Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1906)
TirE OMAHA DAILY BEE: VWOXDAY. JANUARY 1. 100(7. OMAHA'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT Munitipal HouRekeepinr, of tan City Set Down in Detail. DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS ammarlsed tlttrmrnl of the cl Itlee and Organisation of Ity and County for Iltielneae Omnlia has an estimated population f 130,(. It was authorized an a niiinU-ip.il corporation under a special charter tiy tlii legislature February J, 1 V.T, rind was or ganized as a ci.v March 5, 1W7. Its longi tude west from Greenwich Is I degrees, 65 minutes and 47 seconds, and Its latitude north of the equator Is 41 degrees, 15 min utes and 43 seconds. Tho low water of the Missouri river at Omaha Is 83 feet blow tho sea level, and the highest point In the city above the sea level Is 1,27.3 feet, being it the Intersection of Thirty-second street and Poppleton avenue. The area of the city is 24.6 square miles; lis greatest "length is 7, miles and Its greatest width 4'i miles. It has 33.04 miles of streets and 145.14 miles of alleys. At Omaha the Missouri river has a fall of oven Inches to the mile, a mean velocity of 2.73 miles per hour, a mean discharge of 30,000 cubic feet per second, the current being capable of developing 852 theoretical horse power. Omaha's Official Roster. Mayor Frank E. Moo res. Treasurer A. II. Hennlngs. Comptroller C. O. Ixiberk. City Clerk-W. II. nibourn. Attorney J. P. Hrecn. Police Judge Rryce Crawford. City Engineer Andrew Rnscwater. Poller Inspertor Joseph Beheldt. Hullding Inspector C. H. Wlthnell. Gas Inspector J. C. Lynch. Sidewalk Inspector J. O. Snowden. Superintendent of Streets J. B. Hummel. I'lumbing Inspector Albert Tugle. Uccnsn Inspector S. W. Scott. Inspector of Weights T. P. Mahammltt Electrician W. Mlchaetsen. Health Commissioner J. B. Ralph, M. P. Market Master W. F. Gerke. Milk Inspector L. K. Hut ton. Garbage Contractor Alex MacDonald. Pound Master John Iaughland. Tax Commissioner William Fleming. Veterinarian H. L Ramocciottt CITT COUNCIL President H. It. Zlmman. P. M. Back. P. H. Hoye. H. B. Zlmman. A. ' H. Comstock. C. O. Dyball. P. C. Schroeder. C. 8. Huntington. D. J. O'Brien. E. D. Evans. FI RE AND PO-TJCE COMMISSIONERS. Ex-officio ChniiTnan Frank K. Mnores. Joseph W. Thomas. Lee W. Spratlen. William J. Broatch. O. L. Miller. Secretary A. ft. Harvey. Chief of Police John J. Donahue. Fire Chief-C. A. Salter. First Assistant Chief J.' W. Simpson. Second Assistant Chief M. J. Plneen. Pnhllo Library Board. I'resldent Lewis 8. Reed. F. L. Haller. C. E. Morgan. P. L. Prrlne. John Rush. IT. P. Deuel. A. C. Kennedy. George West. Nathan Bernstein. BOARD OF EDUCATION. President W. II. Christie. J. O. Detweller. D. U. Ennls. Robert Dempster. W. II. Koenlg. J. H. Vance. J. O. PhilllppL K. A. Balrd. David Cole. Charles Harding. James W. Maynard, A. C. Kennedy. J. L. McCague. George D. Rice. J. C. IJndsay. Secretary J. F. Burgess. Attorney C. K. Herring. Superintendent-W. M, Davidson. Sup't of Buildings Duncan Flnlayson. Manlclpal Property. The city hall of Omaha, for size, con venience and architectural beauty, ranks among the best ones of the west. It was built In 18:il at the northeast corner of Klghteenth and Fur nam streets. Following is un approximate valuation of the build ings owned by the municipality: City hull $ 600,000 Public library lim.ooo Klrc engine houses liminni 'ity Jail 2n.mO Market house 2n,iiu lOiiieiency hospital iit'imo Asphalt plant g.ono I'liund .' 3,010 School property $,00o.(o Parks 6ti,0ii0 Totul 83.261,000 Bonded I)abt. Omulia, Douglas county and the school district of Omaha are much better off In the matter of bonded debt than most other communities of their size in the country. The bonded debt of Omaha nggregates only $4,841,000; that of the county $975,000 and that o the school district $775,(00. Paved St rests. Omaha has a total of about ninety-five miles of paved streets. According to fig ures compiled by the engineering depart ment the paving prior to 1905 amounted to ninety-one miles and cost a total of $3,474. 057.93. In 1906 6.579 miles were laid, costing $-'62,877.10. and bringing the total cost up to $5,726,935.13. Two miles or more of wooden block paving were replaced by brick and asphalt. During the last year 2.827 miles of asphalt, 3.16 miles of brick and .6"2 miles of macadam pavement were constructed, muklng the respective totals as follows: Asphalt, 39.673 tulles; brick, 16.626; inucadam, 4.611; stone block. 26.425, and wood 11 247. In detail the 194 paving record is as fol lows: ASPHALT. Square Total Streets. Yards. . Tost. Sixteenth, Itodae to Izard. 7 .Vet. 23 1 3 iim 43 t'upitul avenue, 24th to 26th 2.06.6 4.7!.tk Bewarii, ;ui to 41st Ave.. 4.U33.64 S.M7.27 17(h, I.veiiMjrt to Webster ,i5. 79 lo.f.Tj (s toth. Humilton to Franklin 3.44t 71 7.3.M.02 "titli, Do.tKe to Chicago.... 4.327.81 7,768 67 Davenport, 18th to 2-d.... 8.ii2.:S 6...M.29 37th, Far nam to iKidtte.... 1. 6.-7 96 3.5;7.5i hmIi, Farnam to Dodge 1.870. Mi 4u44.6ti llurney, 3.!d to 36th 4,248.99 ;.ix ih Ave., liurney to Dewey t Ave 594.95 1.39.65 Intersection, 33d and liar- ney Cfi-4 490 62 Capitol Ave., 26th to 27th.. 1.6.'l 33 2 M;i .'ia Marcy, 3.1 h to 31st 1.102.S6 2.192.21 lluwurd. &lh Ave. to 36th. tiu 41' 1 4tV.i ':'th. Dodga to Cass 5,it.07 ll.M5.ll Totals 52.aW.93 BRICK BLOCK. Square Streets. Yards. Spauldlng, S4th to Srtth S.v'l in Intersection. 3oth and like 17th Ave., Leavenworth to Juckaon 1.575 S5 Lake, IHth to I4tli 7.1.r.i.74 Douglas, 20th to 24th 3.w.'i -Vth. Farnam to Ix-uven- worth 6.t!41.57 r.th, lhidge to California... b. '.'10.70 .ltd. ruining to Charles 5,L.70 l'vetiorth, I'aik Ave'. to 37th lifck(.S0 '.l'th. Farnam to I lodge 1.5'.4.W I'ilh, Speucer to Corby 3,4i! 00 126..3j Total Cost. $ 17.0 3J lii7.76 4.214 76 11.617.71 fe.