Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-06
COMPARISONS OF PAST AND PRESENT
Regular Business of the Council
Suspended and old and Young
esIdents Join I'm General
Jubilee.


ulaf city government was fittingly marked
last evening in the council chamber,
where exercises commemorative of the oc-
casion were given. The one striking fea-
ture OF the celebration was the preS ce
OF Captain Charles H. Downs, u
surviving member OF Omaha's 2,
council, and James w Van i ~
FIRST city recorder. These two We Nv
men occupied seats on the platform n =
Mayor Dahlman and President JOIN
of the council. Last evening was [
first time Captain Downs had been dow.
town for three years. A carriage was
sent for him last evening and he was
brought to the city hall in the company
of his daughter. Anna. Captain Downs
was Ss years OF age February II and
claims to be the first white man to sleep
in Omaha. He was on the program for
a talk and he did his best and made a
few remarks which were thoroughly APP
preciated, in view OF the circumstances.
The council chamber was neatly dec
grated with flags and bunting for the
occasion. The attendance was largely of
the old timers who caught the inspiration
OF the hour. Mingling with the old guard
were present day city officials and visitors
from Council Bluffs and South Omaha.
The program extended to along after
the eleventh hour
Inasmuch as last evening was the reg
uIar evening for the council meeting the
members took an adjournment to this
evening, when the weekly council meeting
will be held.
Proceedings of First Council Meeting.
Mayor Dahlman presided and opened the
program with a short talk in which he
said the meeting had been gotten up to
honor the memory OF those who founded
the city government, and those who kept
Il alive during the years. He introduced
City Clerk Butler who read from the
original book an account OF the proceed
ings OF the FIRST council meeting held in
a building on Farnan street between
Eleventh and Twelfth. ON the afternoon OF
THURSDAY, March s. 1857. Captain Downs
, followed with his brief remarks.
~ James w Van Nostrand. the 1rst city
! clerk. or recorder" gave evidence OF a
remarkable memory for a man in his nth
year of life. He gave brief biographical
sketches of the men forming the frst city
government and. although he arose from a
sick bed 10 attend last evenings meeting,
stood up splendidly under the task at hand.
In the early days MIR. Van Nostrand was
clerk or secretary on nearly every oc-
casion OF any public nature. He was at
tended by his wife last evening,
Mayor Dahlmsn offered a tender tribute
in referring to DIR. George L. Miller, who
was next in order on the program
Ills title is as clear as the sunlight and
his life of more than ffty years in Omaha
is one to be proud of. He is honored by
every man, woman and child in Omaha, "
the mayor said, in formally introducing
DR.. Miller. MIR. Miller became effected
he arlxr Al fe ma
those who wrought with hand and brain
for the advancement OF Omaha.
Fifty-twO Years In Omaha.
at have been deeply touched by the
mayors kind words" the doctor said. In
his remarks which followed ne said:
"There Is honor for all the old-timers l
am here tonight to thank the Almighty
for having spared me these fifty-two years
In Omaha TO witness the wonderful growth
OF our town. We are making history by
honoring the memory OF the pioneers to-
night. To show how Omaha's growth stw-
passed even the most sanguine hopes OF
the men who first came here. might re-
late an incident which happened when Mr..
Poppleton and 1 were sitting on a cotton
wood log In the by-gone days Mr.. Pop
pieton ventured TO predict that I would
live TO see Omaha have a population of a,
least 5000. Then and there we agreed 70
stay here, he 10 practice law and l medi-
cine. although at the time there were only
Indians to practice on. In those days a
man with $4,000 was rated as a Croesus
Dr. Miller during his interesting tall
related numerous early day incidents and
shook Captain Downs and Mr.. Van Nos.
trand by the hand in a way that brought
q solemn hush over the gathering.
Frederick b. Lowe, son OF the first mayor
OF Omaha. Jesse Lowe made brief &C
acknowledgement TO request that he speak
Judge George w. Doane. sole survivor o.
the council OF 1S6S. recalled opposition mad'
by the Omaha Herald when he was in tn,
council /. q. Hascall, with a rather en-
thusiastic disregard for time limit. spoke
on range OF subjects as long as tn,
Missouri river. He said there was no placs
like Omaha. He advocated the establish
ulent OF woolen and paper mills and cemen
factories, as well as the damming OF tn,
Big Pappio. He thought the city council
should have complete charge OF all cit,
affairs. thus doing away with boards II,
humorously referred to one OF the firs
CITY ordinances, that OF prohibiting hog.
nnnfng at large, by saying that today sucl
kn ordnance would not be necessary. a,
the city has a mayor who can 20 out AND
rope the best truant hos that ever emittet
= suueaL When he saw Uncle Joe Red
mar warming up for the next number
Judge Hascan took his cue and relinquishes
the floor after speaking nearly an hou
and apoiogizing for not having said any
thing.
Uncle Joe Redman suggested that tn,
name OF Sixteenth street be changed 4
some dignihed name. W. T. Canada. sher
look Holmes for the TTniou PaclAc sat,
he came 10 Omaha forty-one years ag'
70 the DAY from Kentucky. W. /. Kierste,
oflered some food for thought on the need
OF citizens supporting their city onicial
and Of the things Ofacials have to conten,
with IN the discharge OF their duties.