TIIK BEE: OMAHA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1916.
Advance Shown in All Phases of Community Activity
RETAIL BUSINESS
SHOWSJCREASE
Gain of Tweny Per Cent it Noted
by the Association of Retail
ers of Omaha.
MANY NEW FAMILIES ARRIVE
Omaha's retail business, taken as a
whole, was perhaps 20 per cent greater
In volume In 1915 that It ever u In any
prevlotta year In the Malory of the city.
Fixurea are not available on the retail
bualneaa of the city, aa they are on the
wholesale and manufacturing- bualneaa.
but those cloaest In touch with the retail
activities of 'the city make close eatl
mates. The estimate of a per cent Increase
la made by J. W. Metcalfe, secretary of
the Associated rtetallera of Omaha.
Mr. Metcalfe aaya "I think it la aafs
to aay that the retail bualneaa has In
creased per cent above that of any
year In the past. Prosperity Is In the air
out here In Nebraaka and in Omaha.
Omaha la growing. Teople are coming
Into the city all the time and making
their homes here."
Clow at First.
The first half of the year was slow. It
began to pick up In some of the retail
lines about May. The rest of the lines
began to pick up about September. From
that time on business In practically every
retail line began to swell, and big? sales
were shown on the books at the close of
each, succeeding month.
The Jewelry Una particularly showed
a big business this year. This, too, was
slow during the first half of the year.
Jewelry business began to pick up about
July and from then on gained rapidly.
The first Christmas buying in the Jewelry
line began early and kept up steadily.
The volume of buying In the Jewelry line,
according to Secretary Metcalfe, was
never so large as this year.
Poawlatloa I acreages.
That Omaha's population was steadily
growing during the year -by an Influx
of outsiders la shown In various ways. One
of the best places to note this Is In the
office of the Associated Retailers, where
all new accounts are reported when new
comers open accounts with any of the
retail stores members of the association.
During all the fall this has averaged
over thirty new accounts per month.
These are largely accounts opened by
the heads of families and all accounts of
persons who have Just moved Into the
c'ty. Secretary Metcalfe make a little
calculation in regard to theae. lie aaya
that scarcely one-fifth of the heads of
families moving into the city open, ac
counta. That would mean that the thirty
must b multiplied by five to get the
number of families moving In. This,
again, would be multlpl'ed by five, as the
average family, it ts recognised, Is' a
fam1!r of five.
, "This would mean a total of some 7.VI0
or ww people moving Into the city
in a ynr" anld Mr. Metcalfe, "and I
do not think those figures are any too
lc.ia." , -
'"n'lccdona Are Good.
Ollrc !". t have ren better than
usual during the fall. When September
rame and the extent of the wheat crop
was known, and, In fact, all the small
grain was( harvested It was then the
retail buslnras first showed a spurt. Then
In a month or two much of the grain
was marketed and money was beginning
to be eaaler. I fence, easier collections.
Then came October and November, with
the full extent of the corn crop a cer
tainty, and this is ' what ' gave another
added Impetus to bualneaa At the same
time it tended still more to loosen up
money and make collections easier.
Secretary Metcalfe says the Associated
rtetallera should be credited, however, v
with having much to, do with facilitating
collections. He points out that the credit
bureau has had much to do with edu
cating people as to the value of a good
credit atandlng, and says he has had
customers of some of the stores come
In and thank him personally for having
shown them the Importance of keeping
their bills paid up to date for the sake
of their own credit standing In the
community.
At the same time he says the Asso
ciated Retailers should be given due
credit Tor the increase in the volume of
business In the city as the association
lias shown the retailers the value of
true co-operation,. not only for their In
dividual benefit, but for the benefit of
the- city as a whole.
Internal Eevenue
Receipts in Excess,
Due to the War Tax
An enormous increase in the Internal
1 revenue collections in Nebraska during
the last year Is shown by the annual re
port of the collector, George H. Loomie.
who was appointed to the position last
year, succeeding Rosa Hammond.
Tho increase of these collections In
1915" over the previous yesr Is $4s,!91.97,
the figures for the respective years being
l-.7;:,(isc.ii for 1W14 and t3.JS9.l72.S3 ror
19U The last ten daya of this year are
estimated.
This Increase has been largely due, of
cjurit, to the special war tax passed by
congress to take care of the loaa of rev
enue from the tariff on imports, due to
the war.
t-trlklngly Illustrating this Is the tax
on d cutnentary and proprietary articles,
which went Into effect December 1, 1914.
Collections on these Items Increased
from f.i3.kut.7 In 1914 to H71XJ.U In 1916.
The tax on beer has been Sl.M a barrel
ince October, 1914, and ths collections
from fermented liquors Increased from
$J7!.ci7 50 In 19I to gOit6.Mi2.2S In 1915.
