Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-05
WATER RATES ARE UP AGAIN
Special Committee Ordered to Prepare
Schedule on Compromise BasiL
CHAIRMAN WALLACE sALKs ON THE MOVE
Insists He VIII Accept Nothing hut
Engineer Kiersted's Valuation as
Basis for Computing
the Rates.

the Rates.
BY a decisive vote Of to 3 the city
council last night took steps to bring the
long-pending negotiations with the water
works company to speedy and amicable
settlement. The special committee, of
which Councilman Wallace is chairman,
was instructed to draw UP a schedule OF
rates and submit same to the council at
the earliest date possible. The instructions
also provided that the committee for this
purpose use q valuation midway between
the appraisement OF w. Kiersted, the ex-
pert employed by the city, and that Of ].
w Alvord, the consulting engineer en-
ployed by the water works company Mr..
Kiersted placed the value Of the plant at
$500 9ls while Mr.. Alvords valuation was
SOS, 344, so a valuation of approximately
$500. 600 will be what the special com
the rate schedule.
This action on the part Of the council
was brought out by the presentation of the
following petition:
We have read the petitions recently pre-
sented to the city council by large ma
| jority of the business interests of this
Of the plainly stated wishes of these pc
titioners, we respectfully ask that the
| council proceed at once TO enter into an
! agreement with the existing company
We suggest that any franchise that may
| be offered 10 the company SHOULD be for
"a term of years long enough to warrant
| the investment by the, company Of sur
| fcient money to make necessary reinforce
ments and extensions, but that the city
should reserve the right to purchase at
! any time In view of the further fact that
! the power to make or change rates at
any time rests with the council and to
| the end that the necessary improvements
| may be made at once and to the end that
| this matter be settled without any more
direct expense to the city or indirect ex-
pense to the people In the matter OF in
surance rates, we suggest that, for a basis
/ for rate making only, valuation midway
between the eity's apPraiser, and the water
| That your consideration for the taxpay-
ers and the business interests of the city
and Immediately take steps to bring nego-
| tiations to a successful conclusion along
the lines Indicated above is the earnest
wish OF your petitioners.
This was signed by:
The Kretchmer Manufacturing company,
per E. Kretchmer; Fred l. Herman. Her
man Bros., A. p Hanchett. George F.
| woodford g. Ainsworth. Charles e. Wood
bury, ]. j. Stewart, N. Marcus, Carbon
Coal company, by F. P. Wright; Council
F. F. Wilcox Hoist & spetman. ]. g.
| Wadsworth. Clark Drug company, ]. M.
Flagler: M J Bellingsr 1, the orahl-Ps Peter
1 dry and Manufacturing company, by r. M.
| sprague; G; Hafer Lumber company. Con
solidated Construction company, e. Chill
dren & Sons Manufacturing company, per
| F. r. Children; A. Louie, A. Metzger Co.,
Israel Lovett and r. H. Bloomer.
starts wordy Contest.
! After the petition had been read Coun-
Gilman Smith moved that the prayer OF the
petitioners be granted and that the special
committee be instructed to draw up a
schedule Of rates In accordance with the
| suggestions contained in this petition and
the one presented at the previous meeting.
Councilman Wallace at once offered an
amendment to the effect that the petition
| be referred to his committee. This brought
| Councilman Maloney TO his feet with a
protest against the suggestion OF the coun-
Gilman from the Third ward. He called
attention to the fact that the former petit
! ton had been referred to the special com
mittee and that nothing had been heard
from It since. Mr.. Maloney said he was
tired of the delay in the water works mat
| ter and he thought II was time that some
thing be done to bring the matter to a
settlement one way or the other.
| After more or less discussion, during
which Manager Hart of the water works
company explained his position and took
the occasion to contradict some of the
statements of Councilman Wallace, the
latters amendment was defeated by a vote
| OF to g. Councilmen Fleming. Hendrix.
Knudsen. Maloney and Smith voting for
1t, The vote stood the same on the orig
inal motion, Councilmen Olson. Wallace and
Younkerman voting against 1t.
When Councilman Olson. who was pre-
4 alIt d., aha 90
announced that the amendment had been
lost and that Councilman Smiths original
motion had carried, Councilman Wallace
said with much emphasis:
las chairman OF the special committee
l will not take 100000 as the basis for ne
gotiations with the water works company
either for purchase of the plant or rate
making, l think 1t is unfair"
Paving Bids Called For.
A resolution instructing the city clerk
to advertise for bids for the paving OF the
streets and avenues orderd so improved at
the last meeting was adopted. The bids
have to be in the hands OF the clerk 10y
noon of March IS. The list OF streets
ordered paved includes Broadway from
Twentieth street to the approach 70 the
motor company's bridge.
Of dirt from any leves, water course OF
Indian creek, with penalty of from 81
to $780, was passed under suspension OF
the rules. as was an ordinance reducing
the width between curbs OF Avenue A
from Eighth street TO the tracks q o.
Northwestern railroad. This portion OF
Avenue is among the streets ordered
paved.
Two offers to purchase the cltys lots
which number about 100, on Lower Broad
way We're received. c. T. Peavey & Co
offered the sum of 81 and in addition
agreed TO pay all the special taxes. such
as paving, against the lots. G. II. Mayne
and ]. p. Greenshields offered $50, Will
the same agreement as to the payment OF
special assessments. Both offers were
referred TO the committee OF the whole.
Notice Of suit by Nellie Keller against
the city for $4,000 damages for personal
injuries. alleged to nave been suffered by
| her by reason Of a defertfve sidewalk or