Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, May 29, 1885, Page 4

MUNICIPAL OVERLAP, ‘When Mayer Boyd in his address at ths citizens’ convention a fow days prior to the election naverted that to the best of his abil- ity to learn the condition of thacity finances there was not less than $£85000 of floating debt to be met, he was_pooh-poohed by the THE DAILY BEE. Owana Ovrren No, 914 AND 918 Fanmax By, i—tnlom-.lm--hmsm e, morning, Sundny. The | supporters of the Murphy administration, who s moraing dally puvihed tn the site. | Boldly assorted he was jumping at concluslons EERMS BT AL and that the amount was much less, Your. 10.00 ‘M Months. ‘Within the past week at the instance of the ‘onths 5.00 | One Meath 198 | ayor Auditor Long has made an estimate of the ‘“‘overlap,’ of expenditures above the funds, carried over from the Iast administra 0 | tion and finds the startling fact that with the bills held back, the existence of all of which 76 | no person seems to have known, the floating W | debt exceeds the £100,000 voted to pay it off. *The end is not yet,” if one may judge from the suits heing brought under the recent decision of the supreme conrt for damages by grading, From the message sent to the council Jast night by the mayor, the following showing of the city floating debt is taken: “Ihave had an estimate made by the suditor of the total amount of the overlap and find it to ba 8111,204,82, made up as follows, to wit: Judgment fund............. & Sewer rebate (board of equaliza: The Weekly Bes, Pubiihsed every Wedneeday wunun, rosTrAIS ooransrONDENON | foations relating be News and Bditerial mibdars Should be sddreased. $0 the Kurton of TR (TN vomonss LaTrRa. Business Lettors and Remittaness should be Aresncd vo Tus ks, PONLISNLNO OOMPAXY, ONANA. , Oheoks and Posh offios orders o be made pay- able 46 Ahe order of the eompany. {HE BEE PUBLISHING €0, Props. R ROSEWATER, Eoirom. o AT, Fich, Manager, Dy Clrcltion $ 36,827 00 Neb, $OB). .. .oiiiiieiiiiiies . 12,558 33 Salatios, police, (four months).... 9,500 40 . Salarfes, fire (four months)........ 6,480 00 THE city council onght to take advant- | Sularies,general fund(two months) 11,572 €8 Bills and accounts allowed....... 20 age of the presonce of Mr, Myers, the conrt-house architect, and consult him in regard to the proposed city hall. Gaw, two months. Bills and accounts 0ld sewer accoun! ; 8,00 00 ‘West Farnam street 3,000 00 but the company has returned only 700l of that number to the asssesor of Caster county. This ls what might be termed reduolng stock with a vengeance, an aggregate of 853,260, which represents the overlap that Mr, Boyd found when he oame into office in Apiil. Deduct from that the $40,000 overlap which Mr. Boyd transmitted to Ohase and Murphy and we have an excoss of §13,260 created durlng the past two years, Daring that perlod the olty expended nearly a million for publlc Improvements. There is more than 813,262 left unex- pended in some of the specisl fands. Why then should Mayor Boyd let it go abroad {hat there has been such a reck- less and lawless expenditura of money. One would almost belleve that Omaha 1s on the verge of bankruptoy, if It were not for the fact that our five per cent. bonds command a premiun of .03} above par. This premium, pald by a leading local pank, which fs thoroughly familiar with onr muniolpal finances, affords striking proof that this false alarm about the $111,000 overlap does not affect shrewd financlers, In spite of false pre- tonses and reckless assertions the overlap at present lsbut a trifle larger than It was two years ago. It will be wiped out en- tirely by the funding bonds. Nobody HENATOil VAN WYOK. The Nebraska Republican Who is Ssid to be a Favorite at the ‘White House, Washinpton Speoial dispatch to the Graphic, Reports have gone out from Washing. ton that Senator Van Wyck ls the most welcome snd inflaential of republican visltors at the White House. The tidings will not excite much alarm among those who recall the sturdy fight made by Van Wyck durlng the psst winter to forfeit the unolrnog railroad land grants and to curb the rapacity of the land grabbing corporations generally. Doubtless the president can obtain a good deal of whole- some Information from the Nebraska senator. In this connection your cor- respondent may quote the subjoined copy of a letter recently sent by the senator in reply to an invitation to address the antl-monopoly meeting In New York city: Jugn W. Keogh, Chairman, &o. My Dkagr Sig: Many thanks for your kind invitation to address the anti-monopolists of oo 811,204 32 —Omaha Herald, We have no desire to re-open the city campaign, but the uncalled-for atlempt to make political capital out of our mun- feipal debt by parading inflated and mls- leading figures, demands a prompt and vigorcus refntation. When Mr. Boyd, in order to get votes, asserted bsfora the “‘citizens’ conventlon” that the Murphy admiuistration had piled up an overlap of $88,000, he might have been excused for exaggerating on the ground cf campalgn license, but when, &8 mayor of Omaha, he officlally tells the council and ad- vertlses to the world that the city has been unlawfully run into debt for over $100,000 he stultifies himself and does the city great injury. Tho statement that the overlap of expenditures carried over from the last admintstration amounts ““8inoL” may become popular in the polite circles of the cast, but the cow- boy of the rowdy west will atick to the old name for the realm of his eatanic rasjesty. ——— Now that Omsha is to have her cen- sus taken would it not be well to inquire fnto the icflation methods of Kansas Olty? Would it not be advisable to en- gage the population liars of that clty to emist one enumeratora? N Soume fault e belcg found with the mugwump postmister of New York. One of the charges Ia tha! it takes longer, as a rule, to get a letter across the river from Neow York to Brooklya than from New York to Philadelphla. This reminds one very much of the mall facilltles between Omsaha and Council Blaffs, JIt takes about as long to sond a letter from Oma- |4, 111,000 is untrue. An overlap ha to Conucll Bluffs as it does to send it | 0ang a debt created in to Chicago. excess of the legal Ilimit of 90 per cent of the tax levy. Mayor Boyd knows, or he ought to know, that the $111,000 which the city will owe at the end of the present fiscal year s not an overlap by at least $60,000. 1t does not become Mayor Boyd to charge up the responsibillty for this overlsp to his pre- decessor, slnce he himsslf {s respcnsible for the greater part of it, If a mayor 1s to be responsible for such a debt. Whan Mr. Boyd wentout of office as mayor two years ago. he left an overlap of $40,- 000. His succeesor, <Champion S. Chase, ea'd in his message to the councll, April 11th, 1882, “Iam re- liably Informed that the over- lap in the general fund at this date is $40,000, and that a report, such asI have called for, will show it.” Now, Mayor Chase derived his Infor- matlon from the then city clerk, Jewett, but as a matter of fact neither Mr. Jewett nor anybody elee could compute the exact amount of the overlap In 1882, Therewere no books of deblt and credit kept during Mr. Boyd's administration. The $40,000 overlap which Maycr Chase tound when Mr. Boyd went out was a mere estimate. Tt is certaln, however, if all the llabilities in the special funds and floating debts had been scraped together and computed with an additional estimate of the city’s .expentes from April to July, 1882, there would have been a grand total of floating debt in excess of $60,000. Now let us see what part of the $111,- 000 is an overlap, There are $36,000 in judgments against the city. A portion of there judgments is doubtless an over- lap caused by confession of judgment for damages ariting from grading, but there Ir thers Is any farther change to be made in the grade of Farnam street hill it shou!d bs doneé before the court house approaches are built, Now that Mr. Myers, the architect of the court houze, is here, it would ba advizable for the clty councll to consult him in the matter. ‘We understand that Mr. Myers says that the street can be cut at least three feet mora 1f.it {s done at once so he can mod- ify hia plans. — Tur Herald says that the name’ of ¢Omaha” has become In the easta by- word and reproach among men on ac- count of its being applied to a worthless war vessel. The Herald might sl have said that the fair fame of Omaha is being iralled in the dust by our inglori- ous base-ball club. We would suggest that the ball club be put on board the war vessel *‘Omaha” and sent to sea. If this were done,we might never see them agaln, Tue industry of kidnapping A merican laborers for railway work in Gautemala has grown to alarming proportions. These men are enticad on board of vessels at New Orleans byagents who get ten dollars a head. This spacies of white slavery is something that ought to be Investigated by the state dopartment. 1f the half of what is told be true a great outrage is belng perpetrated by design- ing sconndrels, Every person engaged in the nefarious business should be hunted down and punished. e NoryuaN B. Harwoop, the dry goods merchant who created a s:nsation in St. Paul some years sgo first by|is also a proportion for damages to his immense buslness owing to|persons by reaton of accldents. How cutting prices, and second by his fall-|ls any city council to pay ure for 1,700,000, recently died in|in advance for such loealities. A man or woman may tumbla through a defectlve bridge or sidewalk any day and seeure judgment for $10,000 or $20,000. Would such a debt constilute an overlap ? Next we find §12,668 sewer rebate. In what way can that be called an overlap? The sewers were constructed and the cost assessed upon adjacent property under the prevalling system of speclal taxation, but through a declsion of the supreme court the councll was compelled to re-assess, and as a matter of equity It assessed a portion of the outlay agavst the whole olty. This was unavoldable and in no way can be regarded as an overlap. Then we have $27,000 In salarles of the pollce force, fire department and city officials generally, which 1s computed for the last quarter of the fiscal year. This also is charged as an overlap, and al- though the salarles are payable under Mr. Boyd's administration, his predeces- sor {s charged with this so-called