Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-19
NO MORE WORK FOR kIERsTED
Council Decides Against Having Him
Confer with AIvOrd.

Council Decides Against Having Him
Confer with AIvord.
The city council last night turned down
hard a motion of Councilman Hendrix,
member of the special water works com
mittee that w. Kiersted, the expert en-
gineer employed by the city be further
employed to return to Council Bluffs and
confer with Mr.. Alvord the expert en-
gineer representing the water works, with
view If possible of reconciling the diff
ferences in their respective valuations of
the water works plant.
The city council assisted by Mayor
Macrae after tie vote had been an
nounced decided to stand pat on Mr. Kier-
steds report as to the value of the plant
by adopting the following resolution intro
duced by Councilman Wallace, chairman Of
the special water works committee, not
on behalf Of his committee, but acting as
Sn individual member of the council:
Resolved, BY the city council of Council
that the special water committee acting
for this body, shall in its negotiations with
the Council Bluffs City Waterworks COM
pany consider the value Of the water plant
owned by said company to be not in eX-
cess OF the valuation placed upon said
plant by our consulting engineer and ex-
pert W. kiersted, namely, SCOOPS.
This resolution was introduced by Coun-
Gilman Wallace in advance of the reading
by him of the letter written him and Man
ager Hart of the water works company by
Mr.. Kiersted in which the latter announced
his willingness, If authorized by the city
council. to come to Council Bluffs and go
over their respective reports with Mr.. AL
word. The discussion precipitated by the
resolution occupied the greater part of the
session ana at times was anything but
harmonious. All of the councilmen took
part in the discussion, although Councilman
Wallace had the floor the greater part Of
the time.
In Offering his resolution Councilman
Wallace insisted that the council should
stand pat On Mr. Kiersted's report and
valuation and should throw the burden of
proof that the valuation was not fair on
the water works company. Referring to the
valuation placed on the plant by Mr.. AL
word, the expert employed by the water
works company, Councilman Wallace de-
clared with considerable warmth and en-
phasis that the report a "palpable
fraud" He further declared that Mr.. AL
word had not made any of the computa-
lions or measurements himself and that it
would be perfectly ridiculous to have Mr..
Kiersted come here to raise his own fig
ures."
Later during the discussion George S.
Wright, attorney for the water works com
pany. took exception to Councilman Wal
lace's assertion that Mr.. Alvord's report
was a "palpable fraud" and Manager Hart
called the attention CT the councilman from
the Third ward to the fact that both Mr..
Kiersted and Mr.. Alvord made their COM
putations from the measurements made by
the same man employed to perform this
part OF the work.
The vote on the resolution stood for It's
adoption, Fleming, Olson, Wallace Younk
erman; against, Hendrix. Knudson, Ma
loney Smith 1t being a tie. Mayor Macrae
asserted his privilege Of voting and de
cided the matter in favor Of the resolu-
ticn.
Then Councilman Hendrix moved that MIR.
Kiersted be employed for not to exceed
three days to meet and confer with Mr..
Alvord. To this Councilman Wallace voiced
a vigorous protest, and at this point in
the discussion produced Mr.. Kiersted's let
ter and read it to the council.
why did you not read that before you
introduced your resolution? If I had heard
that letter 1 would not have voted for your
resolution" remarked Councilman FTem-
ing.
Mayor Macrae addressed the council in
favor of Hendricks motion, at the same
time taking the opportunity to again de-
clare he was for municipal ownership,
first last and all the time. Councilman
Wallace, not to be outdone, said the
mayors sentiments were his, and this
caused Councilman Younkerman to throw
bouquet al himself in the same connec-
ton. Despite the mayors eloquence,
Councilman Wallace carried the day. and
Councilman Hendricks motion went glim-
mering by a vote of to ., Counclmen Ma
loney and Fleming alone stood by Council
man Hendrix.
After some more pyrotechnics the matter
was dropped and other business given a
show
At the suggestion of Councilman Ma
loney, a committee of three was appointed
to confer with the county supervisors
relative to securing assistance from the
county road fund toward the paving Of
Lower Broadway. Councilmen Maloney,
Olson and Smith comprise the committee.
The ordinance granting the Burlington
a right-of-way for a single track on Fourth
street in front of the proposed building
of the BlooPer Ice and Cold Storage com
pany was referred back TO the city attor-
ney for redrafting. 1t was considered too
broad In its scope.