Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1914)
14 TILE BEE: OMAHA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 1014. f : v Adivties of City and County Governments During the Year JuSt Ended j I t i X COUNTY HAS JLARGE BALANCE City and County Treasurer Urc Hakes Statement of. Funds. TOTAL RECEIPTS NINE MILLION Shoira Where the Mnnrr Comes from, IIott Mnch la on llnnil mill Where It lln Hern Spent Dnrlnsr the Year. The annual statement of W. CI. Ure. treasurer ot tho county and city and tho school and water district, shows a bal anco of $2,427.&?6, exclusive ot tho re colpts and disbursements ot the last two days of December. Tha total receipts for all purposes for 1913 were $9,12S,64S. Tho treasurer's state ment of all funds In his keeping fol lows; Ualanco November 30. 191 $2,080,785 RECEIPTS. City tax K.920 County tax 135,439 City miscellaneous 4,07l County miscellaneous... 6.0W Water district receipts. 200,521-$ 875,008 Total to bo ac- counted for $ 3,WJ,7CI DISHimaWJHSJiTB. rity and school 537,378 county 204,160 Met. water district , 246,3-48-$ l,077.t87 Balance. Dee. 29, 19137" " ' 1 2,4I7.87fi RECEIPTS FOR 1913. , Ualarce Januury 1. 1913 $2,221,77 January SM?? February 11,111 March M April B32,5l May . . v 851,491 1 tto ... .Ha4.549 i July 1.ST5.7W r August J 1.1SS.!J September October 3"73.73l November " . December K75.00S. , Total receipts year 1913 Total to bo f.tintfl for.. for $ 9,12$,W8 $11,3.136 DISBURSEMENTS FOR 1913. Januory )Z.:::::::::::::p SjS- :::::::::1 October November , J""! December 1,077687 Total disbursement for Dec. 1913 Bnlnnco In treasury December 29, 1913.. S 8,922.500 $ 3,427,878 Cnsli on linn". Bank balances, cash and securities at closo of business December 29. 19131 Kountio.Br?.. New York ........! 291.713 h,nk. Omaha 215,283 Merctiani nu ,V." ir "10 463 First National bank. Dmaha...... United Statoe National bank jVbraskn National bank. Omaha. City National bank. Omaha........ t'orn Exchungo National banlt trr.ttia k.6W CS.COt Ktato Dank" of Omaha. Omaha... National Uank South tcaVards'NaYo qmnna 23,U 110,(kW 10.000 3.000 2.000 3.000 3.600 3.W0 ?,500 Z Uv Stock Rational bank. South imtim State bank, Waterloo.... Hank or wwonooi Hank of Benson, Benson...., Itank of Florence. on"n?',,;v1: Herman Bank of Millard, Mil- M'unKold & aVandt'bnltTlionninK- 3,000 ton 'k'i"Mrcanta ban!. Varrticrs llAiitnn 2.S0O fJtate Bank of Kllthom. Klkhorn.. J. Valley Stato bank. Valley.... ...... 2.W Btnnlngtoti Stuto bank. Bennlns- Klkhorn. ... in rocolvlnir callQ k5? deposit Irt recelvlns case cash In.imylng caito i For deposit in jaytou cRo nmst securities.. JmSu R 1. D. warrants purchusod; UMM Water Board secuiitlea i, . " Water Investment 2,42T,7 Total lllvlatotl of Ii'undH. Th. Rbove funds are divided at folt county of DoiiKtas...; ; v.i... nml.hll ,yy. kooiric rof Msj.-vsa-:: Vviur dTsuict of 6mh:.:..:... wu 2.7.S7ti Total. Tntri levied. a..i.mnt of the. total city and. school taxes levied In. varlqus year" and amounts ,.untrA January 1. 191: " . " ta.S48.ca 1410 nnrnllor.tcd 27,090 Street Improvement Bonded. ; statement of chanse In city's street hrf provemeut bonded Indebtedness durnK tha last year: outstandlnif Jan. 1, 1?U.. 11.419.000 Ttonds wild In WIS to fl nance new pavlns Total ' Dnmii nsid at maturity . Sl,(t5.000 during 191J I.OvCOO Bonds cancelled before maturity during year.... 1S1.000 227.000 Optstandlntr Jan. i 1911... )l,S9S.00O The savlnsT made on Interest on bonds pancelled was I18.00K. There Is now In the treasury to redeem bonds I55.0CO. " . ?n.eeln Taxes. Statement ot Omalia special taxes col lected durlhff each ot three yean: 1911 1912. 1911. Pfreet improvement. .ttM.SW 8333.949 S4M.7S4 Pewtr- e7.kM 2f4 W.SW Sidewalk 7.139 ,4i0 10,907 Miscellaneous .33.9X7 C5.600. . 0.VJ9 Bw'l assmt. tlnklng. 6,409 t,oU 8,417 Totals - Xn.m M0C.612 8519.953 rieKnlar 'faxts. Comparative statement ot regular taxet rollected In the last three years; City .and' School 1911 1912. 1911. Current 12.1!4,oco si.sio.soi si.72t.TU Back 90,801 3,402 09.001 County and State- Current S1.13S.SC9 tl.030.Cta 11.00tl7 Mack (3,239 49.60) SJ.TS9 Total current.... $3,243,029 tJ.84fl.9M U.732.108 Total back lil.Ott 13S.9CJ 102,401 Grand totals . W.497,070 82,979.919 2.83i;.!C0 WORE MEN ENLIST IN THIS SECTION DURING YEAR 1913 The following- table shows the number of men accepted for service at the Omaha recrultltur station and It? substations for service In the United States army: Station. 1912. 'Omaha ., ut Unco In u 1913. 267 22 78 c ' flioux Wty 4 Ds Moinea 49 Totals -Closed Aucuit is. lsis. ..130 404 iUtabJished Beptember $, Wit. Marriage is Four to One Shot When . Taken with Divorce One new dlvorco suit to ovory four marriage was tho record of Douglas county last year, according to figures furnished by Harry Pcarso of tho offlco of the clerk ot the district court, and Clyde Sundblatt, clerk of the county court Tho ratio Is practically the satn'i an in 1813. Twenty-five hundred and one marriage HoenseJ were Issued and 632 dlvorco suits were sUtrtid In 1912. Both totals arc tho largest in tho history of tho county. J'lgures on disposition of dlvorco cases for 1913 and 1912 are as follows! Ytnr. Granted. DIsmls'd.Pend'g.Total. 