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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 1897)
ear:' r i Is -' . . w' 7OLJl5XO-40 i j- 4 ,-fi ,' r,-KJ3'' ESTABLISHED IN 1886 '-N. . PRICE FIVE CENTS ,' -- -' -' - 4 LINCOLN, NEB., SATURDAY. OCTOBER 2. 1807. Entered is the postoffice at Lincoln as second class matter. PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BT IE COURIER PRINTING AND PUBLISHING GO Office 1132 N street, Up Stairs. Telephone 384. SARAH if. HARRIS. DORA BACHELLER Editor Business Manager Subscription Rates In Advance. Per annum $ 2 00 Six months 1 00 Three months 50 One month 20 Single copies 0o 2 OBSERVATIONS. rw The reason why t ie mayor and iart of the council have opiosed the A street-well and pood water,deve!oied on Monday night at the city council meet ing. Mr. Thompson wants the control of the city water himself. Therefore it was not pood ioliey to let satisfactory water into the mains. The house holders must he deluged with oisoii ous and corroding water until in des peration, and for hunger of good water, they will sell their communal birthright to the man who, more than -any one else, is responsible for the election of such a man as the present mayor, for the prominence of Bud Lindsey in city iwlities, and for most of the scandals which are giving the city of Lincoln the reputation of those cities of old which God had to burn up. It were better for the city of Lincoln to paj twice what it is paying now, for salt water, than to turn it over to Mr. Thompson. Everyone who knows anything about city politics is aware that through the patronage of the Gas and Electric company Mr. Thompson wields an influence with the council and mayor far greater than considerations based on the best interests of the city at large. If the council sells the water franchise to a private company thej' do so at the ex pense of their political future, even if their individual finances be im- Xi)i5 WATER COMMISSIONER BYER'S REPORT. In Mr. Byer's report of the water department, pub lished in the Journal of September 21, I find that the coal bill for the South street station for four years was $27,333.42. For the same period at the Rice well the coal cost $19,09.93, or $S,283.49 less than at the South street well. By the same report it appears that the cost of repairs at the South street station for four years was $3,665.31. At the Rice well it was S2.079.64, or $1,585.67 less for repairs at the Rice station than at the South street station. Notwithstanding the smaller consumption of coal at the Rice well the latter is the larger plant. According-, then, to Water Commis sioner Byer's report, the South station in the last four years has cost the city for coal and repairs $9,869.16 more than the Rice station. (swxMxixiwessxse proved by the gni nt. The small ex tortions which the Electric Light and Gas company has practiced on the citizens for years would be duplicated in the Thompson Water company and the citizens wufd l;e without re course. The niayt r has by one excuse and another kept the salt water from theSouth and F street wells pour ing into the cit mains, evidently with thN one purpc v0 in view. In the Antelope valley there is a deep vein of water, as cold r.- a mountain spring and as pure. The A street well has tapped this vein. That it is abund ant the test showed, with all the pumping the water in the well did not fall a fraction of an inch. Tiik Courier said then and it repeats it now, the better the water in the A street well, and the more abundant, the less chance of its being allowed to enter the city mains. The action of the council in this matter is anx iously awaited by the jicople of Lin coln. Every last voter, outside of those interested in the gas company, is opposed to handing over this rem nant of communal functions to the friend of Mosher. Mayor Graham and Bud Lindsey. .4 In Mr. Byer's report of the water department, published in Mm Journal of September 21. I find that the coal bill for the South street station for four year was .S27.."CM. 12. For the same period at the Rice well 'the coal cost 1!,04!.!:!. or CS.23.4!) less than at the South street well. By the same report it apjiears that the cost of re pairs at the South street station for four years was $.'t,tUk..'ll. At the Bice well it was 2,07!).(4, or 81,."8..G7 less for repairs at the Bice station than at the South street station. Notwith standing the smaller consumption of coal at the Bice well, the latter is the larger plant. According, then, to Water Commissioner Byer's report, the South street station in the last four years has cost the city for coal and repairs 6!,$i!.l; more than the Bice station. The extra repairs are fully accounted for by the effect of salt water on iron pipes. Every house holder knows by the sums lie pays for plumbing every year, how the salt water destroys, zinc, iron and steel. Considering the corroding character of the chemicals the South street water holds in solution the bill for re pairs is moderate. But the reason for the S8,2SI.40 excess of coal at the South street station is unexplained. There are some some very curious re lations between the water stations and the coal dealers of the city. For instance, last winter after the coal contracts were awarded, a rival dealer blustered a good deal and suddenly subsided. Now Tiik Courier does, not question his right to subside every American citizen is born with that right and the mayor and part, of the city council fervently wish that The Courier would exercise it. but that is another story. In pars ing, it is a coincidence that soon after the coal dealer in question decided to keep still, Mr. Thompson consented that he be nomiuat" for a small of fice, which he new enjoys. As soon as the A street well te. began the grate ful coal dealer wrote an ojen letter to the maydr. claiming that the test of the A street well had dried up the water in his own well about a mile away. When it is remembered that underground water'llcws a mile a year and that the coal dealer's property is about a mile from the A street well, the absurdity or the claim is appar ent. If the coal dealers of the place have combined with thechief conspir ator to prevent the council from con necting the A street well with the mains, it is just as well for the citi zens to know it. A company of womeii under the name of the City Improve ment association, hits improved the looks of the city very much. Would it not be a good plan for a numler of citizens to come together and npMiut a committee to look into the water question. The council knows by ex jierience that the salt valley yields salt water. They know that the salt water is costing the city thousands of dollars in piite, pump and engine re pair, yet they refuse for lirst one rea son and then another to abandon the saline deposit. Citizensof all colors ami parties republicans, democrats. demo-iMipulists, silver republicans, gold democrats and populists want the salt water shut off from the mains and the majority think the city should retain control of the waterworks even if the council has never shown itself equal to the task of providing good and cheap water for the city. One man will not Iat forever. The evil das will come when the grass hoplier is a burden. bill a municiiuility does not grow old. If it does not forge chains which nor youth nor strength can break, it will develop and the communal sene will deejicn in time until the mayor and city council will be a dignified body of the lest busi ness men. J Although Tub Courier has not re ceived the program of the meeting next week at Beatrice of theNebraska Federation of Women's clubs, it ac cepts the assurance of those who have assisted to prepare it that it is of unusual interest to women. One session will be given up tothc.discus sion of topics interesting to mothers. On that day Mrs. Maria Cowen 'of York, will review the mothers' Na tional Congress which met last Febru ary in Washington. I). C. Mrs. Hel ler of Omaha, will discuss Mothers and Kindergartens: Mrs. A. W. Field of this city, will discuss. .Mothers and Schools, and Mrs. A. C. Bicketts, also of this city, will discuss -the subject, of "The Besionsibility of Mothers.," This session has been- in charge of Mrs. Bicketts who has arranged and prepared it under the foregoing heads. After the principalsi)eakershave pre sented their thoughts to the feder ation, the discussion will be thrown ojieii to all those who wish to speak concerning the best way to raise up a child. It is hoped that the women from all over the state will take part in the discussion. All delegates will be entertained. Visitors from other clubs can be entertained at the hotels at reduced rates. The breezy, bright women who will speak at this meet ing will stimulate every woman who hears them to increased and more sus tained effort in the coming season. Mrs. Maurice Deutsch (born Schwab, as the president of the Woman's club of Beatrice, will deliver the address of welcome.