Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-11
COUNCIL TEASES MlCHAEtSEN
Aldermen Have Sport Over Claim
from Electrician.
ASSISTANT FOR AN INSPECTOR
breed offers TO Quit Because of Press
sure of WOrk---Steua
Taken TO Help Him
Out.

An amusing one-act farce was enacted al
the Monday afternoon meeting OF the COM
mttee Of the whole Of the city council, en-
titled "A Trip to Chicago, or What Has
Tungsten Lamp TO DO With Civil Service?'
The entertainment was furnished chiefly
by the city electrician, w, Michaelsen, un-
der the direction of Councilman J. II. Hum
mel, with Councilmen Johnson and Berka In
the chorus The motif for the comedy was
$50 which waldemar Mlchaelsen, city cleo
| trician, asked be allowed as the expenses in
CURED during a recent trip to Chicago to
attend a conference OH Tungsten lamps. He
did not know that he wanted to go, or did
not get an invitation to go 1ahtil Saturday
afternoon at o'clock, andethe meeting was
scheduled for Monday
Immediate action was necessary, he said
and as the mayor was not in his office and
the council wasn't in session, he went and
| then asked the body to refund him the $780,
/ If it deemed II right and proper.
The bill was read and Hummel pulled the
string that started the fireworks. He
calmly said that he dIdh-F=1eIieve that
| subordinates should be allowed to run
| around the country attending conventions
and meetings without having first obtained
| permission. Mr.. Michaelsen rose to his feet
| to say that II was impossible to get per-
| mission, as the mayors office had closed
for the day. but Humme insisted that the
mayor has a telephone and that the cleo
trlcian should have used it.
HummeI to the Fore.
! Hummel believed in getting his money 5
worth before allowing the bill, so he called
upon Mr.. Mchaelsen to explain what took
place at,the gathering. Sparks were flying
and questions were put 20 the" city cleo
triclan from every direction. Councilman
| Johnson asked Mchaesen what be thought
| of the proposition to have Omaha control
a municipal lighting system. The city cleo
triclan said that briefly, his opinion was
| that 1t would "a distatrous thing under
the present political system Of government,
but stated that If 1t couid be controlled by
civil service, he thought it would be grand
thing.
The statement furnished fuel for more
questions and Hummel insisted that the
man on the carpet explain in detail just
why he held his opinions and that he ex-
plain once more the information he learned
concerning Tungsten~lamps while at Chi
cago. He then proceeded to tell Michael
sen that he was getting sample OF civil
service oross-examination.
Hummel offered a resolution that the bill
be allowed but that Mr.. Michaelsen be told
1 never to do 1t again. Councilman Bsrka
seconded the motion with little speech
about the members OF the council being re-
sponsible directly to the people. while APP
| polntive officers must giYepan account to
the council The motion was carried,
Doc breed Too Busy.
Doc" C. s. Breed, the ci.y;' ibarking house
Inspector was before the body to show that
| ;,.s a 4nb Ia,
could handle properly, and that thless he
was given an assistant he would resign He
said that he was willing to work hard, but
that it was physically impossible for him
to be in three places at once, and that un
der the present arrangement he could not
do justice to his work. He said that he
cared more for HE reputation that for the
job, and that he didn't want to let some
thing get by him which ought itosbe looked
after. t4| .f..sAt.
Councilman McGovern said that 'Doc. "
was the first man who ever obtained a city
job who offered to Tesign,4i and that DE
thought that they ought not to let him GO
He moved that the matter be referred to
the finance committee which should be in.
structed to try to find way to give the
inspector an assistant, at not over 500 q
month The motion was carried
mere was sFIne DISCUSSION ONet, the mat.
ter OF approprlating $3.50 to be expended fol
an assistant to the city bActerlologlst. II
was brought out that DR. Langfeld is KEEP
from making scientific tests because hi!
time is so occupied in. washing and sterl
LIKING the large number OF vessels which
must be used. The matteA was referred 4
the finance committee. IA
= Up 10 so'Neil Co:apaAS.
The city, doesn't Intend to let the ONei
Insurance company Of South Omaha bach
down from the proposition TO insure the city
4 hall for $500 for three Years at an e&
nense OF 81 200, and 1t was ordered that Z
report be brought in ordering the forfeiture
OF one Of the certified checks put up by TIL
company unless the agreement is reached.
The matter Of ordering that the barn a
ma Douglas street be torn down was re
ferrcd TO the legal department. Just before
| closing the council voted to take part in tn
base ball parade Tuesday.
MOVEMENTS OF OCEAN sTHAMsHIPs
Ia