overlap. The arrant humbug of the thing must be apparent to everybody when it s borne in mind that the salarles of the mayor, marshal, and members of the city councll were ralsed by the last legislature, and consequently caused an overlap for which Mr, Murphy and the former council should not be held respon- sible. Next we find an ttem of gas for two months, $3,015, This is about as much {nflated as the water-gas with which this oity 1s supplied. The gas bills average less than $1,000 per month, and there is no reason why they should average more duriog the summer, Lastly, we have an overlap of $3,000 for the West Farnam street grade, That may be an overlsp construstively, but as a matter of fact the grading has not been done, and copsequently we don’t owe enything on that acconnt, Now, then, how much is the real overlap! Comput- ing two-thirds of the judgments due as origlnating from the grading as charge- able to overlap, and adding to it the $20,. 250 for bills and accounts allowed, $300 of old sewer accounts, and §2,700 of accounts and bills estimated, and we have Florida whera he had an orange grove valued at $0500,000. Mr. Harwood carrled a life insurance of $200,000, the annual premiums on which amounted to $10,000, He died suddenly of coneus- slon of the brain, As usual in the case of such heavy Insarance a report has been started that his death was the result of sulcide, and already the matter is be- ing investigated. In all probability liti- gation Zwill follow, but we apprehend that the outcome will be, as it has been in similar cases, that the Insurance will have to be pald. A sreciaL dispatch to the Kansas City Journal, eminating from the Lincola Journal, office announces that Charles H. Gere will be named as one of the secre- taries of the rallway commlssion. The correspondent, who is an employe of the Linooln Journal, naturally piys a high compliment to Mr. Gere, ‘‘editor-in- chief.” He pronounces Mr. Gere ‘‘an able and fearleas writer,” and says: Mr, Gere belongs to she stalwart faction aud, politically speaking, has no patience with statesmen of the Van Wyck style, Possessed of much valuable information he will unquestionably at once prove the leader of the ralway commission, He does not ex- pect to relinquish his editorial duties entirely, ‘We are not surprised that this *‘able snd fearless writer” has no patience with statesmen of the Van Wyck style. Mr, Gere has not forgotten Mr, Van Wyck's exposure of the Journal printing frauds some yoars ago, which explains why he has no patience with Senator Van Wyck, That the edltor-In.chief of the monopoly organ will at once prove, or attempt to prove, himeself the leader of the rallway commission, we have not the least doubt, That he will farnish valuable information t> the railweys is san undeniable fact, while at the same time he will ald and com'ort them In every way possible by his “able and fearlees” writlng in his paper, ashe does ot expect to rellngulsh his editorial duties entirely. The space devoted to the Interests of the railroads will a5 usual be filled by his fearless ar- thcles, New York Cif I much regret that thus far it has been impossible to find the time to do €0, Wo_aro engaged in a work which in the end, through much labor and obloquy, will triumph, The world moves slowly, even 1 that portion where we boast that the people airect. We have been tending towards the eame condition as when the barons allowed the vassals barely bread icient for subsist- ence. A condition of laws and sooiety which makes possible the abstraction by Goulds and Vanderbilts of hundreds of millions from the toil of labor is abundant proof of the statement, Again Lh-nkinq yon, I remain, youra truly, 0. H, Vax Wick, wlil bo entitled to any credit for that result excopt the people who voted ihe bonds as & measure of economy. P — ANOTHER GEORGIA WONDER. The etate of Georgla continues to carry the prize banner as the wonder-producing region of this country. It was from Georgia that the electric girl came. She was followed by a man who was a Her- cules in strength. The greatest snake stories have originated in Georgia, The moat stariling soclal sensations are hatched In that state. Nowhere can such big watermelons be found as In Georgia. And now the latest Georgla wonder appears in the shape of a revival- {et, who is meeting with the most re- markable success in converting the peo- ple of the south. He is the sensation of the day, and no such religlous excltement ment has ever been stlrred up in the south as that which has been oreated by Sam Jones, as he Is called. He is nota graduate of any theologleal school, and has no such a title as ‘‘reverend.” He is a plain, unculturad man, snd does not claim to bs even an evangellst. Sam, however, has a head full cf sense, and his Idens aré expressed in langusge that is plain and pointed, even If it is not| always grammatical. He is a philosopher in the rough, and an enthusiast in the cause of religion and reform. Sam Jones talks to the common people as well as at them, and his quaint sayings and apt maxlms, pecullar to the wonderland of Georgia, have struck a popular chord. Wherever he appears he attracts Im- mense crowds, and the work that