Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-16
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
City Officials Studying Up on the
Water Works Contract.
WANT ROYALTY PAID IN CASH
Proposed Amendments "a the City
harte Taken 10 Lincoln
To BE Presented to
the Legislature.

The city officials have lately been scruti-
nizing the contract Of the Omaha Water
company with the city in order to discover
a way to put that company on the same
basis as the other public service companies
In the matter Of their royalties. The tele-
phone, gas and electric light companies
pay their royalties in cash each year. but
the Omaha Water company pays its quota
In a certain number of hydrants known
as annuity hydrants. 1t simply furnishes
the city forty hydrants at a $50 rate. A
small balance amounting to $3.50 this year,
10 make up the 3 per cent royalty, Is paid
In cash. This arrangement was made sew
eral years ago at the time of the passage
OF the law imposing a royalty on the pub
lie service corporations. The ordinance was
passed making this special arrangement.
Some complaint has been heard from the
other corporations on this account. The
position is about the same as the grocer
who pays his clerk in trade at the retail
price. The water company, now that the
hydrants are in place, pays out no cash.
A year ago Mayor Hector vetoed the
water bill on the ground that the annuity
MIGRANTS were some of them located on
railroad property, where they did no good
to the city, being fenced In and not avail
able in case Of fire. A move was made
at that time to secure an amendment to
the ordinance to compel the water company
to remove any hydrant designated as I'M
necessary by the city council. This was
found a proposition involving the vested
rights of the company in their contract.
inc same is said to be true In regard
to the royalty. The company maintains
that 1t has the contract right to turn in the
q M VrIa,.a -
The semi-annual water claim has not yet
been submitted to the city council. 1t is
said that when it is the finance committee
will examine it closely to see that the
eight hydrants placed in Hector Terrace
are not included. This order locating the
hydrants was opposed by the incoming
administration and the order was vetoed
by Mayor Koutsky.
Entertain for Mrs. williams.
Mrs. James @. Martin and Mrs. James
Wise entertained for Mrs. Arthur L. VIII
liams, wife of Bishop Williams, Wednesday
from 3 to 8 p. m. at the home of Mrs.
Martin, Twenty-third and f streets.
The members of st. Martins Episcopal
church were especially interested. Invi-
tations to the number Of $50 were issued.
The residence was thrown open and the
rooms were fully decorated in red and
green. The effect was heightened by the
use of special electric bulbs in the parlors.
A lunch was served during the hours of
the reception. Many guests responded to
their invitations and expressed themselves
pleased with the entertainment. The eff
forts of the hostesses were ably seconded
by Mesdames l.. c. Gibson, l.. II. Greer,
w. @. Sloane. A. L. Lott. A. l.. Bran
stead and Miss Florence Smith.
Suburban station Completed.
The Union Pacific road has practically
completed its suburban station on the
Lane Cutoff at Thirty-second avenue and
b street. The structure is valued at $1,000
and is one of the creditable buildings of
the city in railroad architecture. The
contractors have been working on the
structure for about a month. A passenger
and freight station will be maintained.
The station is reached by the Hanscom
Park car in its South Omaha extension
on the West Side line.
Charter Bill Goes to Lincoln.
s. l. Winters and w. c. Sears went to
Lincoln yesterday morning to take the
recommendations of the South Omaha
charter revision committee, which recon.
mendations have been drafted in the form
of bills and amendments to the charter
These matters will be placed in the hands
of one of South Omaha's legislators, pre-.
sumably ]. M. Tanner, for recommendation
and promotion to passage, 1t is said that
the matter of the Nebraska Power COM
pany may be suggested to the legislators
to grant the city wider authority in the
matter of erecting a power plant on the
municipal basis. In South Omaha a petition
is being worked up TO ask the legislature
for an amendment authorizing the city to
issue bonds in the regular way for the
erection of a municipal power plant as a
substitute for the present project, which |
is considered uncertain of results by the
promoters of the bond proposition.
Family Troubles in Court.
Edward Shork and his brother. living at
80 Bancroft street, Omaha, but who are
In the employ Of the Cudahy Packing COM
pany, answered to Judge Crawford yester-
day morning to the charge of assault and
disturbing the peace, because on arriving
home Wednesday afternoon the older
brother forced Mr.. and Mrs. Ehlers at the
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