Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-26
ECONOMY WITH A VENGEANCE
Dave Rowden Tries to Shut OFF Ice from
Mayor and Chief
LATTER REFUSE TO STAND THE CUT
DahIman Says He VIII Rescind Action
of City Council in Adopting
Superintendent's Rec
concentration.

The matter of ice supply is just now the
burning question in the city hall. II is the
paramount issue and the vortex OF all
other municipal issues. Chief OF Police
Donahue and superintendent David Rowden
Of the city hall had a little tete-a-tete FRI
day morning over the ice question. DAVID
Rowden wanted to bite a chunk out OF the
chief of police and the chief of police tried
to grab the superintendent by the horns.
There will be ice in the Office of the CHER
of police hereafter and the bulletins say
there will be ice in other offices OF the mu-
nicipal building.
Democratic economy Is the skeleton IN
the closet Like Mr.. Atlas, who walked
around with the earth on his shoulders Just
to make a show of his strength, Mr.. Row
den has been trying to cut down expenses
in the city hall until he reached the pro-
verbal straw which brought down the
wrath of the chief of police and other OFF,
cials in the city hall.
The thing came to a head Friday morn
ing and broke in beautiful manner. When
Mr.. Rowden walked into the chiefs office,
paving the earth and trying to hook every
body, the chief told Secretary Shields to
get Mayor Jim with his lariat that Rowden
might be caught and tied down. Mr.. Row
den got real fussy with the chief, told him
TO look after Grimes and criminals" and
that he (Rowden) would look after the city
hall
The chief said he wanted ice in his water
! tank, as the expense for that commodity
came out of the police fund and not out of
the general city fund.
ROwden Learns Something.
why didn't you say so before?" asked
Rowden.
Rowden Compromised by saying he
thought the chiefs ice was paid for out
of the general fund and promised to look
after the matter hereafter.
But, 1 want you to understand, Mr..
| Chief that / cut barrel heads forty years
/ ago In Ohio for the Standard Oil company
and was custodian for the Nebraska capitol
and that l am running this city hall. You
look after your men and the saloons and
| IN see to the city hail." Rowden retorted.
Rowden is something Of human sala-
mander when he gets riled up But his
economical outbreaks are going to be cur
tailed and several pieces OF old tinware
are going to be tied to him If he does not
settle down. 50 the owl says.
The mayor has taken cognizance OF Row
denis economy While the mayor realizes
$4,000 must be saved in the city's running
expenses this year, he does not think IL
wise TO deprive the city officials and clerks
of heat and light
Last Tuesday evening Rowden offered the
city council a recommendation that Ice be
dispensed with until March Is, by which
time he believed better contract than s.
per ton could be secured by the city for
1897. The council approved the recon-
mendation and forthwith Rowden told the
ice man to pass the city hall without
speaking.
Complaints have been made that Rowden
has been skimping on heat and light. As
for the ice. Mayor Dahlman Friday morn
| ing said he would rescind the councils
action and order Rowden to furnish ice
as usual