he is dolng is certainly having a telling effect. He 18 coming northward, and his march is one geand triumphal procession. Sam Jones has reached Nashville, Tennessee, where It 18 no unusual thing for him to talk to fully five thousand perzons. The gamblers and saloon-keepers of Nashville caused bitter attacks to be made upon him, but instead of retaliating he slmply sald: “Iam tired of hearin’ these liquor dealers and bartenders abused, because if these Methodists and Baptlats and Pretbyterians would quit drinking whisky half the liquor ealoons would be clozed. A woman that marrles a man with whisky in his breath is the biggest fool in the world except one who stirs his toddy for him after she is married.” We areled to conclude from the fact that several ea- loons have aince been advertized for sale that “these Methodists aud Baptlsts and Presbyterians” ot Nashville have taken Jones' advice and sworn off. Ad to culture, the Georgia revivallst says, “‘It's only whitewash on a rascal. 1'd rather be in heaven learnin’my A B (s than In hell reading Greek.” The lesson taught by this sentiment is that without honesty and manhood culturo is worthless. He holds out the promise that every good man wil lbe provided for in some way, as ‘‘heaven is on a dead level with every good man,” and that “‘God will feed an honest man if he has to put the angels on half rations.” Here are a few samples of Sam Jones’ epigram- matic sentences which go straight to the mark like a bullet, nearly every one of which is a text within itself for a sermon: 1 despise theology and botany, but I love religion and flowera, A lie is always on the down grade, but the truth you have to hitch an engine to, 1 can get along better with most everything in this world than with peorle who talk too much, The best woman in this town is the woman who has waded through trouble that an angel’s heart could not have endured, When God wantas to strike us with affliction let us not run, but stand and take 'em, Many good christians sleep so sound that the devil can come up and saw off their heads with a dull caseknife before they wake, 4 A novelty Is always appreciated, and Sam Jones iy certainly a novelty In re- ligion, He has a broad field before him, and we venture to ssy that he will create the greatest enthuslam in the way of re- vivals ever known. A cordlal reception awaits him everywhere. In his own pe- culiar way, Sam Jones i9 as great a phil. osopher and as great & wit in the interest of religlon as Bob Ingersoll is in the op- posite field. He will prove the great antidote to Ingersollism, and hence his advent will be halled with delight by re. ligious people everywhere. While he sims to influence the common people, the most cultured and refined are attracted to him by his eloquence, wit, logle and philosopby. i The Question of Silver Coinage, In view of the importancs which the silver question s likely to assume upon the assembling of the Forty-ninth con- gress, and the undoubted attitude of op- position to farther silver colnage on the part of President Cleveland, whose views as exprersed in his inangural may or may not be modified, the action of foreign governments on like subjects is & matter of considerable interest to the American pub'ic. The double standard men of Germany, althongh not numerous, are well organ- ized, active and xealous in thelr cause. They claim that for a country which is anxious to extend its dominions and its commerce beyond the seas a stlver cur- renvy is essential. They therefore ba- lleve that the government, belng now fairly embarked in sundry schemes of colonizatlon, and feeling the necesslty of relieving the farmer of the s'ress of low prlces, would conslder favorably a propo- sition to convoke a new bi-metallic con- ference. With this view they introduce in the present relchstag a resolution to the effect that ‘‘the chancellor of the em- pire bo requested to take {nitiatory steps toward a new meetlng of the monetary conference which adjourned In the year 1881, in order to bring about the resump- tion of the colnage of full welght silver colns by the United States, by the Latin unlon, by the German empite, and by all such states as would join with these countries.” The resolution was signed by Von Schorlemer, Von Kardorff, Frege and Leuschner, all members of the reichstag and belonging to different parttes. To thelr great disappsintment the govern- ment declared that there was an ample supply of gold coln; that since the adop- tion of the gold standard the government had coined 1,922,000,000 of marks in gold; that of this there were st!ll 1n cir- culation in Germany, according to the closest researches, not less than 1,700,- 000,000, which amount was deemed suf- ficlent to meet all the wants of commerce and that the necessity of a change in the government policy with reference to the standard bhad not been shown. The reso- lation was, after a lengthy and interest- ing disousslon, put to & vote and de- feated by a large majority. o ——— Sly Sam Randall, Carp, in the Cleveland Leader. A noted democratic congressman,whose pame, were I permitted to use it, would add welght to his werds, sald to me last night in regard to Logan's election: ¢ Presldent