Corporation taxes, income taxes, penal
ties, etc., which come under the head of
"lUls." increased from SX3.617.7S In-lilt to
l4ul.tMi.20 in 1915.
The complete figures prepared by
Deputy Collector B. W. North are aa
follows:
1914. 1915.
MaU f S.17 7 f eni. 5
iMwioi tsx i2vm i4i.mr.6i
Tobacco stamps .... .T.k, 42 M
Clear stamps II M 77,1
J" pint stamps l.tiua.t'.' t 1.0.5.071.
' stain). l.&jo.tW 1.3400
OH-ouiMraai Ine and
PfMu rxs butter .... t K-A 17 8.1JTX1
l'criu-iitcJ liquors . 473.007 W sH.9A-'.iS
I I ing- cards IM
Mnr1 flour 130.00 HltW
1 N.t'tm. i-itiary and
r"Hrlai-y 1.Si-7 f j: 5
H- it- 13.lwU.7J 13. .J 2
t'l ir,i older blanks 'j Z M
Trials Ir.Ttj::. S3.KJ.172 U3
J- I u it ! vt December estimated.
BEST YEAR OF ALL
FOR POSTOFFICE
Tremendous Increases Shown in
Stamp Sales and Other Receipts
at Local Office.
INDEX OF OMAHA'S GROWTH
The beat year that the Omaha poirt
offlce has ever seen wss 191.1. as Is shown
by the annual report of Postmaster John
C. Wharton. Tremendous Increases are
shown In the stamp sales and other pos
tal receipts, In the money orders paid
and Issued and In every other depa-t-ment
of the work.
"H la a most gratifying report," said
Postmaster Whsrton. "We have had a
good year, not only In the money transac
tions, but In the general good will and
co-operation of the employes. It alio
reflects the great prosperity of the city
and community."
A remarkable fact about the report Is
that while the receipts of the office In
creased over $100,000, the salaries paid
to railway mall clerks and local em
ployes decreased $4.1,000, this being due
to a shifting of some employes by rea
son of changes In the division boun
daries. Postal receipts at this office In IlMS
were 1104.aM.so greater than they were
in 1914. In 1914 they were $",on greater
than they were In 1913.
Figures on parcel post, registry anl
postal savings bank all show Increases.
They are given elsewhere In this paper.
The postal receipts, salary expenditures
and money order figures for the Omaha
office are as follows:
Postal Cashier's Dlvlaloa.
Sale) of stamps and postal receipts
for 1916 i 4 023
Bale of stamps and postal receipt
tr M 1.391,084
total Increase... $ 104,3a,
Salaries paid rural letter carriers,
1916 , ji
Salaries paid rural letter carriers, " '
m t.227.255
Total Increase m 3.18
Pli'?.r,e" ,,11 railway mall clerks,
1914 14-3 52
'""I"1"" r"'d railway mall clerks',
1016 465.2SS
Total decrease $ 17 :
Salaries paid local employes, 1914. .'$47o'3i4
balaiiea paid local employes, 1D1&. , 447,9X4
Total decrease $ 25,121
Money Order (ashler's Division.
Orders laaunit Itm in im .,
Orders paid. H1R I ' . . T .62 l 4 4Ww
-rcmiuances, 1915 (ree'd). 42,413 6.4&4.1H7
Total for 1915 SU 076 905
Orders issued 1914 139.9! $
Orders paid. 1914 479.7S3 J $5.33
Remittances, 1914 (reo'd. 40.3K4 6,i!43.45
Total for 1914 110.Ki2.537
Increase for 19 IS a53,3ta
Three Thousand
Suits Are Filed '
in District Court
Civil and criminal suits whick na...
through the mill of tha district
during 1915 numbered J.980, according to
laouinuon prepared by Fred A. Gordon
of the office of the clerk of the district
court.' The statement follows:
. . rrvn
Divorces allowed
Ilvorces dismissed
Divorces pending
J7R
17
811
29
rersonai injury sulta filed
mourning 10 sj, na.74i.40. damages
All other damage suits
SU
. mum.ni 10 t.ut,i!tt.i3, damages
iult title
Partition of real estate
Foreclosure
Accounting
Contracts !.!!!'.!!!!!!!!!!!!
Appeals from Justice court
Appeala from county court
iiiviiiincfl
Mechanics liens
Injunction
Notes
Compensation suits
Miscellaneous
Venttnla titm til.tntlff -& -
Verdicts for defendant (cases)!!!!!!!
CHlMtNAU.
Bound over from police court
A tna I m frnm rwillf. .....
