Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-19
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
East siderS Strongly in Favor of Becoming
Part Of a Greater On aha.
PACKING HOUSE MEN INDIFFERENT
Live stock Men Complain of made
quate Mail Facilities on North
western Line to Points
West of Fremont.

william Holmes, living at n7 North Thir-
teenth street, is one Of the representative
men Of the east side who stands firmly in
favor Of Greater Omaha. Mr.. Holmes was
born in South Omaha before II was a stray
Cling village. His interests are all In
South Omaha and he has never aspired TO
any public Office He was at one time
member Of the bar and is at present in
the employ of Armour & Co. His position
is such that he knows the feeling Of the
men who work at the packing plants
THE packing house employees" said he
last night ARE either In favor of annexa-
ton or are indifferent entirely. They
don't care for vote in the matter. They
have come to the conclusion that in South
Omaha the popular will is more often de-
feated by manipulations OF politicians than
they are fulfilled. They say, What is the
difference whether we are in Omaha or not.
We might as well be in Omaha as to re-
main in South Omaha where the elections
are thrown one way or the other just as
the dominating interests happen to wish
In this I do not speak for all of the en-
ployes. but 1 am confident that the great
majority think as 1 have said.
"As to myself personally, 1 favor the
proposition of annexation because 1t is
the principle which has built up all cities
and II also underlies all modern business.
These are Illustrations of private thrift,
but the annexation proposition is one OF
public thrift. 1t Is economical, effective
and efficient while the maintaining of sep
arate governments is the opposite in all
respects.
ain my section of the city," said he,
referring to the east side, 1.-The sentiment
for annexation is strong and is growing
stronger. / am confident that all the east
side will carry in favor of 1t If it came
to a vote, but there would be no great kick
II no vote were required"
Complaint on Mail Service.
1t is maintained by some of the COM
mission firms that there is defect in the
mail service in the afternoon trains over
the Northwestern line. They refer more
particularly to the mail which leaves
Omaha at p. m. This goes through Ar
lington for the west 1t is said that the
mail for points as far as thirty miles
beyond Fremont is not distributed and de-
livered promptly, for the reason that
the mail clerks do not get a chance at
it, for they come across from Missouri
Valley and take on the mail at Arlington.
Then they claim that there are only three
for the immediate points of the route. If
this is not sorted promptly much of the
mail is carried by and must be brought
back before delivery is made, and this is
often the following day. 1t is the COM
plant of the stockmen OF that section
that they get the Chicago quotations as
early as they do the Omaha market let
tiers. The distribution of the mails there
is controlled from Sioux City and the mail
clerks run out of Missouri Valley.
Inquiry at the exchange postoffice failed
to show this discrepancy far as the
knowledge of the employees went. Their
scheme for the making up of the mails is
such that they are able to tell at a glance
what points are not accommodated. 1t
may be that mails are carried by when
there is a heavy run and then there is no
train by which II can be returned until
the next morning
Failure in the prompt delivery Of market
letters often means serious loss both to
the shippers and the commission men. It
is said by the commission men that the
Burlington road has six mail clerks to
do the work which on the Northwestern
is allotted to three. The law requires that
the head of any mail service shall be To-
Gated in the state having the largest mile
age, and the belief is that on that ac-
count the mail clerks should be controlled
from Omaha instead Of Sioux City.
Nothing Known of Police Bill.
With regard to the bill introduced by
Senator L. C. Gibson contemplating
change Of the Board of Fire and Police
commissioners in which the board will be
composed OF three with the mayor as ex-
of1cio member, there seems to be nothing
known except the introduction OF the bill,
| 1t was done as a part of the state election
| pledges in favor of home rule for South
Omaha w. p. Adkins said last night with
regard to the matter that he knew nothing
of the plan which was to give him posi-
| ton on the board when reorganized. He
further stated that he had no ambition
! for any political or semi-political office.
AS to Mr.. Gibson's becoming a member
there is likely a legal difficulty from the
fact that he is instrumental in creating