&.i.54 15 012 12 12.514. IS U2a9.ti2 26.073.22 3. .";. iim Totals 67.5o3.95 $123,176.27 Kstin ate. MACADAM. Street. Bq. Yds. Cost. D.Hlge, 40 th to 4Jith 4.2 $3,092.58 Palaa; Kepalr Plaat. A municipal arhalt i-epalr plant was In stalled by the city early tn lauo at a cost of $7.5(0, tha contract being performed by the Star Machine works of Indianapolis. The capacity of the plant Is 5. square jards a day. It was static ! in July, and wisn th season closed, bui tepalreJ I Ki.S4J.76 yards of general pr.vlng and 3.'t:.'H jnnls cIiishKI 1 as private wrrk. which consisted of rei hn it.it paving disturbed by pnlillr etvlco rospr. rations and others to lay mains ;ind pip The cost of the plant d'lrlriK the time It was operand am Hinted t i 1'..C;i.16 and tun tel -ial to M.W.'fX n total of JIVaf.47. This tneuis that repnlis v..r. m.-ole for nn nviat'.e of H.9H6 a square yard. 1'c ludlnB Minler and base wherever m-cess-try. For the private wnrk the it y w is reimbursed. In the past the nvi'iatc cost of asphalt repairs under eonria t l as hern, about 11 -" per square yard. The first year's opera tion of the mjnlcip.il plant Is pronounced a decided suci i ss. Its work was done under th supf i intendeney of Dean Noyes. under ser.eial dir. ct ,n of the enc'neorir.i. department. The street foreman was II. . Cowdurny. In connection with the plant n lalmratoiy was It-stalled for the purpose of making analysis of ull kinds of paving, sewer, Idewa.lk and hulldinir material. A reRti lar system of records was inaugurated In order to determine standards In public work of all Hnrls. tn the seven months operated 2T5 Analyses were marV by Chemist If. Klrsehbaum. Of thee jon nvr of asphalt surface mixtures and blnih- s. eleven of asphalts and asphalt cements: fifteen of brick and brick block, twenty two of cement, twcnly-nne of sand, seven of fluxes nnd oils, tive of rock asphalts and fifteen miscellaneous. fewer System. The sewer figures given out are ss fol lows : Cost. $?.il.t.TI.6s Prior to 1006. 19.6 Total i.-,i,tj.-. $.'.125.19.90 Of this amoiint for l:. 9 TW miles were district sewers, costing $4H.d9.49, snd 1.41S miles were main sewers, costing $17.09.7:!. Permits were Issued for about eleven miles of private connections, or laterals, meaning new sewer services to at least 720 bulldlncs nt an expense of $-1',k. It Is estimated that twenty miles of new permanent sidewalks were laid In 19"5. twelve miles by property owners and eh;ht miles by the city. Of the amount about seven miles were cement sidewalks nnd the remainder brick. This brlnps the total sidewalk mlleaKe of the city up close to 3f. GiiidtnK Improvements. The grading record makes the, following showlnc: Cubic Yards. Previous to 1P05 9,:il7..'.;.". Cost. $1.62.1.419 71 14,t;2 2S llKO n:t.!'i. Totals 9.431.510 $l,63S,0MfO The city Is lighted by 1.2"0 Welsbach burner gas lamps, rated at eighty-candle power, and MO arc lamps with a stated Ulumlnntlng power of 2,fle0 candles each. During 196 the Western Cnlon and Postal Telegraph companies built conduits in the downtown district for the purpose of en tirely relieving the streets from overhead wires. Health Department. Statistics from the office of the health commissioner show that Omaha's mortality rato for 1905 was among the lowest of the cities of the world, being only .0ns.i6, based on an estimated population of 125. nno. Dur ing the year there were but 1.U07 deaths and 213 of these were ot Infants less than 6 years old. In tho same period 1,924 chil dren were born almost twice as many as died, and tho largest number of children ever born In the city In a single year. Of the deaths 677 were males and 430 females, and of the births 999 were boys and 925 girls. The year passed without serious epidemics of any kind. Frequent analyses of the water supply showed It to be pure and wholesome. A crusade was Inaugurated by the Woman's .club to Insure pure milk and this resulted In the city contracting at $2,000 a year with the Creiphton Medical college for tests of fluids and foodstuffs as often as desired by the city health de partmentthe analyses to be both bacterio logical and chemical. Police Department. The police department is composed of eighty-nine men and one police matron. Including Chief of Police J. J. Donahue, his clerk, two captains, one chief of de tectives, eight sergeants, eleven detectives, fifty-eight patrolmen, two turnkeys, two patrol wagon drivers, two patrol conduc tors and one hostler. The cost of main taining the department In 19n6 was $108,iiiiO. Through the efforts of the force $17,753.12 worth of stolen property was recovered of $22,876.72 worth of stolen property re ported. During the year the department made 123 arrests, reported 2C9 accidents, secured 122 buildings, removed seventy-one dead bodies to the morgues, cared for 115 destitute persons, attended 100 Arcs, cared for sixty Insane persons, accommodated 8.553 lodgers at the police, station, returned fifty-five lost children to parents, furnlahed 33,957 meuJs to jail inmates, cared for 365 sick and injured persons and responded to 4.692 colls for the patrol wagon and ninety two for the ambulance. That the city Is a fairly satisfactory place to live Is shown by the fact that there were only thirteen suicides. There were five shooting affrays and twenty-one stabbing affrays. The de partment Is operated from a single central station at Kleventh and Dodga streets. Fire Department. Omaha has a fire department of 319 men, Including Chief Charles A. Salter and his staff. There are thirteen fire stations, equipped with four rUam engine compa nies, four hook and ladder companies and seven hose companies. During 1905 4"6 ulrirms were received and 50 buildings ac tually on tiro. Out of buildings valued at $2,:tH.6l5, holding contents valued at $2,354, 3.'6, the total loss was. on buildings, $104,127, and on contents, $.17,447, the totals being $4.649.o-!l exposed, against $747,447 actually dcstioed. The loss insured, was $531,119 and not insured $16.32S. Two citizens w.ie killed and twelve in jured during the year through lire. BL-ven of these accidents were due to sasoiine stove explosions, three to gasoline explo sions, one to lamp explosion and in the others by Jumping from windows uii-J get ting In the way of the hose watf ni. Two persons were rescued from burning build ings. There was one death in the dep.irlment. Fourteen firemen were badly injured and six slightly. The largest fire was the Mercer tire at Eleventh and Howard streets, by which buildings to the value of $'JH..W and con tents to the value of $.'l.1.3i. were de stroyed January 2S. if the total loss of $419.8!M the Insurance companies bora ll.iS -two. Tho second largest lire was that of the Woodman Lintted Oil works, $18,750, fully covered by Insurance, and that of the Omaha Paper P.ox company, $13.5S.l, similarly protected. Following is a table showing the total fire loss for the last t.