Appeals from county court
"('i irum juaiiee court
rlts of habeas corpus
Total
1,980
Twenty Miles of
Water Mains Put
in Place in 1915
Nearly 1,300 new services and twenty
miles of service mains have been added
to the municipal water plant during- the
year. Two hundred fire hydhanta were
Installed and a sedimentation basin added
to the settling facilities at Florence. The
basin haa a capacity of 16,000,000 gallons
and coat 1100,000.
The tendency of the Missouri river
above Florence to move to the eastward
and possibly make a rut-off. led to the
development of extensive plans for river
protection. I.ate In tha year, however,
contrary tendencies developed, and prose
cution of the proposed work was aban
doned, awaiting further developments.
Oeneral Manager Howell la not ready
to offer any financial statistics for tha
year. The treasury, however, shows a
fund of nearly $1,000,000 for reserve, de
preciation and for the lettrement of water
bonds taken up by the water board.
MORE CONVICTED OF CRIME
THIS YEAR THAN LAST
Records of criminal business In the
office of County Attorney Magney shows
149 convictions and twenty acquittals In
115, as compared with 136 convictions and
fifteen acquittals in 1914. Fifty cases
were dismissed for want of evidence Id
191i; in 1914 there were forty-eight Fol
lowing are the records for the two years:
CONVICTIONS.
Murder, first degree
VI arm I bus liter
breaking and entering
1915.
. 1
. t
,. t5
. 10
.. 13
. t
. 15
. 21
. T
. IS
. S
.14
19U
k
46
i
ltt
11
Si
Robbery
Felonious assault
Forgery
MtsctfUaneous
lOinoeailement .'!!!!.'!.'!
Carrying concealed weaporia!!
Larceny from the person
Total convictions
AcyuiTTALri.
Manslaughter
Breaking and entering
irany larceny
Felonious asaautt
Miscellaneous
136
191S. 1914.
... 3
... S
... t
... T
... 1
Totnl acquittals
Hlieta cases ai still pending.
New Year's Greeting from Mayor
Dahlman Sounds
As the year Just closed has been a
red letter year In. the history of Omaha,
so the gate city of the west welcomes
the new year as the beginning of an
epoch of still greater progrese and pros
perity. During the past year Omaha haa
Increased Its population by approxi
mately 40, V) people: her mllla and great
Industries have worked night and day;
she haa expended many mllllona of dol
lara In the erection of new bulldlnga,
among which may be numbered half a
dnsen skyscrapers. The new- year opens
with rontracts let for several more, In
cluding two hank bulldlnga and one hotel
building. ln1915 Omaha's bank clearings
were the greatest In her history anJ
probably for her population the greatest
'In the country. Three new banka are
In process of organisation and will open
thelr doora for business within a few
days.
Navigation of the Missouri river haa
reopened and tho commercial Interests
of Omaha are a unit In the development
of this great waterway. With the open
ing of the year another line of boats
will ply the Missouri river with Omaha
as thn principal port.
Omaha, already the second largest cat
tle market In the world, will realise dur
ing the coming year the opening of a
railroad line from Yankton, 8. D., which
will mean the Increase In the total
amount of grain and cattle now handled
by the Omnha market, and which. It Is
confidently believed, will easily place
Omaha as the first cattle market of the
world.
In civic affairs Omaha Is easily the Deer
of the most progressive city In the coun
try. Under the commission form of gov
ernment, Omaha haa steadily progressed,
wormng along the line of the greatest
good to the greatest number. The pro
gram of the commission for the coming
year contemplates a further development
GREAT YEAR FOR
STREET RAILWAY
Fifty-Five Million Passengers Car
ried During Last Twelve Months,
Being Close to High Mark.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS MADE
With one exception 1915 was the beat
year In the history of the Omnha Street
Railway company, so far as groaa earn
ings were concerned. That exception was
the year of the Tranamlaaliislppl expo
sition. If It had not been for the Jitneys
that went onto the streets early last
year, 1915 would have been a record
breaker In the matter rt taking in nick
els. However, the street railway com
pany had a good year and the officers
are not complaining.
In round numbers, during the year Just
closed the Omaha Street Railway com
pany carried 64.900.000 pay passengers and
100,000 free. The free transportation was
furnished employes, city policemen and
city firemen. During exposition year the
pay paasengers were something In ex
cess of 66.000,000. . .
Baaday Mvetlaaw Help Oat.
L'p to September 1. with the stret rail
way company it did not look Ilka a very
good year. Indications were that the
gross earnings were going to fall below
aeveral of the former years. Then the
'Billy" Sunday meetings came on and
the bualneaa boomed, with the result that
during the period when "Billy" Sunday
was here, bualneoa was the beat alnce
the exposition.
While the atret railway company took
In a vaat sum of money during the year.
