Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-19
Rerardina CONTAMINATION.

OMAHA, Dec. 1s-To the Editor of The
Bee: During the last five or six years
| have had to meet all sorts of arguments
| by a few of the residents Of Dundee
against it's consolidation with Omaha
One of these was that they would have
nothing to do with the rotten govern
ment Of Omaha" Both the absurdity
and unfairness of that statement were
shown. Those who advanced 1t have now
been shamed into silence.
Another argument was that they de-
sired to get certain improvements 1t has
now secured these. the village being now
well improved, even to the extent of maxi
ing a very large addition to it's school
house and grounds and establishing a
| fire department. It now lacks only high
school facilities.
Now. the last argument these few
| private interests advance is that IL Dun
| dee should become a part of Omaha, II
would never be able to secure improve
ments that 1t might In the future desire.
What these are we are not informed.
However, / propose here to demolish that
argument.
Patrick Henry said, I'VE have no guide
for the future except the experience of
the past" From past experience Dundee
has no occasion for the fear that union
with Omaha will deprive it OF Anything.
Indeed. II 1t could get from Omaha as
many favors as it has secured in the
past, what might 1t not secure in the
future, were II part of Omaha? Think
or the many years, up to about a year
ago, when Dundee had no fire depart
| ment, but relied upon the generosity of
Omaha, and how well Omaha always re-
sponded. What about it's independence
in that regard? Even now Omaha stands
ready at all times to send its department.
out there and in the event Of a real
or extensive conflagration, such as the
Hart building. destroyed a couple of
years ago, everyone knows that the Dun.
dee department, efficient as It Is, woulJ
still be inadequate to meet the emer-
gency.
Several years ago. regarding the die
posal OF sewage, negotiations with
Omaha led to the proposal on the part
Of Omaha to provide for the use Of
Omaha sewers in perpetulty upon the
payment Of 5000. An official Of Dundee
prevented this disposal OF the sewer ques-
ton out there, preferring to have the
village build septic tank, which, UP to
5000 The proposition was then made
to use Elmwook park, belonging to
Omaha. In which to place u septic tank
into which Dundee sewers should flow,
and Omaha granted TO Dundee that privi-
lege That tank finally became such a
nuisance and offense that Omaha was
obliged to order its removal It was re-
constructed a few miles further out, but
AZ nrsna ka 30
lege OF running its sewer through Elm
wood park to its new septic tank At
the present moment Dundee is negotiat-
ing with Omaha to take care OF its
sewage in the district bounded by Under
wood avenue and Hamilton, Forty-eighth
and Fifty-seoond streets. All OF which
shows that after all the sewage equip
ment of Dundee is inadequate to its
needs notwithstanding the efforts of it's
own people to perfect it.
few years ago, more for the benefit
OF Dundee than Of Omaha. the city
bought and laid out Elmwood park Re-
member that Elmwood park Is west OF
Dundee and does not touch Omaha at
any point. 1t is Dundee primarily that
Is enriched by this park, for 1t adjoins IL.
The expense Of maintenance (and ELM
wood park is well maintained) rests en-
tirely upon the city OF Omaha. Yet its
nearest point 10 Omaha is a mile west
or the city limits. In short Omaha
spends thousands of dollars every year
to keep in splendid condition this great
park, chiefly for the benefit OF Dundee
and adjoining residents
Two years ago. those who have bean
interested in improving Dundee secured
the cooperation OF Omaha in constructing
Happy Hollow boulevard. This boulevard
extends from Leavenworth street 10
Cunning street and does not touch Omaha
at any pointe. Yet Omaha spent $4,000
toward the grading OF that boulevard.
(Since that Improvement Dundee has an
nexed all the territory adjoining it, Fur
Their 20 facilitate the improvement of
this territory Omaha constructed a Gull
vert on the west side OF Elmwood park
which cost S7Sa.
When citizens of Dundee and vicinity
sought to have the county pave Dodge
street from F1ftieth street westward.
Omaha cO-operated with tkem. paving
seven feet on each side OF the street, in
addition 70 the sixteen feet in the center
paved by the county. along Elmwood
park. at an expense TO Omaha OF s, seq So
This Improvement. paid for by Omaha,
increased the value of every foot OF land
in Dundee. especially that adjacent to
Dodge street. Cutters and catch basins,
as a part Of this Improvement made by
Omaha, amounted 10 an additional se69 co.
In August OF the present year Omaha
paid N.9ls66 for curbing and guttering
Happy, Hollow boulevard from Dodge to
Chicago. AS not one foot OF this boule-
ward touches Omaha. but is all in Dundee,
who were most benefited. the citizens OF
Omaha OF OF Dundee? Yet the people OF
Omaha directly are taxed to pay for this
Along this boulevard there Is a beautiful
sunken garden. How many citizens OF
Dundee realize that the city of Omaha
furnished and planted the trees and
flowers there at an expense TO the citizens
Of Omaha OF S1oo. In addition. Il Is the
people OF Omaha and not Dundee. nor
citizens OF Dundee that pay the mainte-
nance cost Of all these improvements on
Happy Hollow boulevard and Elmwood
park.
The total OF these expenditures made
nv fha city of Omaha not cou,ftnsr a..