1913 3rn XH mz 1012 200 ! 190 621. The marriage llccnso records for 1018 and 1912 by months follow: Month. 1913. 1912 January l&S 131 February 171 lt6 March 173 144 April 175 ISO May 184 Iff) June 3-il 281 July J 175 1B August Ill wi Bentember 14) S Ocloher 248 240 novemuor m i.i December 212 222 Totals 2,Wl 2,440 The marriage llconsa figure's by yearn slnco 1900 are as follows! Year. No. ....1,200 ...,1,'JUI ....1.333 ...1.421 Year. 1907... 1908..., 1909..., 1910..., 1911..., 1912..., 1913..,, No. ....1.832 ,...1.880 ....2.0W5 ....2.SK! ... .2.188 ItcjO... 1001, ., 1902... 1H03... 1901. 1903. l!K5, 1.400 1,507 1,708 Railroads Eunning Into Omaha Open ! Large Sums of Money )jkti year was a busy ono for tho railroads centering In Omaha and mill ions of dollars were expended In doubQ tracking old lines, extending new ones nnd Improvements of a jtenernl char acter. Tljo Missouri Pacific expended more" than 12,000,000 In doublo tracking nnd ro bulldlnir tho Belt lino and putllnK Its Nebraskn lines in tho liest possible con dition. In addition, it equipped Its trains Into Omaha with new rolling stock, all of tho ItfiH that could bo put chased in tho markots. For the comlne year this road has mint good things In storo for On. alia. Tho officials contemplate tho erection ot a mammouth freight housa to replace the old one that has becomo too small, for the business. Then too, It" has nbout completed the plans tor cxtennlvo freight yards nnd terminals at Ilalston, which with tho new freight depot, will cost consldcrublo over tl.000,000. While the Milwaukee has doOi nothing on tho weJt sldo of tha Missouri river, It ruts unproved iim omnha-Chlcsgo line; making it ono ot tho. best between' the two cities. This has been done by tho expenditure of tnoro than ?10,000,OX n practically rebuilding the lino. Tho en tire dlstanco has been double tracked with the heaviest of steel. Now bridge havo been constructed and tho curve have been eliminated and tho credo cut doyn, ' Mlllloiin by lIurlliiKtmi, During tho year tha llurllnston ex pended more than tl.000,000 in territory tributary to Omaha; Nearly $800,000- wan expended lt replacing rails with the heaviest kinds of steel. On tho Powder river extension, $3,000,000 was expended nnd tho lino opened to Casper. Work Is still progressing east ot thero andwbe foro tho end ot the present year, Omaha will have another short line to tho north west couht country. Tho Ashland bridge was rebuilt at an enormous cost, $90,COO already having brcn expended. This hrlduo Is ot concrete and steel and is one that wilt last Indefinitely, OOief bridges on tho lines out ot Omaha have been constructed at a cost of $110,. 000, whtlo Industry and team tracks at numerous stations havo been put In at 'an expense of $323,000. Other Improve- mentu, such aa coaling stations, tanks, lpe lines and block signals costing $10),000, or more, have been put In. The Northwestern' expenditure during tho year has been closo to $1,000,000, the biggest Item being bridged and bridge bcttcrmcntH, costing $340,000. All of the engines Used west ot the Missouri river have been converted Into oil burners and this at a cost of $43,000. Uepalrs to build lns have amounted to tltO.OoO, while new buildings have cost $76,000. industry trucks and track to Industry costing $71,000, have been laid and $130,OQQ ex pended, lit track bettorments. Storage tanks for oil have cost J30.COO and putting eleotrlo headlights on engines a like sum, while steel water tanks along tho lines have cost $15,000. .Ntw I.Iiivn Added. The Union 1'aclflc, always adverse to giving figures relative to expenditures tor Improvements and betterments, has spent large sums during tho last year. It has purchased a largo number ot new locomotives and cars of all kinds, erected numerous new depots, coaling stations and other buildings. This road during the year has completed the Gib bon-Hastings cut-off, twenty-seven nillea and the Qering-llalg branch and the Lion brangh, cloven miles. It has laid twenty-five miles of now yard and side track and added sixty-three miles of double track, thus giving It a doublo track entirely acroes Nebraska and more than 7(0 miles of doublo track between Omuha and Ogden, 1,000 miles. The block signal was extened eighty eight miles and at Noith ILatto and Kvanston Immense round houses were constructed. A fine depot was built at Hastings and numerous smaller ones at stations along the several lines. More than 2,000 freight cars were added to the equipment. THEATERS PAY LARGE END OF OMAHA LICENSE MONEY David llerkowlts, city license Inspec tor, collected 1.607 licenses during the year, and tlu receipts, of the department totaled $13,903. The largest sum was received from theaters, whose license fees for the year, paid In to Uerkawltz assistant, John JUthiesen, amounted to $2,700. BRIDGES C0STLAR6E SUM County Surveyor Makes Report on Work Done in Douglas County. TELLS OF I10AD WORK DONE Cement Cutter! Ileplncr Small ItrldKrs In Mnny