It waa not all profit by any meana.
There waa the pay roll to meet, other
current expenses, maintenance, better
ments and new work. In reconstruction
and new work about $100,000 waa ex
pended. During the year the only extension was
to the Speedway In Hast Omaha, a dis
tance of one-fourth mllo. A short stretch
of new double track waa laid on' the west
side of the Omaha postofflce to facilitate
the handling of the mall car service.
Heavier Steel Laid.
Several miles of track was taken up
and rclaid, or replaced with heavier steel.
This consisted of the Thirtieth street car
line, from Fort street to the city limits
on the north; Military avenue, from
Forty-third street to Hamilton and on
Forty-eighth street and Military avenue;
Farnam street, from Twentieth to
Twenty-fourth, and I, street, from Boule
vsrd to Thirty-third street.
Hundreds of cars were overhauled, re
paired and put through the local shops.
Six electrically operated switching devlcea
wer Installed and about 200 wooden polea
were replaced with thoae of Iron.
All over the system tracks were lev
eled up and at the Joints of the rails the
latest In the way of electrical connections
were put in.
At the Twenty-fourth street and Ames
avenue barns considcrsble Improvement
waa made, one of the features being the
mora complete equipment of the rest
room for the men.
Fewer Licenses to
Marry Are Issued
Twenty-four hundred and two marriage
licenses were Issued In 1915, as compared
with 2.M In 1914. according to records of
tha county court. County Judge Crawford
performed ltt ceremonies last year and
174 ceremonies the previous year. Fol
lowing are the licenses Issued by months
during the two yeVrs:
January ,
February
March
April
May
June ,
July
Auguat
1914. 1915.
12 liil
m IM
1J H3
2vl 1
V ITT
4 270
163 K
1
September
October
November
December
m
24
2-4
111
221
m
FIRE WARDEN MAKES
HIS REPORT FOR THE YEAR
Fire Warden Morris reports he In
spected 634 buildings during the year. He
Investigated eighty-one fires of uncer
tain causes and traced causes of thirty
two. He served 2H) nutlces on owners to
abate haxardoua conditions. Seven
complaints were f.kd la police court.
Note of Civic Pride
r -vS
JAMES CHAULK3 DAIILMAN.
Of the policy of dlsDenaina the concrete
benefit of municipal government to the
great majority of the cltlsena, having In
mind the welfare of the small home
owner and the protection of the dally
wage earner. To mraurii. tho ntuntv
bualneaa Interests of our city, and at the
aame time to give the widest opportunity
and the moat assured protection to the
Individual worker la the promise which
democracy holds out In Omaha for next
year.
OMAHA FIRE LOSS
SLIGHTJOR YEAR
No Heavy Conflagrations and but
One Reaches Large Figures
for Loss.
MORE MONEY FOR DEPARTMENT
Two hundred and eighty-five men, scv-enty-threa
horses and forty-five pieces
of apparatus represents the strength of
Omaha's flra fighting machinery. This
equipment Is housed at twenty-one places.
It is tha most expensive ot the city de
partments and is generally conceded to
be tha most Important
For ,191 Commissioner Wlthnell wants
1378,000 for maintenance. In addition to
tha special levy of SO8.600 for flra alarm
system and motor apparatus. Although
tha matter haa not been decided yet. It
Is believed that of tha special levy (25,000
will fee spent as a starter for a new fire
alarm system and S40.000 for motor ap
paratus for some of the outlying fire
house. .
Few Blgr Fires.
Under tha leadership of Chief Charles
A. Salter, Omaha's fire department has
gained an enviable reputation. The city
was fortunate during 1915 In that no ae
rlous fires occurred. There were only
six fires whose losses were more than
15.000. The only fire of considerable loaa
was the old Board af Trade building at
Sixteenth and Farnam streets, where a
new building is being erected. That loss
was placed at S10S.S99. The other five
fires of more than $5,000 esch were: Mar
gotln Bros.' barn, 1718-20 North Twenty
fourth street, 18,109; water pumping eta
tlon at Walnut Hill. 19.306; Davis Bros.'
commission house, 601-3-4-7-9 and 11, South
Eleventh street, S11.996: Sullivan Bros.'
frame barn at Twenty-first and Hickory
streets, $5,902; National Fur and Tanning
company, 1923-6-7 South Thirteenth street.
$14.6SS.
Tha total value of property and con
tents endangered by fires during the year
to December 1 was $17,422,941, and of this
there was a total loss of $317,337. with In
surance of $301,(59.
To December 1 there were 37 alarms,
of which 718 were sent In by telephones
and twenty-seven over the alarm boxes.