-n years and tho amount borne by the insurance companies: T.Hal Kiss to Ins. loss. $5(7.447 Coil.p. lilies. $'.31,119 X7.559 .'lhl.l!.1 ii-;.6j 2'.4 '3 ; ; vi ::4.lc3 H-7.6V5 76.41 72.123 r.4 !i4.IJ2 V.'H 6:-t.V4 1'2 146. a 1I 256.5N 19KI !H 557 K. 9 374.541 IKK llH.n.o 1K7 SS.-J75 lii kJ.t'M Parka and Houlevard. The parks and boulevards of the city -ir; described Iscw here In tills issue. The year In the department was noteworthy In tho arrangements made for ten miles of new boulevards, a new park on the bluff tract, t In. lU'le p irt of Cut-Off lake, und th donation of . 1. Kiertt-ad ..f a si iall ucHjhborhood park. The financial it Mile. 14.ir 10.754 shows the fact that $:4,1!$.S wss paid nu. o-' the park fund for'the first eleven months of the year and $1'. 513.23 from the road fund. In d. iail the money was expended as fol lows: Ilans.om park $6.M4.7 Rlvrview park fi.M9.91 Klmwnod park 1.22S.14 Mill.-r park $,4.15.9 K'nmtze park 512.67 Curtis Turner park B.11.MI mis park 649.2" For.tanelie park S3 4.51 Jefferson Suaie and Capitol avenue 4M.1S D.rr paik ie; Flnreiic. boulevard 6.KIS.07 South Central boulevard 1,410.2 W est Central boulevard 6.31.1.07 Military avenue M4 22 Boulevard, east of Knuntzo Place.... 17.50 North Central houle-ard 17 5o Northwest boulevard 1S7.50 South Central boulevard 1.S73.62 Podne sireet 224 Iloiialaa Conntr. Klectlve officers of Douglas county who w.-re elected at the general election held November 7 last are: County Clerk David M. Haverly. Sheriff John W. McDonald. County Judge Charles Leslie. County Treasurer Robert O. Fink, re- e.-ted. Register of Deeds Frank Bandle. (."runty Superintendent of Schools K. .1. Rod well, elected, hut resigned; count y board elected Mr. Yoder to fill unexpired term. New superintendent to be chosen at first meeting in January. County Commissioners Emmet O. Solo nion arid William O. Ure. The elective officers who hold over ate: County Atorney Wlllard W. Slabuugh. County Assessor Harry D. Reed. Clerk of Courts Frank A- Broadwell. County Commissioners Fredrick Brun ing, M. J. Kennard, Patrick J. Tralnor. Ollleers named by tha county board: County Auditor Robert Smith. Superintendent County Farm William Mtmiaugh. County Agent John H. Glassman. Superintendent County Court House Jo seph McCaffery. Douglas county expends a vary large sum of money every year In charity. To main tain the county poor farm and hospital alone costs $4o,oto a year In round num bers. Besides this there Is the cost of the county store, which takes care of the indigent poor who are not kept at the poor farm. This runs up Into tha thousands, In jenra of severe cold being much higher than at such a time as this, when mild weather prevails. , Aside from the money spent directly on the poor farm and Its Inmates, the expense for charity will average $25,000. This in cludes, of course, the county physician's salary and tho salaries of county agents. On tho item of transportation for paupers, also Included, the county expends yearly about $2,000. Groceries and fuel are the big Items, running close to $15,000 yearly for the two Items. A new expense which the Board of County Commissioners has had to assume, and which might properly be put under tha head of charity. Is the maintenance of the juvenile court and the Detention home. Throe probation officers cost close to $3,000 a year, while the home will cost probably us much, though figures for Its first year are not yet available. A tax levied for a Soldiers Relief fund, established by legislative enactment, pro dunes close to $7,000 a year. This Is used exclusively for the veterans and their families under the direction of a Soldiers' Relief commission consisting of three men. Coonty Funds. Treasury receipts of the county govern ment for the last two years have bean greatly augmented by the operations of the scavenger law tax sales, which enabled tho '.earing up of large amounts of taxes standing for years against property, ena bling the realty to be freed from all Hens of this sort and placing much of It ac tively tn tho market again. The total re ceipts of the county from miscellaneous sources Jumped from $1K3,304.43 In 1903 to $113,981.98 In 1904 and $509,640.41 In 1906. Tho total receipts for 1903 were $S98,476.58; for the two succeeding years the figures nre shown below, having been prepared by County Treasurer Robert O. Fink: nECEJPTS. 1904. ions Tax collections .. t "63,948.78 $ 864,391 '31 Miscellaneous collec tions 41S.981 98 509.5!O. Totals $1,166,930.73 tl.873.rSl.79 DISRCRSEMEN'TS. Paid state treasurer.. $ 163,763.90 $ 1W927 1 County warrants paid 4:i7,7M.36 466.57361 Paid city of Omaha... 184,528.48 307,975.19 Paid city of South Omaha 24.752.16 Paid school districts.. KiO,687.76 Redemptions, etc 114,692.89 33.505.45 10,911.17 163,760.01 Totals $1,086,196.56 $1,341,652.70 Following Is a statement showing assessed valuations for ten years: Banks Total Total Total and Per- Real Assess- Year. Rall'ds. aonal. Entitle. ment 1905 ....$2,219.1.16 $10,167,001 $19.645, 431 $29,818,432 19.4 .... 2.100,937 9.478.408 19,384.221 28,SU,6J V. .... 1,404.675 6.972.S40 1S.163.27R 25.602 TVS l:i2 .... 1.474.S41 6.760,012 18.143.328 25.36S,1.1 1901 .... 1,297.375 4.621,327 17.860.465 22.381,792 1! .... 1.29K.02S 4. 463.243 17.262.730 21,745 973 1K99 .... 1.235.2U 4.:;2.6.'9 17.243.611 21.6.V214 198 .... 1.2e).M5 8.9:6.485 17.077.067 21.023 552 IMC .... 