I'lnres Snyi County Iloatln Arc Kept In (nud Condition. According to a report prepared by County (Surveyor Louis Adams Douglas county, during tho year 1913, spent $138, 578.58 on Its roads and bridges. Thin In cludes alt stcol, concrete and wood bridges, and all culverts. The rebuilding, nnvlnr and renali-lne of the naved roads. Tho opening of new roads, the cost of miul condemned nnd tho upkeep of all roads and bridges. Thero havo been a number of small steel and wooden bridges, and two Elk horn river bridges rebuilt, that were washed away during tho flood of the spring of 1911, nnd Douglas and Baundcrs counties nre rebuilding the bridges over the east channel of the Platte river west of Valley, 9fi0 feet of which was carried away and ns much more dnmaged by the ice the same spring. Of this COO feet is bo'ng replaced by steel nnd the balance repaired. It l tho Intention nf the mlsftlonera to fill most of this with sand, and top It with earth The county has bought a steam roller nnd the necessary tools for repairing tho macadam roads, of which tho county Iiah about thlrty-nlno mllns, nnd has had a crow of men repairing the Military road which is about completed Tho county also has a crew putting In Cement culverts In placo ot small bridges, which are cheaper than pipe, nnd It will only be a few yearn until the county will have done nwny with small bridges entirely. Tho county has completed about 8t,CO0 cubic yards of deep grading In dlfffcrcnt parts of tho county on the earth roads, of which thero aro C0 miles. Thcso have been kept In good shape with the use of two blade machines at a cost ot $63 per mile. Kuch ot tho elcvon road overseers has a small made macnino tor nxing ruts and washouts; also there nre a number ot farmers who nro dragging thn roads around their farina at $1 per mile, but this Is In excess of what other counties aro paying and will be cut uown to about TCc Tho county roads have been kept In good condition the last year owing to the enro and attention given by Mr. Harto, chairman of tho road and brldgo commlttco. who has given all his time to tho work, going over the roads with tho county engineer, and other members of the hoard. Tho county engineer and highway commissioner's reports will be ready in a short time, showing tho en tire expondlturo during the last year. Boiler Inspector Issues Don'ts for the Coming Year H. TT. Wolfe, city boiler inspector, asks operators of steam hollers to observe tho following "don'ts" In order to lend sonio aid to the smoko abatement campaign: Don't put fire Into a boiler furnace un til you nre assured that It has sufficient water In it. Don't expect tho plant to operate effi ciently or smokelcssly unless you have the necessary draught of air through grates, flro bed, stack connections and smokestack, to give you proper combus tion of the fuel ued. Don't put coal enough Into a furnaco to last several hours, when the fuel supply should be replenished at reasonable In tervals, and thou spread so as to cover the wholo grate surface at a uniform depth, thus helping to abate smoke. Don't crlttclso your neighbor for main taining a nuisance, unless your own back yard Is clean. Don't wait for "Bill to do It first." If yoii wont a nuisance abated; help your neighbors to abate It by lending your co operation, remembering that with an ounce of reason you can do more with an Intelligent person than with a pound of force. Don't think the smoke nuisance cannot be abated, hut try and think how to as sist In tho effort, and do It. Don't forget that smoke abatement means a conservation of the fuel re sources ot the country. Don't doubt that the campaign for ths abatement of the smoke nuisance Is on. for many of our best citizens who have already Installed smoke prevention de vices, or are Installing them at present, can testify to tho fact; anl further, the effort will be more vigorous as time progresses and conditions pormlt. Don't allow yourself to believe that you can get tno samo results from an in- tenor graue or ruci that can be obtained from tho better grades, for fuel should be Judged by Its relative heat unit value, and not by Its bulk. Don't hesitate to call on the smoke In spector at any time you need his service, for he needs your co-operation nnd as slstanca lit the effort to clean up Omaha and will appreciate the same. RECORDS OF CASES BEFORE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT Records of criminal business in the of fice of County Attorney Magneyi show 1M convictions and fifteen acquittals for 1913, as compared with 143 convictions and twelve acquittals in 1912. Figures In con nection with major crimes are similar to those of last year. Forty-five cases were dismissed for want of e Vlence In 1913; In 191S there were thlrty-clt?.t. Following are the records for the two years: CONVICTIONB. 1913. Mi: Homicide 4 5 Drenklng and entering ,. tlrand larceny nobbery ...,. Felonious assault , Forgery (9 18 16 9 11 63 IS 10 9 10 30 143 1912 1 Miscellaneous Totals US ACQUITTALS. 1911 Homicide 3 lireaklng and entering S S tioiwery Assault Grand larceny Other crimes 2 3 3 Totals Nulled, 1913. 