There were only eight second alarms and
only one third alarm. The alarms by,
months wera as follows: January, 113:
February, 73; March, 103; April, 120; May,
90; 'June. 51; July, 76; August. 71; Sep
tember. 63: October. 124; November, 114.
Between and 10 a. m. and 2 and 3 p. m.
yielded the most alarms of the hours of
the day. Tha least fires by hours were
between S and 4 a. m. and 10 and 11 p. m.
Tea Fatally Bsrsed.
Of tha building fires there were 297
dwellings. 41 flats, S3 barns, 31 rooming
houses. 18 groceries and 14 garages. The
casualty report shows ten cltlsens fatally
burned and fourteen severely burned;
one fatally Injured and eight slightly
Injured at fires. Causes of fires
for the eleven months are given
as follows: Unknown, 1W; chimney
sparks, 7; weeds, grass and rubbish. 71;
chimneys burning out. 67: children and
matches. 39; cigars and cigarettes. 26;
sparks from locomotives, 19; spontaneous
combustion, 18; hot stoves and furnaces.
17; sparks from matches, 16; supposed in
cendiary. 15; defective flues. 14; electric
wires, 14; gasoline, 10; gasoline stoves, 12.
Forty-two horses wer burned to death
In fires during the first eleven months
of the year. .Ten fires were extinguished
outside of the city limits.
POLICE COURT RECEIPTS
SAME THIS YEAR AS LAST
Police Court Clerk Marcell reports but
a slight deviation of the tcil caah re
ceipt by his department In 1916 from
tho amount taken car of In 1914. But
the big stride made in the matter of
boundover prisoners and a marked de
crease In appeal cases Is something to
which police attaches and the department
as well point with pride. Very near two
thirds less cases were appealed to the
district court than in 1914. and 130 more
were bound over.
Following are the figures:
l!U ISIS.
J.'1' 9 4 4JU.M $7,177.00
"us l,Ml.i0 2 12 SO
ror felted bonds I3.tai bi ,7il.2S
Totals .Sl9.107.S6 iU.tlfa 7J
Appeals bound over, 1S14. 214; 1M3. at.
Appvaia, 1U14. 612; 1314, 23L
SCHOOLS OF OMAHA
FORGING TO FROHT
Nearly Twenty-Eight Thousand Pu
pill in Attendance and Close to
One Thousand Teachers.
NEW BUILDINGS ARE ADDED
The Greater Omaha mere-er Presented
many problema for the Board of Edu
cation In Ita work of unifying the echoola
of Omaha proper and thoee of South
Omaha. With the first half of the school
year toward a close, the school system
of tho merged areas may be said to be
fairly brought together.
There are now fifty-two schools In
Greater Omaha, with an attendance of
27.6.1. which Includes 1,683 membera of
the Omaha evening high school and 62 of
the two evening grade schools. En
rollments of the three hish schools
Central High. 1.824; High School of Com
merce, 7113; South High. 394. There are
9.10 teachers on the payroll, sixty serv
ing in the evening schools.
The valuation of school sites and hull.
Ings approximates $4,500,000. The bonded
debt la $2,295,000. including $500,000 bonda
sold a few montha ago. There are alaA
$.710,000 bonds authorised, but not sold.
w Balldlnsra Added.
During the year annexes have hn
added to Lothrop, Central Park, Farnam,
Lincoln, Park and 8aunders schools. Last
summer the schools of South Omaha were
given a general overhauling.
J. U. Masters and Karl F. AA.m.
engaged as principals of Central High
and High School of Commerce, miwu.
tlvely; and former Superintendent Gra
ham of South Omaha was brought into
the Greater Omaha systems as assist
ant superintendent.
The evenlnr hla-h school .
feature of the year, tho attendance and
Interest exceeding all expectations Rtt.
were purchased for new schools at Tht.
ty-thlrd and Davenport streets and In
ininne L.usa addition.
The new Dundee school waa tnmnht
Into the greater system as a model, the
onty grade school of tho system having
domestic science. Two nurses were en
gaged for regular medical Insnertinn at
schools. A supervisor of social exten
sion work was another Innovation. The
board engaged a consulting engineer to
Increase the efficiency of the heating
plants and Improve the ventilation and
lighting of all buildings.
The School Census.
The board granted the use tit rrt,ln
schools for social center, activities under
direction of the Recreation boar 3. A
dean of girls was appointed for Central
High school.
According to the last school census,
there are 37.700 persons of school age In
Greater Omaha.
The school budget for th next fiscal
year amounts to $1,478,930, based on a levy
of 26 mills.
.Th Board of Eduoatlon Is entering
upon an extensive building and sit pro
gram, which will require th expenditure
of $1,000,000 authorised by th voter last
spring. It Is proposed to transfer the
High School of Commerce to the Cen
tral school on Dodge street, enlarging
and Improving th Utter school to meet
the needs of a commercial institution.