Cloveland has received a great blow in the election of Logan. Itis a cut directly at the administration, and in favor of the policy and principles which are dlametrically vpposed to it. Logan has been an open opponent to civil ser- vice reform. He has bsen opposed to tarlff reform, and he has been one of the bitterest denunclators of the confeder- ates holding any supremacy in govern- ment councils, The fact that a republ can was elected In the democratic district means that the democrats are disgusted, and are willing to let the ad- ministration kuoow it by keeping away from the polls,” SLY SAM RANDALL'S DEEP GAME, “It means also that Randail has had his finger in the ple, and it s him that Logan must thank for his election. Sam Randall is playing a deep game here at Washington, and he intends to run the democratic party or rnin it. It was not that he loved Logan, but that he hated Morelson and tarlff reform. Randall's friends In Illinois were told that Logan must be elected and Morriscn defested. This intimation being circulated in the county where the new man was elected, together with the diseatisfaction with Oleveland, easily accomplished the result. 1 think Sam Randall {s laying his plans for 1888, when he confidentially expects to become the presidentlal candldate of hls p::?. Itis trae he has lately pro- nounced himself as an advocate of Oleve- land’s renomination in 1888, and he thus foroes Morrlson, Carlisle and his other enemies to follow him in this cry. Now, Cleveland in his letter of acceptance dis— tinotly declares that he will not be a can- didate for a second term, and after Ran- da'l belng s0 kind as to push him to the front Cleveland cannot do otherwise than remember Ri and decline in his favor, DBesides Randall's princlpals, those of the east, are the same as Uleve- land's, barring the civil service yeform Ideas which will, I balleye, die s natural death before four years have passed, and he will want & man chosen in his place who will carry out his polloy. I can tell ou there s no deeper, slyer, and more ar-seeing wire-puller in the democratlc party than Randall, and he is not toady ing Cleveland end hanglng around the white house for anything less than the biggest game in the huating fields of Amerloan politics " “‘Suppose he doesn’t get 1t1” ““Well, you bave heard the story of the blind Samson, who pulled down the temple wheo his enemles thought he was powerless, [andall defeated will be the blind Samson of the democratic party, and If he goes down he will not fall with- oat bringiog down the whole structure.” L —— Tur brass band hay been made an {m- portant feature in the art of advertlelng. We venture to say that,as a consequence, Omaha has more music to the iquare inch every day inthe week than any other city in the country. THE teslimony of the Brighton 1aunch compavy in the United States court shows that it owns 3,500 head of cattle, Three inches of rain fell in and around Ne- braska city, Wednesday, A number of bridges were swept away and serious damage done corafields. THE DAILY BEE---FRIDAY MAY 29, 1885. —————— THE NEW TEMPLE. Dinglas Conuty's Modern Court House Dedicated to Its Use. An Immense Orowa of Sight-Seeing Visitors Under the Great Dome ~Tdvely and Interesting OCeremonies. Douglas county's magnificent new tem- ple of justice was according to previous arrangements, formally opened to the public yesterday and last night, By ten o'clock farmers, with thelr wives, mons and daughters, began to srrive In the olty and wend their way toward the great center of attraction. The heavy rain of Wednesday put many husband- men behind with their spring work, and also left the roads in rather bad condi- tlon for travel, prevemted, however, as large an attendance cf the country peopl from coming as were expected. U But notwithstanding these difficulties, hundreds of wondering eyes peered into the decorated halls and embelitshed apart- monts of that etately pile, then went away with [their owners, pleased and gratified with the work performed and result accomplished. Daring the after- noon hours an increased inflax of visitors mounted the marble steps and lelsurely enjoyed a tour cf interesting aight-eceing through the beautiful structure. Doors were all thrown wide open, and the county officiale, though rushed with business, were roady to-ex- tend each visitor a hearty welocome and do all possible to make their stay pleasant. The most delightfal treat of the occarion was to be had from the balcony view around the dome. 1t cost a llttle climb- ing effort to get up there, but the scene presented more than repayed the effort. Laylng below, the city, embowered in green foliage, and stretching away in every direction the broad rolling prairie, and through its centre the ““Big Muddy” winding and rushing on its ceaseless course to the briny deep, a finer ple- ture could not well be concoived. And thus the day passad, At 8 o'clock dedicatory exerclses were to take place. Long before that tlme, thebullaing was crowded with people, and hundreds went away who could not gain admlsston to the court room. Scores of the clty and county’s fair and lovely Iadies graced the occasion with thelr presence, and three bands