4S. 1912, SS IS Bossie Advises the Inspectors of the Country Dairies Claude F. Bossie, city dairy Inspector, In his annual report to Health Commis sioner. It. W. Connoll recommends Im mediate Inspection ot dairies In the farm district adjacent, to Omaha and tho ap pointment of an Inspector whose solo duty It shall bo to inspect stores, pas teurizing stations and restaurants. The total cost of maintaining this de partment during tho year was $2,749.19, Including salaries, livery and transporta tion and supplies. Concerning the Inspections made by his department Bosslo says: I Onlv two dalrvmun foiled to reach the "'rlng VhS-Vr "S fcWrS Www cows tthat the dairymen held over from tho year previous) tested for tuberculosis. Of thepo eoventy-thrce reacted and wero condemned and slaughtered. Of theso thlry were from one dairy and tho pro prietor delayed somewhat In disposing of same. After tho tlmo limit had explrad for disposition or tlice conucmneu an imals, complaints had to bo filed dally In police court. This had the desired ef fect nnd they wero properly disposed of. 1 mado M2 Inspect ons ot dairies, and forty-six rc-lnspectlons. During tno year mo ionowing '' pro omenta were mado In dairies: isew barns constructed, eight; new milk houses constructed, twelve; cement floors put In barns, ten; cement floors put In milk nouses, cigiit. Makes Milk Safe. Continuing Bossie b report says: in miillHnn in fnrtn lnsoectlon. intelli gent personal supervision of the detailed work In a dairy is essential to tho pro duction of clean, "safe" milk and the only way the results of farm Inspection can bo ascertained Is by un examination of the milk takun from tho wagon when ready for delivery to tne consumer. It Is, of course, obvious that with a model equipment in a modern barn It will bo easier to produce clean milk than when, hundlcappcd with a poor outfit, but our usual' procedure has been not to Insist upon moro or less costly improvements In uny dairy when such dairy was already producing clean milk uu shown by our bacteria examinations. Authorities and sclent'.sts agree that the cleanliness ot iv milk supply 1 best Judged by tho bac teria content. Not all bacteria found In milk, however, Is harmful, In fact nearly all Is what Is known aa "lactic acid bacteria, which la harmless. Our bucturlologtst, ur, aiiuaru uuis feldt, ha mado examinations for various forms of bacteria and not a single In stance have more than two of tho type ot bacteria known aa "colon" been found In a hample. Maniple Arc Used. Noxt In lmportanco to our bacteria work Is tho chemlcul analysis of sam ples; theso also aro taken from wagons delivering to tho consumer. This analysis shows whether the sample contains tho amount of butter fat required by law, or If It has been adulterated with water or skimmed milk. More Important, howover, the chemist also determines by his analysis whether any preservatives have been added to milk or cream to keep tamo from souring. Jlero again I might add that during tho year 1913 nearly 300 eamplea of milk and cream were tosted for formaldehyde, borax, borlo acid, so dium, formalin and nitrates ot all kinds, Hint not In a slnglo Instanco did tho ex aminations reveal the slightest trace of uny milk, preservative. During tho -year all recommendations that 1 mado in my last annual report wero Incorporated Into tho ordinances of the city. The cream standard was raised from 18 to 18 per cont, t.ho milk standard was Increased from 3.0 to 3.2 per cent. The bacteria standard was reduced from 1W.000 to 100,000 per c. c. during tho win ter months. An ordinance was passed by tho council compelling nil restaurants, cafes and lunch rooms to sell milk In bottles that were bottled and scaled at tlm dalrlcM or creameries. After an nr- lest and conviction of one of tho cheaper class of restaurant men tor violation oi this ordinance, the enso was appealed to the district court nnd tho law declared dltcrimlnatory nnd therefore unconstitu tional. Another ordinance, however, to roplaco this ono uj now being drawn by tho city attorney and will bo prosontcd for consideration to the council shortly. Customs Receipts Decrease Because of Tariff Changes On July 1, 1913, tho customs service was entirely reorganized, tho districts out down from 133 to 49. The Omaha district Is No. 46 and comprises tho states of Nebraska and Wyoming, and also in cludes Council llluffs, In,, and tributary territory. Tho headquarters of tho dis trict Is Omaha, and l snow called tho dUtrlct ot Omalia. Tho custom house at Lincoln was continued, reports now to Omaha and Is administered by the col lector of customs at Omaha, with a dep uty lu chargo at Lincoln. Figures for the calendar year are not available, but It Is known that the volume of business Is larger than in any year in the history ot the office, which means that Omaha hs handled around $1,000,000 in valuo of Imports from all parts ot the world, These imports represent all classes ot goods from every part ot the globe. Tho new tariff act became effective Oc tobcr 3. 