A new School will be erected on the
Henry W. Tatea property, recently ao
qutred. Th Clifton Hill district will have
a new school. Tha. Park school will bo
replaced with a new structure and the
Field club district will have a, school.
Th Bancroft school will bo enlarged tte
sixteen rooms and other Improvements
are In prospect.
Customs Receipts
Lower on Account
of War in Europe
Decreases have been the order of the
day and of the year la th offlc of. the
United States collector of customs at the
Inland port of Omaha, as they hav at
all other ports since th big European
war started and cut off th bulk of Im
portations to this country.
' Th annual figures given out by Col
lector of Customs C. W. McCune for the
yesr Just closed hav soma big decreases
on them.
Total duties collected In 1914 amounted
to $S9,167. and In 1916 to $66,048, this being
a decrease of $23,121. The war extended
over only the last five months of .1914,
while it extended over ths entire twelve
months In 1915, thus explaining th big
decrease In duties collected.
Total Imports through this port were
$&01.ia lu 1914 and $615,343 In 1915, being a
decrease of $186,817.
Of these amounts $450,044 worth of goods
was dutiable in 1914 and $430,059 in 1915 a
decrease of $19,983.
Goods that came In free of duty In 1914
were worth $351,115. and in 1915 they were
worth $1S5.2&3. a decrease of $166,832.
Germany and Austria-Hungary have
been entirely cut off from Importing
goods to this country by reason of the
war. and very little has come from Italy
Turkey and Bulgaria are also cut off
now. although they never did flgur very
heavily in imports. The customs district
of Omaha comprises the states of Ne
braska and Wyoming and a small area
of Iowa.
The ratio of free to dutiable merchan
dla according to these figures Is about
I to tH. Under ths old republican tariff
th ratio was about 1 to T.
Th offlc saw a chant In lu chief
during th year when C. W. McCun was
appointed to succeed Cadet Taylor. The
rest of th fore In th headquarters port
of Omaha Is: James Buraess, chief dep
uty; J. c. Thomas, deputy .and Inspector;
Georg K. Porter, deputy and clerk. At
tha Lincoln office are: E. TL Blrge. dep
uty In charg:, and Mrs. Mary A. Clark
deputy and clerk.
Cost of Gas Lights '
for Year Just Past
A. C. Taylor and J. P. Butler,
tendent of gas street ligthlng
commissioner, hav submitted
lowing report for the yean
superln
and gas
th fol-
$ 1.013 00
.7
.. 6, Jul 20
121.81
tilM
.. 17.6d0.tft
70.00
4 15
.. iJs.tt
,.$3.M.U
Pay roll
stationery and printing
(ilobes. mantles, c-hlmneys ,
Freight and drayage ,
Kei.eir. rtiovlnar lamn twist
Uaa consumed !!'
Imp lighters' supplies
Miscellaneous
Painting lamps
Total M
IMPROVEMENTS IN
CITY PARK SYSTEM
Large Amount of Construction
Work Done in Seventeen Parks
Belonging: to Omaha.
MUCH W0EK ON B0ULEVAEDS
Greater Omaha's park system now en
braces seventeen parks of total area of
9 acres. There are thirty-five miles ot
boulevards. Commisaloner Hummel'a de
partment was allowed SfiS.OOO for the park
fund during the year. An expenditure
of $20,000 was mad out of th: road fund
for maintaining and Improving boule
vards and about half of $50,000 perk bond
fund was used for paving and curbing
streets adjacent to park property.
A summary of the Important Improve
ments during the year is given as fol
Iowa: 12.605 surface feet of cement walks
In Bemls park; additional bath house
diving tower and pontoon at Carter lako
bathing beach; construction of 800 feet
of dike and wall along west shore of
Carter lake; rlp-rapplng and grading of
the Lake Shore drive on east side of
Carter lake, which work has not been
completed: reconstruction and cindering
drives In Spring Lake park and remodel
ing swimming pool In that park; con
struction of swimming pool, laying out
tennis courts, building base ball .stand
and Improving the soo In Rivervlew park;
addition of thousands of bulbs, plants
and flowers and laying new dancing
floor In pavilion at Hanacom park; con
struction of olghteen-hole golf course and
tranaformtng cement tank for use as
swimming pool In Elmwood park; base
ball reviewing stand In Fontenelle park;
sprinkling system for golf course, con
struction of twelve-foot brick sewer and
paving and curbing of Kanaaa avenue.
enchanced the value of Miller park; curb
ing and guttering Florence boulevard.
Grand avenue to north city limits, half
of which expense was borne by the park
fund.
Mark Work on Boulevards.