furnished music.. They were the Musical Unlon, the Union Pacific and the Anclent Grder of Hibernians organizations, On his own responsibility, County Clerk Leavitt had gotten up an elaborate programme, the front page containing an excellent cut of the bullding and these werde: “‘Dedleated May 28th, 1885 cost §204,- 151.06.” Un the second page was this inscrip- tion: “Opening of the new court house, Douglas Co , Thureday, May 28, 1885, at 8 o'clock p. m,, the officers of the court and members of the bar in their respective place in the court room.” ; On the third psge appeared the follow- ng: S PROGRAMME: o S Presentation by I, E. Myers, architect, of the completed building to the connty com- missionere, Presentation on behalf «f the county com- miseioners to the court and the people of the county, Hon. J, O. Cowia. Accentance and dedication ou tehalf of the court. Hon, Eleazer Wake'y and Hon, James Neville, Acae&gnncs on behalf of the people, Hon. James W. Savage, 'The old rourt house and its history, Hon, John M. Thurston, The past juriepudence of Dsuglas county, Hon: damea L, Woolworth, ) ‘Reminiscencos of thebar of Douglas county, Hon, John I Redicl, Tho bar of tho futute in Dougles county, Arthur C, Wakeley. On the last page the names of the county commiasioners,; Richard O'Keeffee chalr- man; Frank W. Corliss and George E. Timme; and the bar commlitee, G. W. Ambroze, B, E. B. Kennedy, W. J. Conpell, E. W. Simeral, and W. A, Redick appeared. Mr. Ambrose presided and called the meeting to order, Within the bar and jury box all the ladies for whom there was room were given seats, The county commiseioners, the architect, Mr. 1. E, Myore, tho superintendent, Mr. D, L Shane, and the builder, Mr. John F. Coots, cecupled positions In front of the judges’ stacd, On the bench eat thoze two digoltaries of legal fore and learning, Judges Eieazer Wakeley and James WNeville On their left were seated wembers of the bar, and strains of lively music floated out upon the sofc night air from three bal- confee, In calllog the assembled 1aultitude to- gether, Mr. Ambrese said that he was acting in behalf of the commissioners, and tho henor bestowed gave him great pleasure, and ne desired to lntroduce as the first speaker, Mr. E B, Meyers, of Detrolt, the architect, whose duty it was to turn the bullding over, In substance that gentleman sald: The work commenced here {hree years ago has been executed end the contract has been filled to the latter moat falth- fully. And Ideelre to congratulate the people of Douglas county on the posses- slon of such an excellent structure. To Mr, D, L. Shane, the superintendent, and the bullders is due the honor of this completed edifice, Frcm the beginning of the work peace and harmony have pre- valled, Not a wrangle, not a couflict, not an unpleasant word has ever passed between any of the men conducting the erection of the bullding, and I take spe- olal pleasure in now turning it over to the commissioners, TO THE COURT AND PEOPLE, The second speazer was Gen, John O, Cowin, whose appearanve was greeted with & round of applause. He com- menced his remarks by sayiog: *‘ ‘That which the human mind most earnestly secks and unconditionally demands in earthly affalrs is justice.’ Acting upon and guided by the experlence and wis- dom of ages in the adminlstration of man's worldly affairs, the people of the state of Nebraska bave made it a part of the fundamental law of their government that all courts shall be open and every erscn, for every Injury done him in his ands, goods, perscn or reputa'ion, shall have a remedy by due course of law an justice, adminlstered without denial or delay, It ls by law made the duty of the county commissloners to provide for the use of the county asuitable court house, and In pursuance of thess require- ments of government and dutles fmposed by law, these walls within which we now stand, have been rearad and this build- ing constructed, 8 monument to jastlce and a fitliog companion to the splendid edifices by which it Is surrounded, Mavy years ago, by rapld strides to the 'fnllnm of their destlny, Omaha and Dogglu oounty grew far beyond the oa- pacity of the old court house, and jthe old bullding itself became an unsafo re- ceptacle for the vast Interests It contalned ~the warrant of all titles, the condition of all Jots and lands, and the judgments and decrees, the labor and nln’lta of the ocourts for more than 30 years. The question of a new building began to rip- ple in the publlc mind and graduslly grow Into actlvity; but, with all matters publicly considered, so with this move- ment, there was great diversity of opinion, Where It should be located, what it should cont and whether It shoald be built at all, Pending this class of pablic opinion, en- conragement from some, implacable op- porition from others, in the month of July, 1878, the bosrd of commisslonoers, then conalsting of F. W. Corless, B. P. Kuight, and Fred Drexel, determined to aot, and prooeeded to secure half of the block now ocoupied. The speaker fol- lowed at conaiderable length, with a his- tory of the bullding, all of which has al- ready been glven in these columns and noed not be ropeated here. Farther along