1913, which made a material re duction of duties along some lines and will likely result in the collection ot ess revenue, but tho volume of business will be Increased, and possibly for' this reason. ! that In Umo the gross amount of revo- nties will also Increase. In addition to the regular customs bus tness, Omaha was mado an exchange office for the state of Nebraska for pos tal union parcel post packages from all over the world. The year closed Decern her 1 for this class of business, and while It was estimated that the office would only handle around 3,000 packages for the year, the report shows that there were handled 14,797 customs packages. This business haa. grown so largo that a spe cial cago Is being Installed In the first floor of tho posttffflce for the purpose qt facilitating the handling of these pack ages, and this will be put In operation some time during January. City License Income Amounts to $265,020 City Clerk Thomas J. Flynn's report for the year 1913 shows a total of 4.669 licences Issued and total receipts of $265, 020.95. Ot the amount received the largest sum, tl.WS, ramu from theater licenses, and $2,625 from the sale ot dog tigs. Milk wagons, pawnbrokers and billiard halls were next In amounts pa'd for licenses. With the exception of the dog tags the majority of licenses sold were (or milk wagons, stores and second-hand , , dealers. 1 During the year 634 ordinances were . J placed on first and second readings, and Slot th's number 612 reached the third "jj reading. Altogether l.i73 pages were I added to the clerk a record. STREETS AND ALLEYS CLEAN City Highway Maintained at Cost of $126,000. NEW PLAN OF FLUSHING USED Destruction Cn lined by Tornado Kn tnll Kxtrn Expense for Depart ment Controlled by Cntn niliMlonrr Kunrel. Al C. Kugcl, commissioner of street cleaning and maintenance, In spite of tho havoc caused by the tornado, stretched his financial apportionment to the limit and covered the entire city. The roport for the year shows a new scheme of street cleaning, and tho tact that much curbing was reset, work formerly per formed by the department of public Im provements. The report follows; The different branches under which this department Is governed were allowed the following appropriations for the year 1913: .Maintenance or all pavement 115.000 Grading and opening up unpaved streets and alleys 20,000 Street cleaning 60.000 Weed cutting 1,000 Total $126,000 ...t.-Bu t.i'iJtiii'iiuiiuiia nitiuuu till ntuur, tool oxpense, material and new equipment. A nil ... ... n ftr n 1 1. .. 1 . ..11-1 , n... lima, j u, WIU V Ul 1 IlllUI 1 1 III 191 IUU during the year, "under their classified 1 T I .. t. 1 1 1 1 . . . rcua, ,a iiuivwmi kivcii; Blocks unpaved streets nnd nl- iuy eruuoii anu rounued up.. 1,473 :u niocks of washouts filled 6.V 52fi Blocks of pavement cleaned.. 74,590 109,272 Blocks cleaned by flushing (summer mnntfin 1i lis 9 1Y1 Blocks of weeds cut 2495 1,942 Holes filled 329 313 Loads of cinders Rallied 4S 16.1 Loads of sweenlm-H rnmnvml ..is KM Tiii Loads of crushed asnhalt hauled to Center ntrenl rv. Loads of crushed asnhnlt hauled to Leavenworth street New cnlvertn .. 94 51 Curb reset (foi1 641 4.611 Concrete In 111 Cumin rrt v,1 V Asphalt laid (square yds.)....35,'76S ihiu 'square ycis,) 3,cot Stono laid (square yds.) 10.8S4 -our Mllcn of Xew .StreotH. Thero are 107 miles ot caved streets and 2CC miles of unpaved streets, and- alleys to bo maintained and kept In good repaid. Muring tho last year, thero was approxi mately four miles of new streets nneneil up nnd one and one-half miles ot alloys. Tho fifty-one new culverts put in by this department and the C41 feet of curbing reset heretofore havo been n part of tho work of tho department of public im- Tovemcnts. Previous to tho last voar. the expenso of labor, upkeen and malnte. nanco of the numerous waste paper boxes has been taken from the general fund. This year this department boro this ex- pcDHe. During the year tho city was divided Into seven districts for flushing purposes. Tho majority of theso were covered overy week, the balance every two weeks. Tho most important of tho now equipment added to this department durlnir th Inst year was .tho purchaso ot flushing wagons tor tho cleaning of paved streets. So satisfactory wero the results gained by this Investment that t 1ft tho Intention Uurlng the coming year t'o make a fur ther, uddltloii to this equipment. The Jast year has been oxeentlnn'nllv hard on tho finances of this department. the destruction Caused bv tho tornado tn tho streets and pavements being extreme. This had to be thoroughly examined be fore any idea could bo gained aa to the nature or tho loss caused thereby, not to speak of the extra exnenso In th hlr. ing of special gangs of men to clear away tho dobrla and the hiring of extra teams to nave, tho samo hauled away. Notwithstanding thn nuxlulllnpn frnm IIia relet committee, tho drain on this de partments exchequer was severely felt. Cas Commissioner Says Lights Are in Better Condition Gas Commissioner Joseph P. Butler, In his annual statement to tho mayor, says gas was served to consumers In a more uniform manner In 1913 than any previous year. The pressure varied only 1.2. But ler says: "During the year 1913 this department has Increased the flow of gas from three cublo feet per hour to three and one-halt feet, adding 20 per cent to the efficiency of tho service at Increased cost of $2 per lamp. We have also bought all supplies used tn this department direct from the manufacturers, thereby saving from 20 to 30 per cent. Instead of buying from middlemen, which was formerly the cus tom." Following is the department's statistical report: Tests for heat units, 301; tests for light units, 118; tosU for sulphur, 12; tests for specific gravity. IS: tests for sulnhldn hydrogen, S04; meters tested. 