During the year 165 cars of cinders and
68,000 gallons of oil were distributed over
the boulevard system and thirty-five band
concerts were held during the summer.
Grading the approach to the Carter Park
boulevard, at Grand avenue and Flor
ence boulevard. Is now being done.
Commissioner Hummel wishes to make
the following announcement regarding
boulevard work started during the year
and which he hopes to have completed
during 1916:
"Survey has been completed of the new
Fontenelle park to Miller park boulevard
beginning at Thirtieth street end Kan
aaa avenue, thenoe northwesterly about
1.800 feet to a point south of Curtis
avenue and approaching Thirty-third
street, thence south to Kanaaa avenue
and along Kanaaa avenue to Thirty-
fourth street, thence north on Thirty-
fourth street to Curtis avenue and along
Curtis avenue to a point that is
about 850 feet west of Thirty-sixth
street, thence southwesterly to the Inter
section of Redman avenue and Thirty-
ninth street, crossing the old F. E.
M. V. right-of-way under their viaduct
and continuing weaterly to Forty-third
street and along the east line of Forty-
third street to Fowler avenue, thence
southwesterly to Amen avenue, approach
ing the entrance to Fontenelle park be
tween Forty-third and Forty-fifth streets.
Total length 2.S miles.
Ssjrvey of New Connection.
"Survey has also been completed of the
Happy Hollow boulevard connection with
the Fontenelle boulevard, beginning at
Fontenelle boulevard Just north of Mili
tary and Forty-seventh street, thence
along the west line of Forty-seventh
street to Himebaugh park, thence south
westerly to a point on Forty-eighth street
between Franklin and Seward streets,
thence west Just north of Elk street to
a point 300 feet east of Fifty-second
street, thence southwesterly lo connection
with the Happy Hollaw boulevard at
Flfty-aeoond and Western avenue. Total
length l.S miles. ,
"Survey haa also been about completed
of the new Southwest boulevard from
Thirty-sixth and Woolworth avenue to
Elmwood park, beginning at Thirty-sixth
and Woolworth avenue, thence west
through the county poor farm to Forty
second street, thence southwesterly to
Lincoln avenue just east of Forty-fifth
Street, thence south to Marinda street.
thence southeasterly to Spring street at
Forty-fourth street, thence along Forty-
fourth street to Grover street and south
west to the southeast corner of T. L. 18,
section 33-15-13. thence west to Fiftieth
street and northwest to about Fifty
fourth street and Grover street, end north
to Lincoln avenue and Sixtieth street,
and along Sixtieth street north to Elm
wood park. Total length about five miles.
Most of the ground for the right-of-way
of this boulevard will be donated to the
city." '
Infant Mortality
Shows a Wonderful .
Seduction for Year
Clauds T. Boaate, milk and dairy In
spector, reports that the mortality of In
fants under on year of age during 1916
was 4.7 per cent of the births, the lowest
In th history of th city. During th
year there were 3.881 births and 137 death
of Infants.
Ths vital statistics of th health office
show that during the first six months
of tho year the Infant death rat of th
south side was fourten to each 100 births,
while during th latter half of the year
the rat was eight to each ICO births, a
reduction of 36 per cent of Infant mortal
ity sine th South Bid milk supply was
brought . Into th Omaha system of In
spection.
Mr. Bossle's report for the year fol
lows:
Ths death rat among Infants for th
last ten years Is as follows:
Year.
1...
li'i ...
Blrtha.
1.1160...
J. ... .
3.343...
1.3SS...
1,M...
3.571...
...Hl.725...
1.741...
3.S2S.. .
Deaths.
171..
3d..
314..
S.'O..
23..
212..
127..
1J..
Dths per lco
13.2
15. S
13 4
13.1
13 I
3
S3
1...
1US...
llt...
1911...
mil...
1W13...
1H14.
lilitt.
... 4
... .T
3.S1...
AS!..
Excluding th seventeen desths"undp t
yesr of ags that wer nonresidents snd
occurred In hospitals, the rat for th
year would be forty-two pr thousand.
MUCH MONEY SPENT
BY THE JAILROADS
Little Done During the Tear in th
Way of Construction, but
Improvements Made.
HIGH STANDARD MAINTAINED
In Omaha trade territory It wss no
year of railroad bullrllns-. Owinr ta
the peculiar condition of the money
market, brought about by th war ia
tiurope and the uncertainty of the out
come of many suits In court. affct!n
both freight and passenger rates, the)
railroads pursued a waiting policy an4
officiate contented themselves with go
Ing on with the usual betterments Irs
stead of constructing new lines and open
Ing new territory to the west and north
west of Omaha. However, with th rata
situation cleared and the assertion that
money during the next twelve months la
likely to be easy considerable railroad,
building hereawaya la anticipated during)
During the year Juat cloaed tha Bora
llngton spent close to $2,000,ooo In thll
nwir, jl una sum fw,wu was est
pended In constructing the cut-off fror4
Ournaey to Wendover, Wyo. There Is
something like eight mllea of this stretch)
and with Its construction It opens a short
line Into the northwest- ,
Maeh Rail Replacement.