Mr. Cowin referred to his own famillarlty with the principal dotalls of the work from its beginning For the past sixteen years, it had been his duty to adviee the commitsioners In the capacity of attorney for the county, and darlog the entire progress of this work from its inception to completion, I have been called to their counclls in all matters Involving legal interests, and have been acqualnted with the labors of the board and its individual members during the whole {ime, Eventvally the entire block was sacured at a cost of §19,013. In September 1880, bonds to the amount of $126,000 wore voted, and also a propo- sition to the effect that $75,000 should be appropriated out of the general revenue fand, The bonds wirelsold at a premium, September 1, 1881, blds were opened, and the contract was let to John E. Coots, of Detroit, Mich., for §198,616. The actual cost of the bulldiog Is $204,~ 1561 06, the excess of $5,635 06 over the contract price being occrsioned by changes made necestary as the work pro- gressed. Finally, In closing hesaid: *‘On behalf of the county commissioners 1 am in- structed to say that this bullding is now ready to assume its duties and perform fts functlons In the Imporlant department to which it pertains. But, grand and majestic as are these walls, rleing above the city on this beautiful eminence, looking out upoa the babltations and pursuits of more than 60,000 people in this clty, and destined to look upon her hundreds of thousands of souls yet unborn; yet thelr chlef im- portanca Is what they slgnify as the abid- ing place of equlty, honor, consclous, wisdom and justlce. DEDICATED BY THE COURT. “It Is a pleasing duty on behalf of the people of this county,” sald Judge E. Wakeley, who was Introduced as the third speaker, ‘““to accept from the com- missioners this bullding, now finished and henceforth to be devoted to its ap- propriate uses. It is not unusual to mark, by fittlng ceremonies, the accom- plishment of fmportant work {intended for public benefit. The compledon of this structure 1s here taken note of. It has been reared In this metropolis of an already great and strong state. With us and a part of usarenot a few atill fn manhood’s vigor to coms back the fresh remembrances of those rude ploneer and territorial beginnings strongly con- trasted with the eurroundings of this hour. Architecture Is a development of civilization, yet in its lateral and best sense not of human origin. Tho Al- mighty, In the plan and frame- work of his unlverse, teaches man the sublime roles and grand symmetry. Humane architecture is an evolutlon, developed into aspira- tlons for elegance, grace, finlsh, beauty. ‘When the people of this county direc'ed thelr commiseionera to go forward with this work, they expected of them that in its deslgn and arrangement, in its de- toils and entirety, it should meet the re- quirements for which it had been ordered, and, now that the work is accomplished, they are ready to eay to these, their servants, ‘‘well done.” Your trust has been dlscharged with fidelliy. You eave no accusation of Im- providence or extravigance, and least of all, of corruption, to meett Aund now, we surrender to the people this com- pleted bulldiog, 1t has been reared with their ranction, by their command, at their cost. For them and for thoze who come after them, it has rlsen. And now we formally declare that It 1s dedlcated to the public use and the public behoof forever. JUDGE NEVILLE, Judge Neville was the next speaker calied, and he too talked in behalf of the courts. In substance he sald, ““Phe wisdom and experlence of sges has given to tho judiclary regulating power in the machinery of government. ‘The legislative act and intent is consid- ered by the courts and by theirgudgment the executlve forces are Invoked. The lo cality then where such actlon {s asked to be exerclsed is a spot of pride to the oftl- zen and to that place he points for even- handed justlce. This very temple, which the law dedloates, speaks in and of itself the pride of its author, people, 1t ls a grand structure for a grander gause, The Intent of the law is, that when erected to its cause, a court house shall be untarnished by the exerclses within fts walls, of haste prejudice or selfish motlive Let mnot the thought of extraysgance possess sany cltizen in this construction. The walls that incase the records of the people, that place be- yond destructlon the volumes of title: and adjudicated rights, caunot be ex- travagantly made. Each citizen of the oounty mnst see that a cour! houte erected In this wonderful, growing city could mot, with economy, anything short of what 1t s Let the officers who designed and di- rected this beautiful construction and pablio pride take unto themselves a fall measure of pralse. This building, the foderal court house and postoffice, the «city ball snd board of teade bullding contemplated, the High school temple and other school buildings upon every hill top and in every valley, speak in broader tones than I can tell, tke enterprise, thrift, and to- telligence of our new born clty. APPROPRIATE AND HUMOROUS, One of she most enjoyable speeches of the evening was that delivered by Judge Savage, Being