Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-19
AFFAIRS At SOUTH OMAHA
Omaha Company Secures Contract for
Lighting Streets.
AGREEMENT Is FOR FIVE YEARS
Vote ii COuncil stood FOar 20 Two,
and Advocates of the south
Omaha Company Were
Dissa tlsfied.

BY a vote Of four TO two the South omaha
city council awarded the electric light con-
tract to the Omaha Electric Light and
Power company for a period Of five years,
rejecting the bid OF the South Omaha Elec-
trio Light and Power company. which Of
fered TO furnish lights at the rate of SO
per lamp FOR a period Of ten years.
Two democratic and two republican MEM
bers of the council supported the report Of
the committee Of the whole to award the
contract to the former company in accord
ance with their bid. The affirmative
voters were Dworak, Hoffman, Larson and
Peterson. John Larsen and John Hasburgh
favored the South Omaha company.
The arguments offered by the men who
favored the Omaha company we're that they
favored a five-year contract and that In
the contract offered. judging from the
established business OF the present COM
psny, the royalties PAID in would more
than counterbalance tine bid Of the new
company.
John Larsen opposed the Omaha company
and maintained that the saving to the peo-
pie on commercial lighting would make the
contract of the new company much better
without considering the public light con
tract. John Hlsburgh favored a readver-
tisement of bids.
A petition Of $50 citizens was received on
the subject asking that the city council
favor the South Omaha company, but 1t
had no effect in changing the votes of the
council. A franchise ordinance was intro
duced also by each company, Incorporating
the terms of their bids. but these were re-
ferred to the judiciary committee for later
action. II Is considered out of the power
Of the people to protest or to ask that the
contracts be submitted to a vote OF the
people. The time of submitting such g pro-
test is expired with the final award and
the matter up to the present time has been
considered simply a contract and not a
franchise. The Omaha Electric Light and
Power company claims to hold q franchise
running yet for fifteen years.
The decision Of the city council is sure
to arouse considerable feeling, but as each
party was equally represented the feeling
will have no political weight except upon
the individual councilmen.
Councilman John Hasburgh was incensed
to the point OF profanity at the determine
ton of the council to ignore his scheme OF
readvertising.
West L Wants Cars.
~ NoIluNeSt improvement CLUB pre-
sented a petition asking the city council
to use its influence with the omaha &
Council Bluffs Street Railway company
to furnish accommodations to West L
street. The obstacle at present in the way
Of an extension of the street car service
Is the poor condition of the 4 street via
duct, which will not support such traf-
fic. The railroads and the Union Stock
yards have shown no disposition to recon-
struct this visduct. It is unknown that
the city can at present force these COM
panies to repair or reconstruct the same.
The structure has been concerned as un-
safe for heavy vehicles. but has. not been
closed as yet. The mayor appointed Lar
sen. Peterson and Dworak a committee
TO wait on the Omaha g. Council Bluffs
Street Railway company TO see what could
be done toward granting this extension.
Occupation Tax Ordinance.
One of the important resolutions of the
meeting was that the city attorney be in
strueted to draft an ordinance imposing
an occupation tax on ali public service
corporations and defining the method of
such an assessment. This Is in accord
with a recent decision or the supreme
court OF Nebraska, declaring such action
valid. 1t Is not known whether this tax
would in any affect the royalties paid I'M
der the charter, but II Is presumed not,
since the ordinances cannot supercede the
charter. Such a tax would simply be an
additional burden to be assumed by the
public service corporations,
Water Piping Franchise,
A new franchise ordinance was intro
duced granting the right TO Thomas Geary
TO lay pipes in the city streets for the
purpose of conveying the water of the
South Omaha mineral springs 10 any point
" IA. SIX 80. N-W-A
duced before the former democratic council
over two years ago, when II was discov.
cred that a prominent democrat OF the
city desired the franchise. The council
therefore refused the franchise and voted
one to DR.. w. j, McCrann. The doctor
has made no use OF the privilege. There
fore the franchise has practically lapsec
and is again introduced. The springs re-
ferrsd to are located in Brown park.
An ordinance was introduced to compel
the Chicago. Rock Island s. Pacific railroad
to place a day and night flagman on the
crossing at Twenty-hfth and Madison
streets. The same kind of an ordinance
was introduced to compel the Union Pa
cife 70 locate a night flagman at the in
tersection of washington street with thu
rieht-of-way
Mat Peterson introduced q resolution in
structing the city engineer to relocate Poll
street. east Of Thirteenth. John Hashurgf
raised a laugh by saying, well. where d.
YOU want to put itF"
Lew Etter gave notice of a claim TO
damages to his property TO the amour
OF $500 by reason Of the change of grad
at Twentieth and l streets, which eause'
water to flow over his property. 5
John Mcmillan gave notice Of a suit 70
/ 5000 for personal injuries received a
Twenty-first and J streets. He Incorporates
; in the notice that the injury occurred twI
E weeks ago, hut he was himself present a
the council meeting.
The council passed a resolution ordering
the purchase of a street sweeping machin
to cost not exceeding sees The purchas
was discussed In committee and Council
man Hasburgh thought that settled Il
when It was brought up he objected L
what he thought was a reconsideration
The mayor explained and the light dawne
on Hasburgh. who said; 'oh. I see. Yol
; Just do this little stunt to fix the public.
A bg laugh from the lobby followed thi
2 innocent remark
Bold Dsylight HoldHp.
EDWARD and Patrick Frederick, two youn
men of South Omaha were arrested yes
terdsy and booked as suspicious characters