Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-26
WATER REPORT SUBMITTED
Council Places Document on File
Without Debate.
WHOLE QUESTION is REVIEWED
Financial ABILITY of city 60 Either
Build or buy at the Present
Time IL Q~ucationed I'm
the Report.
WHOLE QUESTION IS REVIEWED

Ah"N - dUNhahoh0N
the Report.
Mayor Maloney submitted to the city
council last night the report Of the special
committee of business men appointed 10y
him at the solicitation or the Improvement
clubs o. the city to Investigate @tbe water
works question, with a view OF assisting the
municipal authorities in arriving at some
solution of the problem. This committee
was composed Of Hon. william Groneweg,
J. X. Cooper. \. g. Graham r j. Pierce,
J. II. swartz and J. j. Stewart. The re-
port follows:
The committee is unanimous in its con-
illusions. and finds that the city Is in no
condition to either build or buy a water
plant at present, and that the best thin
that could be done would be to make a
new, contract with the present company,
substantially along the lines of the water
company's recent proposition, providing
some plan can be devised to secure to the
city the right to purchase at any tina,
allowing nothing for the franchise, and to
so bind the bondhOlders that they Will be
compelled to accept in full the appraised
value of the plant; that Is, as the plant Is
bonded for more than its worth, and as the
water company would probably increase
its existing debt to make the proposed eX-
tensions, the reservation of the, light to
buy at the value of the plant must be so
made that when the city gets ready to
buy the DOndnOiQeTS WOULD De DOulQ Dy
the appraisement, and be compelled to re-
lease for the amount at which the plant
was appraised.
Deals with Wickaam Bid.
Regarding the proposition to construct
a municipal plant on the bid of Contractor
E.. A. Wickham, the mmit has this
to say:
The city has received but one bid for the
tRat Of Mr.. E. a. Wickham-for sSi'535.
The evidence before the committee clear.y
indicated that there are at least 400 fami-
who would not be reached by the proposed
plant, about 800 of these being In the Sixth
ward alone. The proposed city plant does
J not provide for the so-called hill district.
IL this Plant is to be built, it will be made
duate in the territory covered at once, and
! early provisions should be made for sup
plyinE those who are now here and not pro-
vided for, and for the future growth of the
city. The city should also be able In case
works against the action of the Missouri
river. o..
No Discussion of Report.
As soon as Clerk Casady has completed
reading the report a motion corrective 1t
and place 1t on file prevailed without any
discussion or remarks. Councilman
Beringer made an effort to have the re-
port incorporated in the book, which the
committee on waterworks is preparing TO
issue for the guidance and calculation of
the voters of the city. but his suggestion
| was met with the frostiest kind of a re-
%ception. Councilman Bellinger failed 10
even get a second to his motion, and the
lchances of the report reaching the public
through the medium of the book which
the waterworks committee is preparing, In
order that the voters may hays a clear
understanding of tile waterworks prob
I lem, are decidedly slim.
owing to the absence from the city of
City Solicitor Kinball. the proposed
plumbing ordinance was not introduced.
city Engineer Etnyre. 20 whom the mat
ter had been referred for Investigation, re-
ported that a survey showed that the iron
fence recently erected around the Han
nan property. between Second and Tmrd
avenues, on Eighth street, encroached on
the sidewalk two and one-half feet on
Third avenue, two-twentieths of a foot
on Second avenue and four-tenths of a
foot on Eighth street. 1t was decided
that Mr. Hannah be required to move the
fence on Third avenue back to the prop
erty line.
Councilman Rigdon, to whom the matter
had been referred for Investigation, re-
ported that Wickham's contracts for paw,
ing expired April Is of this year. He sale
he had not examined the records of the
council to ascertain IL an extension OF
, time had been given. Councilman Olson
however, said he remembered that the for
= mer council had. before going out of ex
I istence. extended all public contracts I,
I November / of this year, and the matter
I was allowed to rest.
The request of NJ. salzman that he b,
a permitted to erect three frame sheds OF
his premises at I'll West Broadway wa.
refused.
The request of property owners inter
ested that concrete be used for the bas'
E of the paving on North First street II
e place of brick was complied with, it be
| ing understood hat the price will be tn
same for the concrete as for the bricl
base. namely, S1.sS per square yard. L
A. Heisler, on petition of a number o
the property owners. was appointed In
spector Of the paving on this street.
P. C. Mikesell and Mrs. L. M. Crittehde,
served notice that the city would be hel
liable for all damage that might arts
from the electric light tower at twenty
: third street and Avenue b, which is sal
TO be in an unsafe condition,
The city engineer was instructed to al
a tend the meeting to be held in Oman
= on Setember liza which Captain Edwar
> H.. Schulz will establish the harbor line
of the Missouri river on both sides O
the channel.
The bid OF Mr.. Wickham, by it's tern
"a in many cases, is upon estimated quantitlt
and upon represented conditions. II III
!, actual quantities Installed should excee
! those estimated or the conditions prove di
ferent from those represented. he would [
ID entitled to relatively increased compensi
:. ton. From common experience, II
scarcely to be hoped that there will be Z
extras. The specifications contemplate II
l. completion OF the plant within about eigh
cen months, with several provisions Il
extensions Of that time, and provide Z,
III payments by the city upon monthly est
mates. II will thus be a year and a ha
or more from the time the city commenci
to pay for the plant until II can pun
water and secure any revenue. II is safe
say that II the city borrows the none
IN with which TO build, the interest during u
period Of construction will exceed $4,000.
The bid does not cover the cost OF al
e. real estate for pumping station and reese
46 VOir, or other uses. In addition, therefor
80 to the amount of the bid, this item OF e
n pense as well as Of supervision and inspe
is tion must be covered, and the cost OF u
o. proposed plant at the minimum would
y, $4,000 or 10000.
The COMMITTEES makes a careful ansly
II Of the city's present financial condltio
81 The assessed value Of all OF the proper