295; meters tested on complaint of consumer, 67; average net II. T. t', for year, 003.4; maxi mum net B. T. V. for year. 001.1; mini mum net B. T. r. for year, 69S.3; average gross n. T. IT. for year, G4S.2: maximum gross 11. T. f for year, 654; minimum gross B. T. l for year. 644.9; average candlepower, 21.3; average grains of sul phur. 3.S3; average specltlo gravity. .6S2; maximum pressure of gas water In. 5.2; minimum pressure of gas water In, 4. BANDLE FILES REPORT OF THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS Reductions In the number of ri ... tate transfers and in the tnemnn rrm filings mark the annual report of Frank Y. Bandle. register of deeds. A surplus, however, of about $5,650 was turned over to the county treasurer by this office. Real estate transfers decreased in total valuation from the record sum of $17, 1K.6I4 In 1912. to $9,371.31. about the same as in 1911. The expenses of the offlco were $13,600 In 191f. and $13,112.50 In 1912. The report follows: No. 1912 $1.3K 1.4K l.HQ 1.7$U 2.051 I.ICO 1.9)7 l.TO l.lS 1.097 1.6 1.0K No. 1913 Inst- Re FIIihI celpts Inst. Filed .. 1.144 .. 1.16S .. 1,417 .. 1,465 ., 1,612 .. 1.474 .. 1.IS4 Jammrv 1,146 II,4v February .... March 1.130 1,35 1 412 1.W7 I.Kt 1.S02 1.341 1.170 1.3)9 1.14ft 1.207 1 l. 1,7 1.S49 1.SSJ 1.S04 1.W2 1.4 1,7 i.4n i,r2 April May Junn July AUgUSt KUnl.mhA 1.4J5 1.S62 October 1.SS4 lecember .... 1,259 Total 16,419 $20,309 1R.SJ6 $19,314 Real estate ' transfers In 1911 were J9.SS0.277; 1912. $17.1K.611; 19U. $9,171,301. More l.li-eiinen (.ranted. At a meeting of the city commission as an excise board three unprotested sa loon licenses were Issued and forty-ftvc druggists' permits to sell Intoxicating llquom for medicinal purposes were granted. Police Make Their Report of Crime and of Accidents The annual report of tho police depart ment shows that the year of 1913 has been a busy one, although In respects much different from that of 1912. In creases In certain branches ot police work have been offset by decreases In others, which catalogues the last year ns ono of very ordinary events. Follow ing Is a summary of tho happenings: 1913. Persons killed lu auto acci dents 1912. Persons Injured In auto acci dents Automobllo accidents Accidents reported 92 83 431 300 Arrests made 13.1SS 12,592 uuimings secured, being found open 451 Burglars fruatratod 3 Dead bodies reported and taken to morgue 101 293 16 107 22 1S9 3,315 74 34 9 677 5,401 Destitute persons cared ror.. Fires attended 1 Insane persons cared for Lodgers accommodated Lost children taken to parents Lost children taken to sta tion Murders . 206 111 6,940 40 22 0 Nuisances and dead animals reported " Calls for patrol wagon 0,202 n?.! .......r. U.024 10.294 Meals furnished prisoners 30,904 25.CC2 Packages stolen. property recovered 532 676 :,6it IV) 211 153 2S 34 43 53 35 At 111 Prisoners takon to county Jail Hick and Injured taken home. Sick and Injured takon to 2,634 212 hospital 338 174 32 47 44 29 2 44 Sick nnd Injured taKen 10 sta tion Shooting affrays Stabbing or cutting affrays.. Strav teams cured for Stray horses taken up Suicides reported...., Suicides attempted. ............ Turned over to Juvenllo offi cers Amount of property reported 99 $40,74S stolen PACKERS SHOW INCREASE (Continued from Page Thirteen.) work to be. on the same lines aa that carried out In the work In this division during the year Just past. Two or three new concrete subwaya leading from the yards to tho various packing houses, relieving any congestion In the handling of stock going to slaugh ter, and facilitating the movement of fresh stock coming on the market are being considered as part of the work for. 1914. ' Extensive repairs to the L street via duct and additional work about tho new horse bnrn to complete, this structure In all its details go to make up a largo portion ot tho work contemplated for next year, entailing an expenditure ot approximately $12G,000. As a medium between the stock growor nnd the general public the South Omaha Live Stock exchange has steadily ad vanced during the last year to a posi tion of vantage among tho exchanges of the west and the northwest. "Equity. In trade" Is the basic prlnclplo ot the ex change, according ,to Secretary A. F. Stryker. T.K-linnite Atlvunctnir. One of tho mala features of the ex change is the protection of both tho shipper and tho seller and tho buyer to the