full report at the next meeting OF the coun-
eiL ..... &c..
The mayor also called attention TO the
fact that the contract with the Citizens
Gas and Electric company expired soon and
asked IL anything was going 20 be done In
the matter. Councilman Younkerman.
chairman of the committee on fire and
light, assured his honor that his commit
tee had the matter we'll in hand and would
be able TO make report in the near flu
ture.
Residents in Babitt Place made applica-
ton for q Gre hydrant in their vicinity and
the matter was referred to the committee
OF the whole The council adjourned to
Thursday afternoon.