1.224.678 8.9ir,470 17,166.503 21.070.973 196 .... 1,239,687 3,976,694 17,683,111 21.659.7(6 Snath Omaha, Statistics. South Omaha was organized as a village October a, 1SS6. December 13, 1887, It be came a city of the second class with a population of 1,500; on June 8, 1889, It was declared a city of the first class, having a population of more than 8,000 and less than 25.00 Inhabitants. December 10, 1900, It becume a city of the first class, having more than 25,000 and less than 40,000 in habitants. The elective officers of the city at pres ent are tho mayor, city treasurer, city clerk, city tax commissioner and a council consisting of six aldermen. The present roster Is: Frank Koutsky, mayor; E. L. Howe, city treasurer; John J. Glllln, city clerk: J. T. O'Neil. tax commissioner; W. P. Adkins. John Klewlt, William Queenan. William Martin, William McCralth and Frnnk Dworak. councilmen. The Board of Fire and Police Commis sioners has authority In all matters re lating to the fire and police departments and controls the matter of liquor licenses within the city. The present members of this hoard are George Mason, T. J. Nolan. William Van Fant, A. A. Nixon and A. L, B( rgnuist. The B-iard of Park Commissioners has charge of all public parks, park ways and boulevards. The present park board con sists of C. M. Hunt, J. H. Van Dusen, W. J. McCrann. John Schults and M. May berry. Tfc. population of South Omaha Is at present estimated at 26,000, and the as sessed valuation for the year 16 $21,128. fV mid a levy of 7.75 mills. The assessed vnlue of real estate Is $14,456,990 and f per sonal property $1,671,113. The total amount of the general levy for l'6 was $163,742. and of this the 90 per cent available was $117,367 80. The city of South Omaha has a bonded indebtedness at present amounting to rn.",6.1S8, South Omaha has, among other tidies, the following: Twenty-one and a half miles of water main; eight miles and a half of paved streets, rnstlng $530,280; twenty-three and a half miles of graded streets, costing $20971; eleven miles of street car tracks; ten miles of gas main; twelve miles of sewerage, costing $91000; 15? arc lamps; 127 hydrants; htrh school bulldlnp costing $100,000; thirteen other public school buildings, costing $400 000; eighteen churches of all denominations; postofflce building costing $100,000; public library building costing $50,000; viaducts e. silne $!50.W. The floating debt eX the city is compara- f lively very small. V. t v fen- pf the out standing warrntils run over sixty days during the past year. Without going over the books, the city treasurer states posi tively that nil outstanding warrants do not exceed $2".ti. nt tht present moment. ASSESSMENT AN0 TAXATION What the Itevcnne ,,f Omaha from IHreet l.etj ( tinned I lion. City and Total School Tax Mill Tear. Assessment Raised. Levy. I $1"6.. ....., $o:o,m.i u Il.77.54.-, 1.171. Mil u S 1"1. 191.1... 1.416..;o u l'"2 91. "Ii. .'I.' I.ljs s4 2 '9"1 !n.c; 1 ;- i:; fi l'"' 89 :'.,. :: ! ;M 116 lv-' 87.2'.P7 S'.2.6M 1 1898 82 62.!. r,7 79.1,18 9 6 . " k; "e' - 94I..4..1 lu. 8 Railroad and P.u-ltle l,Xpress companies' assessments in litigation. Omitted The tax assessment i ,ns for the past ten years in a measure 111 .strate the manner In whl.-h realty has increased In value and the multiplication f the personal wealth subject to tax.'ii ,,. While the 1906 figures in the table al...e have the nature of an estimate, for 19v :. Hint and tho valuations were on full cash basis; prior to that to IR17 on a two-fifths basis, and in 1897 and 19i on a one-tifth basis. AH have been transfonned hero to a full valuation for the purpese of comparison It will be noted that the aggregate as sessment has Increased steadily from year to year. In point of ratio, however, the personal property valuitlons have gained on real estate until tl.ey nre now nearly equal In amount. ThL condition has de creased the realty tax. s and thrown more 011 the public service and other corpora tions whose franchises are taxed as per sonalty, heavily capita'lzed industries and commercial enterprises, and Individuals possessing wealth in securities, stocks, bonds, mortgages, bank deposits and the like. The change from the old order began In 1!"2, when the Real Ks ate exchange, after a stubborn fight terminating In the su preme court, succeeded 111 (retting the taxes of tho five public service corporations greatly advanced. The taxing machinery for the state, county, city and school district is now lodged with the count v assessor and the board of county commissioners, the former making one general assessment roll upon which the board levies taxes for the four separate governmental departments. The amount of the levy for the state Is fixed by the State Hoard of Equalization, for the elty by the city council and mayor and for the school district by the Board of Education, the commissioners deter mining themselves the amount needed for the county. Fiscal affairs likewise are now by law concentrated in one source, the county treasurer, who acts In this capacity for county, city, school district and state, subject to the orders of the several govern ing bodies. The treasurer makes the tax collections. The present year will see the first re sults of this concentrated authority. Here tofore for a considerable time tho city as sessment roll was made separately by a city tax commissioner, subject to the action of a board of review and later of a board of equalization, composed of the city council. Tho same assessment roll suf ficed for the levy of the school district taxes. The changes were mode by amend ments to the city charter by the legislature In 19P6 In the Interests of economy and con venience and are regarded as the first steps toward a oomplete consolidation of city and eounty'govemment. TEN FINE HOSPITALS OPEN Omaha Well Rqulpped with Plaeea for the Care of the Sick and lujnred. There are ten hospitals In Omnha. Com bined they have capacity for 1,000 patients. More than 10,000 persons are treated in them annually. Buildings and grounds