Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-27
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
Chief Briggs, Mayor and the City
Attorney in q Deadlock.
PLAN TO PAY POLICE HITS sNAG
city Treasurer Gets Money from
County Treasurer for Redemption
of school Bonds and for Road
and scavenEer Funds.

and scavenEer Funds.
Chief Briggs proposed solution 20 the
police question received a setback Thurs
day morning when Mayor Trainor refused
to continuance the scheme on the ground
that 20 pay the police serving during the
months OF June and July out o. the police
appropriation OF the next fiscal year would
be a transfer Of funds not contemplated
IN the law and further because 70 apply
the funds OF the next year to the needs Of
the current term would create an overlap
and cripple the service for the next year.
The plan offered by Chief Briggs was
TO have eighteen men volunteer their serv-
ices as patrolmen during the months OF
June and July. with the understanding
that they would be remunerated by the
city from the police fund Of the fiscal
year beginning August l. The plan was
drawn up originally with the concurrence
Of City Attorney II. c. Murphy. but the
addition Of a new clause TO the original
draft Of the Briggs plan caused the city
attorney TO retraet his appreciation.
Mayor Has plan of own.
As the matter now stands the mayor
has a new plan of his own which pro-
poses to carry through a fire and police
force each consisting OF fifteen men with
an application of 800 taken from the
scavenger collections and taxes collected
in excess Of 20 per cent. The mayor has
consulted the office OF the city treasurer
and has received assurances that his plan
can be financed by the scavenger collec-
ton and excess taxes. The assurances Of
the city treasurer. however, extend only
so far as the provision Of the actual money
g. - ~. MA
proposed by the mayor. City Attorney
Murphy bluntly said that not "a dollar
from any other fund should be approprt-
sted TO the use Of the police board" in
financing the police system during the
months Of June and July. The city attor-
ney did not mince words In his charac-
terization OF the mayors scheme. He said
that he considered the proposition as an
attempt to force the people into counte-
nancing' the debauching of the police ap-
propriations on the expectation of having
a deficit supplied by the transfer of other
funds TO that OF the fire and police fund.
Mr.. Murphy concluded his remarks by say
ing that the mayor could not legally carry
his scheme into effect
Mayor TrainOr's Explanation.
The mayor, in explaining his plan, said
that he could carry them through the pres
ent month without any more money. For
the month of June he would need $500 for
the fire department and 81, 200 for the po-
lice department A similar amount would
be needed by the police department for
the month OF August. making a total OF
5000 for the two months. According to
documents In the treasurers office it APP
pears that the scavenger collections have
in other years been applied to various
uses and supporters OF the mayor are
anxious to know wherein lies the validity
OF the city attorneys objections TO the
plan. The whole matter is a tangled skein
In which the mayor. the city attorney, the
treasurer's office and the city council
are involved. together with the chief of
police. The politicians are divided, the
police want to get back to work and the
merchants are crying for some relief that
win afford them police protection
Railroad Presents BIZ.
South Omaha had a lesson in railroad
fnAnciertng when the Union Pacific rail-
road sent in a bill for a temporary viaduct
built over the new Mud creek sewer that
crosses the company's right-of-way. The
bill is for the sum of - 4s4sl. When II was
first presented to the city, the officials
filed the bill and waited. Later a second
account was presented and now the city
is In position where 1t will have TO pay
for improvements made necessary by the
railroad. AS l understand 1t, said one
man. the city has the right to hulld
sewer at any place It becomes necessary
1t so happened that the sewer had TO pass
under the Union Pacific tracks anA can
not see why the city must pay TOR lse VIA
duct built by the railroad. The nnutres viii
be threshed out between the city ana the
railroad. In the meantime the bill remains
unpaid.
II. G. Peterson injured.
II. c. Peterson, residing at Thirty-third
and streets. while engaged In the cree
ton OF the new sheep barn at the Union
Stock yards Thursday forenoon, fell from
the building. a distance OF twenty-four
feet, and was seriously injured. The man
was taken in an automobile to the office
Of DR.. Beck where 1t was found that he
had sustained a broken rib. . scalp wound
and an abrasion over the eye. DR.. Beck
was unable 20 determine whether Peter
son had received internal injuries
Peterson. after his wounds had been
dressed. was still in a dazed condition. He
could not remember where he lived, but
told the doctor that he would recognize his
wife II he saw her. The injured man was
conveyed home by his fellow workmen.
Money 10 Treasurer.
City Treasurer John J. Giilin received
three comfortable checks from County
Treasurer Frank A. Furay Thursday morn
ing. OF the checks. one for t6.SSO.S0 will
be devoted TO the interest and redemption
OF the bonds issued by the school district
Of South Omaha Another for 1856 will
be devoted TO the regular school fund and
the last check will be divided between the
road fund which gets s., S24.sS The scaven-
ger collection by the county treasurer will
be added TO the interest and sinking fund
Eagles TO Name Delegates,
Next Tuesday at the meeting OF the