Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-29
NEVER SAW T,SAHS BURNAM
So Asserts City Attorney Regarding
Abstracter Report.
M'GovERN HELD IT SINCE NAY
Law says He shssId, nave sab
mittes ReBOrt withIa Thirty
Dsys-COuBciImea Not Yet
BefSre GraBa Jury.

NY attorney hllIn0m says ne never SAW
the report Of City Abstracter Hartley aud
Councilmen Elsasser and Bridges, members
with Councilman MdGovern on the street
committee profess ignorance Of the
fact that any amount OF land belonging 10
the city lie being held by private corpors-
tons or individuals. rt
Councilman McGovern. chairman OF the
committee, is the only member OF the
council so far who has been summoned
by the grsnd jury and it looks as though
the member from the Ninth ward is TO be
made the fall guy" OF the democratic city
administration The councilman hae not
as yet answered the call from the Grand
jury and has not been before that august
body.
Il never saw this report OF the abstrsc-
ter and I might say that knew nothing
about It," said City Attorney Burnsm. II
know that contain pieces and parcels Of
land belonging to the city are occupied
by corporations and individuals. but IL any
are occupying land free they ought TO be
ousted or made TO pay rent. The matter
has never been called to the attention OF
this department.
Councilman McGovern SAYS that for some
time ii has been his intention to tai. the
matter up, but. you know. these thlnss
move slowly and It takes a long time to get
affairs in shape where they can he handled
as they should"
Report Held since Nay.
Councilman McGovern has held iht re-
port OF City Abstracter Hartley since MAY
II, last.
Section Is OF the city charter says:
Every member OF the city council 81 OF
shall be referred shall report thereon Within
not to exceed thirty days from date or
reference. Failure TO so report, excepting
on account OF sickness, SHAH be regarded "a
neglect of duty and subject such member.
upon conviction thereof. to a fine OF no.
to exceed $50 for each and every day he
snail neglect TO make such report.
Deductine the thirty days in which the
committee has To- report, four and one half
months, or 1875 days, have elapsed since
June l., Thirty days after May u. the date
the report OF the city abstracter was re-
ferrsd TO the committee. Al $50 q day for
every day above the thirty days provided
by the charter provision, Councilman
McGovern would be liable TO a fine Of ss,55O.
Should the other two committeeman be
held liable the fine would total b 1900.
City Abstracter Hartley furnished the
last spring with his report, snow
ing where city land is situated and BY
whom it is occupied. but another report
two years ago last summer still
NRSS' ia MS OAiANN NV NhAlIlGH never nav
Ing sent after It. This earlier report Is
accompanied by "a full set Of maps and
shows plainly Just where the sity's holdinns
are situated, The report was prepared IN
conformity with a council resolution, but
after public sentiment. Wsned the demo-
Gratis decided 10 do nothing after all.
Two Years $50.
This was two years ago. Late last win
ar KnltrNzara auxagaaA ~.
Fancy of city land again arose and once
more the council ordered a report on the
and promised to rectify the evil at
'nce. Again the matter was allowed 10
est. Now, however, the grand Jury has
to do a little probing on its own
Iccount, and with each probe the democrats
Iquirm. &
CITY Abstrdcuer Hartley says he would
lot care TO make any kind Of an estimate
'egarding the value OF the city lands held
~ others. Some OF the land il in tn.
leart OF the business district and Is yalus-
lie. Other tracts are farther out. Two
racts on the bottoms comprise about
twenty-five acres. There are about forty
ores Of land in what iA known a. ths
triangle" and in a tract south
I this triangleslbetMeen Cass and Nicholas
treets) there are about thirty acres. This
and is occupied by Squattsrs, though IN.
'maha water company and the smelter
old some or t.
URIOa Pacific shOps.
Further south along the river bottoms
re located the Union Pacific shops, ia.
Id shops are sllibuilt on Tand bsIons1nK 10
he railroad company, but ths new shon.
re being buht partly on city land and
acated streets. The railroad couapanv
as not bought this lanas neither has
ented 1t, but 1t is proceeding 70 build its
Q" shops on IT, This is shown By The
lsps In the office Of the city inspector.
In the southern part Of the city a lons
MP OF land is held by squatters Viz
aim TO pay rent and hold leases frop,
le Burlington Railroad company. TIL.
ng narrow strip extends from Baneroft
Martha streets and hugs the railroad
McGovsrn now says that h.
as not served with a regular suhoesb,
appear before the grand Jury. He ssy,
70 foreman sent to him and asked him ~
mig the report Of ,ths city abstrAet.r ns-
re the jury and that he sen, pack ror,
at he would not DO 30 without a +, 80