are esti mated to be worth $700,000. Improvements, Including new buildings, are planned to cost about $6u0,000. To all of the hospitals pa tients are admitted without sectarian quali fications. One-half of the service rendered Is free. The oldest hospital Is the Crelghton Me morial, better known as St. Joseph. It was established In 1S70. In 1890 through be quests of Mrs, Edward Crelghton and gifts of Count John A. Crelghton large new buildings on South Tenth street were built. These are worth $200,000, and in clude a special building for surgical opera tions' and clinics und a $22,000 chapel. The hospital Is In charpe of the Sisters of St. Francis. Catholic, and can handle 200 pa tients at one time and is one of the finest hospitals in the west. A new building to I cost $150,000 Is planned. I Clarkson hospital, 1718 Dodge street. Is 1 the second oldest Institution of its kind, navmg Deen tounded by the late Bishop Clarkson In the early 80s. It Is conducted under patronage of the Episcopal church and has a training school for nurses. Tho present capacity is thirty-five. A new $150,000 building Is to be built this year. Imnianuel hospital at Thirty-fourth and Meredith avenue is operated under the aus pices of the Swedish Lutheran church. It is fifteen years old and has capacity for about fifty patients. The Immanuel Dea coness institute for training nurses is con ducted in addition. A new $310,000 brick building Is being con structed at Thirty-sixth and Cuming streets i for the Methodist Koiseopai hospital. For twenty years the institution has been con ducted at 419 South Twentieth street. AU though its capacity Is only forty patients, more than 1.0C0 persons are cared for an nually. The Wise Memo! ial hospital was organ ized by the leudint,' Jewish citizens about flvo years ago. It has occupied the J. J. Brown estate mansion at 2225 Shertr.on ave nue, where a capicity fur thirty patients was afforded. A n.-w $70,uio building is to be built this year on Harney street, near Twenty-lifth. The Oim-ha Emergency hospital, main tained by the city, 1ms room for loO pa tients and is one of the best equipped affairs of its kind in the west. It was constructed about four yeais ago at a cost of $15,000. It is made of brick and la fur the purpose of Isolating persons afhlcted with contagious diseases, for this reuaon being located outside the city on a fifteen acre tract. The Douglas County hospital is a large Institution with room for 3i patients. About 3,00u persons are admitted annually. His buildings were erected In lfWS. Ser vice, of course, is entirely gratuitous. The Swedish hopi...l was established about three years 1130 and is maintained by the people of that nationality. It is located at 928 North Twenty-seventh street and has capacity for about thirty patients. The Presbyterian hospital, at Twenty sixth and Marcy streets, is now a private Institution. It has been In existence a number of years and has accommodations for about thirty patients. The Central hospital is a private hos pltal, at 2212-14 Seward street, with capacity for about twenty-six patients. It Is a eora paratively new establishment. IMsaaared. If disfigured by pimples, ulcers, sores, Bucklen's Arnica Salve will heal you up without a scar. 50 cents, guaranteed For sale by ShermaA 4h McConnell Drug Co. GREAT PLANTS IN' DAILY USL Public Strtice Corporationi Tnllj Up to koden Standard. OMAHA WELL EQUIPPED IN THIS LINE tiaa. Telephone. Fleet rle Mtht. lreet Hallway and Water Service of the Meat for Cltl'sena' raa. Omaha citizens are supplied with light, water, power, telephone and street railway service by corporations whose officers are thoroughly alive to the needs of the city, and whose enterprise has resulted In tho establishment of Immense plants which are maintained to the highest degree of effi ciency. Especially It this true of those who use electricity !n sny of Its many forms. It Is not too much to say tbst no city has more modern apfllanoes or de vices in this line than .-ire diily In lis In Omaha. The water company's plant Is looked upon as a model everywhere, while the gas company has ndopted the latest methods of producing Its product, and with the exception that It finds Its present plant rather small for the growing needs ftf the city. It Is right up to date. The growth of the city within the last two years has been followed by these publlo service corporations and new ma chinery and buildings have been added to their facilities for caring for the needs of the public. Omaha fiaa Company. NVt Feet of Rovalty Ons Sold. tn Cltv. :t76.63..rti $1R 833 01 3(L..M':.mv 17,1 a en 3oS.1Ti.nin 15.406 53 2S.V2M.ftin 14.264.17 261. 246. rut 13 062 I 2:-. 62 K 11.943.14 227.M2.oo" 11 31 6 221.9M..IOO 11.097 74 17i.524.rtV) g 535 Jo 158 20' .OOv) 7 4io OS 14I.3S.rtV i 141 )) 119.931.000 6.996. 5S Estimated. These figures In themselves are sufficient In show how tho local Kas business has kept pace with the growth of Omaha. More than twice as much gas for Illuminating, cooking and heating purposes Is now con sumed every day In Omaha than was used less than ten years ago. During the last two years the company has been unable to get sufficient laborers to lay promptly nil the mains demanded by the expansion of the city. Considerable work of this charac ter which should have been done last fall had to be carried over to spring. With the remarkable amount of home building and the rapidly settling up of the suburban dis tricts the gas company has been forced to put In more than eight miles of new mains during the last two years. During the same period nearly 6,000 stores and appliances, such as heaters, etc., were sold by the company, which has by no means a monopoly on this business. Ap proximately 1,700 old houses were piped that Is, dwellings that were erected for scire time but never had gas connections. Vic President Clabauirh thinks this latter fact Is an excellent Indication of the prevailing prosperity. It Is common enough for new houses to be arranged for gas. but with old houses the Incident Is