end that dishonest practices may not creep Into the trado. During the year 1913 there were handled at the South Omaha, yards approximately 92,000 cars of live stock. This live stock was sold by the members of the exchange at tho rate of about four sales per car., or an nggregate for tho year of something like SfiS.OOO transactions. During this period there were but nine disputes In trade serious, enough to, call for the attention of our arbitration committee. This lc considered proof conclusive of the sys tematic, honest manner In which this large volume of business was transacted. New fields for the distribution of tho feeder stock of the range are constantly being opened up. The commission man 's not only seeking to secure shipments of live stock to this market, Jbut la also hustly engaged In securing additional out lets for this stock. Feeder Bheep from the Omaha market are today well known In New York. Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Thousands of feeder cnttle from this market are to day being fetl In Indiana. Kentucky and other far distant states. This enlarged market as compared with years past is chiefly the result of ac tivity upon the part of tho members of the exchange and tha stock yards man agement. Competition between tho sev eral large market centers of the country Is very keen and that markt best suc ceeds which Is most wide-awake In not only securing live stock, but tn cqnvert Ing It Into the largest possible amount of money. Those engaged In the live stock business at South Omaha feel sure that within a few years this market will be outclassed by nono In the United States. Its geographical location upon the edge of the producing country and Its prox. Imlty to tho heart of tho corn bolt seem to make this reasoning very logical. The Membership. The membership of the South Omaha Live Stock exchange Is approximately 250, This seems small as compared with other commercial organizations, but when one stops to think, however, that during tho year Just passed these 250 men handled live stock to the value of more ,than $123,- 000,000 tho business per capita runs into largo figures. Representatives of alt the live stock Interests hero are at present arranging for a trip to Cheyenne, Wyo.; Sale Luke City. Utah, and Denver, Colo., to attend the meeting of the Wyoming Wool Grow era' association, the National Wool Growers' association and tho American National Live Stock association whteh arc to be held tho latter part of this month. Oases Appealed from the Police Court Are Douhled Pollee court business for the year 191J ran a bit short of the record of 1912, so far as a lucrative showing Is concerned. In the matter of appeal cases, however, records were more than doubled. Following Is a comparative record of the two years: 1913. 1911. Fines CkU Forfeited bonds . .$ 9.SCO.00 $11,604.60 . 2.330.50 3.743.M 16,504.35 14.13X70 Total rash received C3.63t.T3 $29.37270 Appeal case. 1913. R79 1911, Bound over, 1913. 214 112 m HUMMEL GRATEFUL TO ALL Park Commissioner Thanks Those Who Helped Him Out. MANY GAVE HIM ASSISTANCE Moth. Individuals nnd Corporation Lent urforla In llenuttf ylnit Varlotin Pnrta nf Omnlin nnd Vicinity. Joe B. Hummel, park commissioner. In making his annual (sport, expressed his thanks for assistance rendered by Improvement clubs, .Norrls & Norrls, J. E. George, the Union Pacific railroad, Mrs. George A, Joalyn and others. Ills report follows: llanscom park received the greatest Improvement of any of the parks In tho system. There has been erected tho con servatory donated by Mrs. George A. Joslyn and the rebuilding and vunstruc tion ot greenhouses, with walks unci steps, necessitating an expenditure of $10,uuo, $2,000 of which was donated by Mrs. Joslyn. From other funds It waj pcuslblo to complete the greenhouses m ono season. Two comfort stations hae been built during the season, with fitting planting to obscure the walls; also a broad walk was laid around the pond, leading to the pavilion. In Levi Carter park a lagoon com prising some thrco acres has been ex cavated and the earth used. In- filling tho low lands. Tho Union Pacific llub road company removed the tracks lead ing to tho tcu housos around tho banks of the lake to the outer edge of the park on a grade built by this depart ment. This was done by tho company at a large expenso and had it not been done the expenditure could not have been mado by. the city this year. Grading and sloping of the banks haa been accom plished to a noticeable extent. One thou sand trees have been planted and tho park at the northwest ts now ready to receive detailed, attention, and It Is hoped by andthcr year that tno 'park will be opened to tho public. Parks AH Maintained. The work In Fontenelle, .Miller, Elm wood and IUvervlew parks has been mat of general maintenance. Of tho .smaller parks Carolyn Mercer park haa received the most Improvement. Grading and building of' sldowalks and euros lias been the principal work, but bids have been advertised for and funds set aside for tho paving of the boulevards, which will bo accomplished when weather per mits. By the donation of funds from the Omaha Street Railway company. 