For rail replacement, where heavier
ateel waa laid on the main line weat of
Omaha, $480,000 waa spent. In Improws
ing the Wyoming- line and in conatructs
ing additional facilities for handling
bualneaa. $20.000 waa apenU New Indus,
trial and team tracks were constructed
at a coat of $240,000 and xft.om .nji4
In the construction of a new depot at
David City. Repairing and redecorating
the Omaha passenger depot cost $8,000,
while water stations, tanks and pumps
pipe lines, etc., out along the lines cost
$4,000. The renewal and replacement ot
bridges meant an expenditure of $140,000.
During the year the Union Pacific
completed double tracking from Devil's
Gate bridge to Riverdale, one of tba
small gaps of the main line not hereto
fore double tracked. This new stretch
of track is fully protected by automatM
block signal, the same as Is In us on
the remainder of the road.
In Colorado the Union Pacific buUt SJ
branch line to the Shamrock coal fields,
besides twelve miles of industrial sidings,
An Interlocking plant Is In course of con
structlon at Ballna. Kan., . and man
thousands of dollars wer spent la re
newlng ballast on the main line and fog
heavier rails on the branches.
At Omaha during the year a modern
hospital was constructed for employes;
snd a 'similar one at Kansas City, Mo.
New depots were erected at Kimball,
Neb.: Pine Bluffs and Granger, Wyo.
Armstrong and Sallna, Kan., and at Dan
ver. A new depot Is m course of con.
structlon at North Platte to take ths
place of the one recently burned.
On the branch north from Kearney a
300-horse-power gasoline motor car has
been added to the service. It being ths
first car of Ita type to go onto any rail,
road. The motor containa baggage,
preaa and mail compartmenta and, in
addition, it hauls an all-steel coach, ab
fording 30 per cent more seating capao
Ity than the coach of the steam train
formerly operated was able to aoconuno
date.
The Missouri Taciflc during the yea!
completed the building of. Its Omaha
Kansas City line, rehallastinsi th.
distance. Work on the Nebraska!
was started and was well on
the way to completion when winter se
In. New equipment was added to th
Kansas City ,nd St. Ixul. trains and
the running time between
theae cltiea materially reduced.
ine Omaha road relald the steel on a
large portion of Ita Nebrk. nn..
spent large sums In reballastlng.
Aioaa- the JVorth westera.
In Improvement an k-m-
Northwestern Railroad company during
last year expended $76,350. of this sum
none went for extensions, the com pan
not having added any mileage to the No
braaka system during tho year.
itemised, the Northwetr
money n Nebraska as follow.
th year:
Industry tracks. 128 Am- . ..
vate industries. $1.6ti0: new
l?off- PO"- 16'400; brld-8 betterments.
$-20,400; track betterments. $3.900; ln
provements to station grounds. $35,940
special assessments, $4,700; equipment an J
PS""5'' m350; W"hUt dttm-
The money nut lr,tn . . .
betterments was practically all for next
work. A number of old bridges wer
taken out and new and all
atructed In their stead. On track better.
...rnia me expenditure was largely fo,
..u ,ci aicei raits. ,
Local Heal Estate
Transfers Almost 1
Ta es
uouble Last Yea?
totr;rt0nurr
Sw.br H,:rryearce- o7dJ
Owing to the federal war tsx on d-d,
nre.?0, y"r to
proximately accurate figures on total
valuation, fo, the first time In a ntmi
ber of years. Th. transfers for last yea
were $8.463.1.
Th report show a decrease In Dotal
J""1 e,,pens of the offic oveg
1914. It Is as follows:
Receipts 19 J.9": M
Expenditure. .."".I'S&ft
Net to county $ (.444.60 $ 7.3CT.4
Number of Instruments recorded, 13,371
aa . .. I . .. ...... . .....
Farm mortgages filed. 151. amounting,
to $77.964; released, fil. amounting te)
S617.9.r.
City mortgages filed. 4.242. amounting)
to $9,476,768.14; released, S.042, amounting!
to S8.U1,727.S1.
FEES COLLECTED BY THE
ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT
The operations of the city electrical
department hav been summarised In thsj
following manner:
Fees collected, 7,C0M; expendltvrasv
$7,370; wiring permits. 3,774; permit 14
connect, 3,494. journeymen permits. Kgi
Inspection mad, 17$.