noteworthy. In 1904 1,200 new meters were Installed and In 1905 1,660, making a total of ?,780 new patrons acquired during the period. The city installed 158 new street lamps equipped with modem Welsbach burpers. With the additional demands made upon It the gas company has had to make plans for Improving Its distributing system so as to maintain a larger reserve of gas In stor age and to supply better pressure, particu larly in the north and northwest parts of the city. These plans Include the building of a large storage tank at a cost of $70,000 to $80,000. It will enable a much superior service. In 1S95 the. gas company made a voluntary reduction In the price of Illuminating and fuel gas. there being no distinction between the two kinds. The cut took effect October 1 from $1.35 to $1.26 a thousand feot. This will be followed In October this year with a further cut to $1.15. The officers of the Omaha Gas company are: President. Frank T. Hamilton; vice president and secretary, Q. W. Clabaugh treasurer and engineer, Isaac Battln; su perintendent, George H. Waring. ebraska Telephone Company. Statistics show that Omaha has had In recent years one of the largest telephone developments of any city of like size ln the United States. The officers of the Nebraska Telephone company estimate that in five years there will be more than 20,000 tele phones In service ln Omaha. On January 1, 1904, the company had a switchboard capacity for about ,!00 phones and there were a few less than 6,000 subscribers December 31. 1906, found the subscribers numbering 10.560 and the switchboard ca pacity Increased to 18,0uO. Lest January it became plain to the officers that the main office with the largest switchboard made would not be equal to tho demand. The city was subdivided and a fine new exchange building erected at Thirty-third and Harney streets. A fcwltch board of the same type as that ln the main office with a capacity of 6,000 subscribers has been Installed. The outside plant has been expanded to keep pace with the switchboard capacity, aerial and underground cable to the length of 1.000,000 feet having been strung, koine of It being for replacement and betterments. In part of these cables are as many as 800 wires and In none less than thirty. Practic ally all the open wires have been replaced by the cables. In connection with the cable work more than 100 miles of new poles have beon set out, most of which were for replacements. In addition to the new branch exchange ground has Just been bought at Eighth and Douglas streets for a brick warehouse, 6x 132 feet ln dimensions and either three or five stories high, to be used by the purchas ing and supply departments and the super intendent of construction. During the past year tho service has been extended to Florence and Benson. In 1904 the average number of employes In the company's service here was 815, drawing $199,279 60 annually in wages. In 19jS the average number of employes JumpU to 615, with an annual pay rollof $:71.120. These facts In themselves illustrate the tremendous advance in the amount of business dono and tho Improvements made. The f night tonnage of the Nebraska Tel ephone company for 1905 was exceeded only by one wholesale house. The management of the Nebraska Tele phone company Is vested In: President, C. E. Yost: vice president. C. W. Lyman; sec retary' ami trcusurer, E. M. Moraman; gen eral manager, H. Vanc Lane; auditor, W. A. Pixley; asslstunt treasurer, Lawrence Brinker; attorney, W. W. Morsman; su perintendent, W. B. T. Belt; manager Omaha exchange, II. P. Ryner; manager South Omaha exchange, J. Jt. Carter. Omaha Kleetrle l.labt and Power Co. The Omaha Electric Light und Power company operates in Omaha. Council Bluffs and South Omaha and Is the only concern of Its kind In the three cities. During- the past two years the company has spent about $170,000 In physical Improvements. A new central power station building and complete equipment cost $100,000. the plant being pronounced by excrts one of the most perfect and modern la tn country. It h.i a 4.500 K. W. rapacity and nn dangerous currents reach the switchboard, the heavy leads first running dltect to a separate fireproof building before they are distributed. The company spent $v5.noo In extending Its underground district to include the territory lying between ElRhth and Thir teenth streets from Howard to Leaven worth and from Eighth to Eighteenth be tween Howard and Jackson streets. In the same period $75,ono wns expended in over head line Improvements and extensions. The royalty of 3 per cent on the gross business, less city lighting, which the company pays to the municipality, guages Its Increase of business. In 1J02 this royalty amounted to tt.6S3.90. In 1908 to $.22l.it5. in 1904 to $7.0(11. 4S and In 1906 (esti mated! $.fX. Downtown the old overhead suspension system of swlng'r.g arc lamps has been abandoned und ornamental Iron corner poles Installed, the number of lamps being doubled. Outside of the business district something like 100 new arc lamps have been plneed on the streets. One of the pro nounced features in the lighting business during the last two years is the large In crease In electric signs, there being scores of these signs In operation now where there Wns one before. The officers of tha Omaha Electric Light and Power company are: President, F. A. Nash; Tlco president, C. E. Claflin; secre tary and treasurer. F. B. Schweltser; gen eral manager. H. A. Holdrege; superintend ent, George Keebler; purchasing agent W. B. Whltehorn; contracting agent. I. p. Zlmman; cashier, C. W. Drew; head book keeper, IL L. Martin. Street Railway Company. The close of 1906 finds the Omaha Coun cil Bluffs Street Railway company doing at least 1 per nut more business than two years before, with 6i more miles of track and forty more cars ln service, together with a fine new central power station, two new car bams and ono new central repair station. The heavy Investments repfe sented Indicate the additional requirements of a rapidly growing city. On every Im