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ESTABLISHED IN 1886
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PRICE FIVE CENTS
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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.