11 was mado possible to give a scries ot cou certs in tho various parks. Materials have been bought for the construction of a portable bandstand, which la now being built. Playground apparatus was purchased and a plot of ground set apart In Han scorn park was equipped with slides, teeters and swings, and other dovlcoi aro being assembled In tho park work shop, so that when the season of 1911 opens playgrounds In several ot the parks and tho corners set apart tor tho children will bo established. On the triangle seats have been built and the . ground put In good order for ball games. There grounds along the boulevard wlll be Improved tho coming season. Ot the boulevards, asldo from, keeping them In condition, there has been ti largo amount of grading on ' the boule vard north of Bcmls park to Maple street, and work under contract" Is being rapidly completed to Thirty-first and Sprugue, and on a part, of- It graded trees have been set out " The Hanny Hollow boulevard, with thV cb-dperatlon ot j. ji. ucorgo. nas Decn avoiapcnranu will make ono of the, 'pleasing drives In the ,dty. Florence boulevard nt Ohio street received considerable attention In lowering the grado and Improving the corners. Howell Summarizes Work of the Water Board for the Year R. Beecher Howell, general manager ot the metropolitan water district, in his annual report summarizes tho work ot his board, ot directors and himself as follows. The year 1913 has been one of the most Importunt years in the history of Omaha n water plant bo far as construction and 'development is concerned. Tho forty eight-Inch pipe line leading from Flor ence to the city was completed during tho fore' part of the year. As a conse quence the management has been able to close down tho Hurt street pumping sta tion, with the result that water of better quality, so far as bacteria aro concerned has been furnished since the new plp line has been put into use. In oddlttor marked Improvements haVo been madi lit tho water supply afforded, so far uj turbidity Is concerned, through tho re construction of the sedimentation basin! at the Florence plant. The capacity ol these basins has been Increased 10 pel cent, so that there Is now a total capao Ity for sedlmentutlon basins of some 80. 000,000 gallons, or something moro that four days" water supply. In other words at the present tlmo water passing through the sedimentation basins requires four days for passage. As a result or thest Improvements in the settling basins th turbidity of tha water, for Instanoe, foi tho month of November, 1912. was on at average or 2.5, whereas the average tur bidity for tho month ot Novomber In tht year 1913 was 4.3. These Improvements Include the con. structlon of tho new forty-elght-lnch plp line and Its completion, now affordi Omaha an ample supply of water to mec all emergencies. At the Florence pump ing station there have also been Instullcc four new bolters or w-norsepower eucn together with automatic stokers and 1 new chimney and underground flue lead Ing from these boilers and affordini capacity for additional boilers has beet largely completed. The second coal stor age plant developed la Omaha, for stor age ot coal under water haa also been installed at the Florence pumping sta. tion, together wit locomatlve crane foi handling' coal. As a result some 6.W tons of coal were purchased this fall at a saving of something like $2,000 In the cost of the coal alone, as through tho storage and the availability Of the loco motive crane it was possible to stare coal as It has never been possible before, therefore the coal could be purchased when cheap. The Walnut Hill basins have been re paired and put in order, being thoroughly lined throughout at an expense of about $25,0u0. In addition, sixteen miles have been added to the distribution of the water plant probably more miles of- dis tribution than hag ever been added to the plant slncp Its construction. In addlttor tq sixteen miles of dlstrubutlon malnt there have also been added 204 hydrants probably twice aa many hydrants at have ever been added to tho system lr any one year, thus greatly increasins tho pofstblltlles of fire protection. Ono thousand six hundred and slxtv three new services have been added dur ing the year, an Increase of about 5 pet cent tn the number of live services. A a consequence at the present there are 8 total of about 25.600 services now In use In other words, about 2,000 new servicct have been added to the water plant sine Jul"" Wit! talten over by e city or In addition to the above work com pleted, there Is under construction a new reservoir at Walnut Hill that will double the present storage capacity at that plant. The excavation on this work Is about 25 per cent completed. A7,tho . orenco pumping station twe additional boilers of 400-horsepower each together with stokers have been ordered and their foundations are now being pre pared, also thero Is under constructor )r.ihe Floren!'e Pumping station a 3D, 000,000-gallon low service centrifugal months'" W'" deI1 w-th.n