portant line in town the sen-ice has been Increased and special provisions made for caring for crowds during the rush hours. For the last three years traffio has In creased at the rate of S per cent over tlu preceding year. The rapid accession of business caused the company to build and equip what Is said to be the most modern and Improved electric power station ln the west. It Is located at Fifth and Jones streets and has a 6,000 K. W. capacity. Besides this, large new brick car barns were built at Twenty-fourth and Vinton In Omaha and at Twenty-eighth street and Avenue A, Council Bluffs. In 1906 largo new repair shops were built at Twenty-sixth and Lake streets, where all the repairs and construction to rolling stock will be made. Extensions of track Include: Florence three and one-half miles; from Dominion street to Missouri avenue, one and one-half miles, affording a second route to South Omaha; from Sixth and Pierce to Sixth and Center streets, one-half mile, and a one mile spur from the Florence line to Forest Lawn cemetery. The out-of-door work In cluded the reconstruction of thirty miles of track, the larger part of It being the Dodge street line, which was not only given a modern roadbed, but had old and obsolete ' cars discarded. Forty miles cf heavy copper feed cable wires were strung and the entire overhead line of the system equipped with lightning arresters. During the period the company bought forty new open cars of standard type and eighty new closed cars, half of these of the large, double truck variety. For 190a ten more open cars are being manufactured PropOBt-d 1906 track extensions Include the line to Fort Crook through Bellevue. six miles, and the extension of the Dodge street lino on Thirtieth street from Bristol to Spauldlng streets. The officers of the Omaha & Council Bluffs Street Railway company are: Presi dent, Guy C. Barton; vice president. G W. Wattles; second vice president, M S Hopkins; secretary. R. A. Leussler; treas urer and general manager, W. A. Smith general superintendent, F. A. Tucker. -Omaha Water Company. The year 1906 was the biggest twelve months ln the history of the business of the Omaha Water company and that of 1904 next to It. despite the fact that pend ing appraisement proceedings to munlclpal Ixe tho plant and litigation ensuing pre vented the Installation of many hydrants and the extension of many miles of mains. In 19(6 the number of patrons of the' company increased about 8 per cent over the preceding year, when the ratio of gain had been almost as great. In 1904 about four miles of new mains were put In in Omaha and forty new fire hydrants In stalled. At the beginning of last year the company adopted the policy of refusing to place in any more hydrants or mains, unless paid for privately, during the con tlnuance of the appraisement proceedings. Up to June 1. 1905, there were mnr .h... 200 unsatisfied demands for new hydrants, meaning jso.ono feet of new mains and from 1.000 to 2,000 new patrons. At th time 1,200 new patrons were placed on the vorporauon s Dooks In 1906 and about !M in vm. v At the present time the water company has 1S3 miles of mains in Omaha, 36 miles in South Omaha, 9 in Florence. 3 in Dun dee and 2 ln East Omaha, a total of 232 miles. The dally pumping capacity Is fig! ured at 13,oun.c00 gallons and the. total res ervolr capacity at 150.000,000 gallons, In cluding the settling basins at the Florence pumping station, which have an aggregate capacity of S0,00,ooo gallons. In Omaha 1.637 fire hydrants are Installed and ready for use. The officers of the Omaha Water com pany are: President. Theodore C. Wood bury; peneral manager. E. M. Fairfield; su perintendent, A. B. Hunt; chief engineer, Henry Rustln; treasurer. Stockton lleth. The Kremlin. The Kremlin Is the citadel of Moscow, Russia. It Is 600 years old. It Is a trian gular lnclosure, 7.280 feet In circumference, fortified with battlemented walls. It con tains the Imperial palace and the three cathedrals of the Assumption, the Annun ciation and Archangel Michael. In the first prior to Peter the Great, the rulers of Russia were crowned; in the second they were baptized and married; In the third they were burled. In it also are the miracle monastery, the tower. 3f3 feet high, which was erected IMO-I61O, from the windows of which Napoleon saw the city burned, nnd the great bell at the foot ef the tower. The bell Is sixty-five feet around, twenty-live feet high and weighed Uf.um pounds. It was cast In 1733 by order of Empress Anna. It fell and was burled until 1S36. A piece which weighed eleven Ions was broken off by the fall. It was never runs. The great palace, within the Kremlin, dates from the middle of the present century. In it are the hall of St. George, Alexander hall, the hall of St. Andrew and the lhrnn rsm ti,.. range from l0 to 30 feet long, sixty-eight ! feet wide and from fifty-eight to sixty, eight feet high. In the treasury are an cient jewels and plate and regalia and the thrones cf the last Emperor of Constanti nople and of the old Persian shahs and ths coronation robes. Kansas City Star. Semi-annual clearance sale begins Tues day morning at t o'clock. See yesterday's ad. Benson Thome's Lilliputian Bazaar. Men's, boys', children's clothing, hats, ladles' suits, skirts, millinery, etc., cash or credit. People's Store, 16th and Farnam. AHA COMMERCIAL CLCB Itnminie Stride Vada by Orgailiatton Inriig Lust Year. MEMBERSHIP OF OVER EIGHT HUNDRED Activity of the Clnb la All Ptreetlaas Much t.reater Darin liHMl Thaa K-er Before In Its History. . During the last year or two the Omaha Commercial club, which wss first organized In 1893. has made Immense strides forward. In June. 1904, K. J. McVann of Chicago was engaged as commissioner of the organiza tion and Its activo agent. Since that time the club has expanded materially and greatly advanced Its prestige. Importance and the value of Its services to the com munity. The membership of the organization was pushed to 830 at tho close of m from S8 enrolled early In 1M. This Indicates as well