Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-18
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Council Wants to Know the Reason
for Existence of Water Board.
EXTENSION OF MAINS BLOCKED
TanEle over Purchase 81 work
Leaves Much Property In Newly
BuiIt UP Portions of the City
without Fire Protection.

In accordance with q resolution adopted
by the city council last night a COMMITTEES
composed OF Councilmen Bridges, Davis
and McGovern will proceed to investigate
and discover. II possible. some means
whereby the present conditions as to the
extensions OF mains In Omaha can be rene
died. The resolution was introduced by
Councilman Bridges and was adopted with
out a dissenting vote.
Under present conditions and while the
proposed purchase of the waterworks
system is tied up in the courts the city
cannot order the extension Of mains or
the installing Of MIGRANTS. This has been
found to be a serious handicap In the last
few years when there has been much
building in the suburbs. These outlying
districts are entirely without fire protec-
ton and the city is helpless and unable to
relieve the situation.
Councilman Bridges. the author OF the
resolution, said last night that he did not
know just what could be done, but that
he would confer with the COMMITTEES mem
bers. the eity's legal department and the
attorneys for the water board, and would
then probably 80 to Lincoln and make an
effort to secure needed legislation for the
purpose.
Water Board Resolution.
The resolution follows
Whereas. Six years ago the Legislature
of Nebraska created the water board for
the city of Omaha for the purpose of enAb-
ling the city Of Omaha TO at once acquire
by purchase the water works system Of
Whereas. The attempt TO acquire the
water works system has up 10 date proved
a failure. and at present hundreds OF
thousands of dollars worth OF property in
The a4Fw a laFf without fire nTOfaHrAOm
the Omaha Water company refusing TO eA-
tend it's water mains, and the water board
Seems utterly unable TO compel the water
company TO extend such mains. now there
fore. be II
Resolved. That some action ought to be
taken, If possible. to relieve this situation,
and that a of three members
OF the council be appointed before the ad-
Journment OF this meeting, who are directed
TO at once investigate the matter and de-
termine whether IL is possible for the
| present legislature to take any action to
relieve the situation, and IL such commit
tee find that 1t is likely that some action
can be taken to give this city fire pro-
lection, that IL cause q bill 10 be drawn
and endeavor to have the same introduced
in the legislature at the earliest possible
moment.
In a report sent the council the city
electrician declares that no more street
lights can be installed during 1909. and
unless more than 80 per cent of the taxes
are paid some Of the lights now installed
will have to be discontinued during the
last three months OF the year. There are
now LOl4 electric arc lamps and LIS street
gas lamps. These cost the city annually
sll2, 500. Against this expenditure the re-
ceipts for the lighting fund amount to but
sos, 900, or 1890 short of the cost OF the
lights. The charter limits using more than
30 per cent of the funds appropriated until
taxes In excess of that per cent are
collected. IL the tax collections are heavy
the lights can be run through the year,
Auto Ordinance Goes Back.
For the third time Councilman Brucker's
automobile ordinance was sent to the CON-
mittee OF the whole for further discussion.
IL was in the committee Monday, but the
chairman of that body. Councilman Nc
Govern. in his report to the council. made
the ordinance read that the bond to be
furnished by the drivers OF automobiles
kept for hire are for safeguarding
pedestrians on the street. This did not
meet with the understanding Of some other
members who maintained that the bonds
are for the safety OF those riding in the
automobiles and to guard against theft OF
merchandise transported. II was sent back
10 the committee TO have this Strengthened
out.
The ordinance repeating the ordinance
requiring the street commissioner to make
a monthly report TO the city engineer was
passed. with Councilman Zimman's vote
the only one against the measure.