as anything else the revival of Interest In the club and the support of the business and professional men. One of the biggest tangible Internal Im provements made by the Commercial dob Is tha redeeoratlna; and refurnishing; of Its Quarters, which take ln the entire top floor of the Board of Trade building at Blxtoanth and Farnam streets. The wisdom ef all these ImproTMneota was proven by the average dally atteodanoa at the club Jumping from thirty to forty to 140. The net profits from the cafe, bllllardl room, bar and cigar stand amounted to $2,000 the first year. With an annual In come from dues of upward of $16,000 tha ad ministration of the club does not coat to exceed $12,000 a year. By the middle of 1I0 all the costs of the Improvements will ba paid off. Few clubs of any kind can bot of so much material prosperity. The o racers for 190R are as folluwsi President, W. 8. Wright. Tressurer, F. N. Clarke. Secretary, J. E. George. Commissioner, E. J. McVann. BXECUTtA'E COMMITTFL Chairman, F. W. Judson. 1 If. H. Baldrlge, r. H. Kelly. t Ei A. Benson, E. V. Iew1s, E. E. Bruce. Euclid Martin. H. K. Btirket, F. Paffenrath. David Cole. O. II. Pickens. Thomas A. Fry, F. K. Sapborn, G. L. Hammer. A. C. Smith. Charles Harding, John Steel. A. Hospe. N. P. I'pdlke, R. C. Howe. H. S. Weller. F. H. Johnson. C. M. Wllhelm, O. D. Klpllnger, W. L. Yetter. Report of Commissioner. The report of Commissioner McVann for the year ending July 1, 1906, makes an In teresting showing about what was accom plished by the club In that time. The sum mary recites the refitting of the offices of the club and the Installation of modern business furniture and appliances and the Inauguration of a complete and permanent record of all the correspondence, meetings and transactions of the club and Its com mittees. A record of all available vacant property, Improved and unimproved, was started and hundreds of Inquiries regarding It were answered. The basis was founded for a record of all the essential facts per taining to the life, growth, health and busi ness affairs of the city. By the close of 1906 this record was nearly perfected. The club was Instrumental In securing the meetings In Omaha of the Nebraska State Teachers' association, the Nebraska Iowa Retail Implement Dealers' associa tion, Nebraska Retail Hardware Dealers' association, the Burlington Association of Operating Officers, the Modern Brotherhood of America and the Central Shorthorn Breeders' association. Considerable work was, dime toward say ing the permanent location of the Indian warehouse ln Omaha and In getting a fairer show for Omaha bidders on Indian supplies. The office handled eight mer chants' meetings during the period, validat ing more than 1,600 certificates of country merchants and refunding, through the Job bers' and Manufacturers' association, the fares of hundreds of others. This depart ment of the club's work was thoroughly systematized. Trade Kxcaralons. Trade excursions were routed to outside territory, all being successful and satisfac torily handled. In establishing better rela tions with tributary towns the commis sioner accepted Invitations and attended mex-tlnga at Beatrice. Fremont Blair, South Omaha. Council Bluffs, Missouri Valley and other towns. The club participated In the organization of the State At-boclatlon of Commercial Clubs and Commissioner Mc Vann was elected vice president An Im proved feeling in the state toward Omaha and Omaha merchants was noted. According to the commissioner, the year marked a great many changes In railroad rates, nearly all of them of advantage to Omaha. Among the readjustments directly due to his efforts were the rates on steam coal, stucco, rice. boer,. cement, lime and sulphur dip and various stock foods. 11a co-orerated with the American Shippers' as sociation ln knocking out the obnoxious uni form bill of lading and was one of the witnesses ln the hearing before the Inter state Commerce commission on the subject The commissioner worked with special com mittees and wh.-n appointed to defend tha Iowa rates against a threatened advance succeeded not only In averting It, but iq having a basis established that will be bard to attack in the future. Itor in 1906 attention was given to the congestion at the principal local freight houses and serious delays to merchandise thereby. At the July meeting of the west ern classification committee Important changes to Omaha wits obtained. A new rating was obtained on cotton goods which saves local merchants several thousands of dollars annually. Favorable rates were obtained for raw material and out ship ments for local factories. Arrungements were made on favorable terms for two more tr e excursions, which were con ducted with great success. Honorary Memberships. During the quarter 3,000 honorary mem bership cards were sent out to editors In the Omaha territory. The commissioner devoted much time to work in the Chicago Live Stock exchango rate case, which was recently decided ln favor of the South Omaha and other west ern markets. Nonrly all the group of Omaha business men who organized the Commercial club in 1893 are still members und active work ers in its ranks. The first president was ll.-rman Kountze and the first chairman of the executive committee, In which is vested the real working authority, was W. A. L. Gibbon. The permanent policy of electing- tho chairman of the executlvo committee president i f the club the fol lowing year was adopted. Currying out this d-a, these men have served suc cessively as chairman and president: w. A. L. Gibbon, C. F. Weller, Euclid Martin, I. W, Carpenter, J. 11. Dumont, J. E. Baum, C. 8. Hayward, Euclid Martin, C. It Pickens, J. F. Carpenter; D. A. Baum, who declintd to serve us president, A. C. Smith being chosen in his steud; R. B. Wilcox and W. S. Wright. F. W. Judson Is the present head of the executive com mittee. Messrs. Smith. Pickens and Martin are still members of the executive commit, tee. All these officer am in active busi ness In tills city except W. A. L. Uibbou who moved away.