Introduced, the judge in abatract sald: 1 rejoice, Mr. Chairman, that the com- d | mittee charged with the conduct of the exercises of the evenlng have given me a power of attorney, oouplod with an in- terest of counsel, to receive on behalf of the people of Douglas county this «tately and conspleaous edifice. For it is far more easy to accept than to refuse so mu- nificent a gift, True, there may be those who will say that it seemsa work of lnpumrrosn ian, & valn ceremonial, to mske & dovatlon to us of a bulldin, bought and paid for with our mone; some grumbling at Increased ta. and enhanced expenses niay declare that the presentation Is an exsmple of the soriptural aphorlem that “‘{t {s more blested to give than to receive.” But it 18 In no such spitlt that we receive and acoept the small portion of this building that these judges have not alieady ap+ prodrlated to thelr own use, Aud I congeatulate all classcs of my fellow-oltizsns upon its completon and transfer, I congratula‘e the jadges, for who could be guilty of & o ntempt of court within these walle, which can ex cite only admiration and awe? I con- gratulate clients, for what jory In an ac- tlon for personal damages would concern themselves with paltry hundreds when their very jury room s redolent of thousands? And not lemst, 1 congrat. ulate my brethren of e bar, tor what cllent would haggle or dispute over three or four hundred dollars, more or lesy, of & fee, when his cause has been won—or lost, as the case may be—amid carved woodwork and brilliaut chanda- liera like these!? Hero, then, upon this spot where, within the memory of younger men than 1, tho chieftalns of the Omahas and Otoes gazed down the river In spring to wateh for the first boats of the returning far traders and strained their ears to listen to the song of the cordelier, shall soon be repeated the scenes of the old conrt houee, Hero will come the homeless and wrotched tramp, whose only knowledge of law conalsts of the constitutional pro- viston that ccurts of justice shall be alwayn open to llsten to the witticlems of couneol and tho repartees of witnesses. Here on my right will it the jury. Ah! how pleasant woold be the administration of justice could the box be alwaya filled as attractively as to-night, The jurymen will be the only ones who will regret the old court house, for they will misa the convenient rail in feont on which they were wont to rest their weary fect, without any fear of ecratching the varnish, And here sbove all will slt the judges, and long may they sit here, haplees victims of loquacity, sighing, in the words of the poet, “‘Men’s tongues are voluble, Aud endless are the modes of speach, and far Extends from side to side the field of words,” or ready to exc'aim with Eliphaz, the Temanite: “Should a man utter vain knowledge or fill his belly with the east wind? Should he reason with unprofit- able talk, or with spseches wherawith he can do no good?’ Bat In sober earnest I am one of thoss who believe that the man we ennoble and dignlfy the admlnistration of justice, the mora certain I8 justice itself; that the more cleanly are our dwellings the purer are our thoughts; the more magnificent the altar the more devout will be those who minister at it. *‘The place of jus- tice,” says Bacon, “isa hallowed place.” Believing this, we accept, at the hands of our worthy commiesioners this beauti- ful building, and we hope and believe that it will Jong remain as a monument of thelr good taste and palnstaking care. We hope and belleve that it willlong look down, by day, upon a prcsperous, weal- thy, and growing (ity, upon happy homes, crowded warehouses, and buatly streete. And if at night it shall look down, aslt will, upon far different scenes, upon want and woe, and aching heads and ach- ing hearts, and penury and dlsease, and grlef, and vice and crime, and passions that ripen into crime, stlll may the dawn light up the figure with the bandag:d eycs that surmounts our dome; that all men may know that within thess pre- cincts the outraged shsll find redress, the wronged shall be righted, the crim- inal shall bs punished, the Innocent shall be shielded. and justice and equity shall prevail as long as the foundations of oyr government endure, THE OLD COURT HOUSE, Mr. John M. Thurston told about the history of the old court house: “In selectlng me to deliver a sermon on the old court house, the reason given was that my appesiance and daily walks 80 atrongly resemble one of the clorgy.” The old court house is desarted. Soon it wlll live only in our memories. Cling- ing to Its history are events that call for special notice. The fair matrons end lovely mieses have there tripped the light fantasticand on its platform the mimic tragedy and drama have been euacted. Political conventions and all other kinds of meetings msrk some of tha passing events. The spirit which these many years has invaded i% now ceasos to give it life. The new lives und the future wel- comes it. The place where the old court house stands willgoon be occupled by & mag- nificent structure dedicated to com. merco. The old judgment ecats msy be overthrown, but the decrecs, and judg- ments rendered therein will live on while time lasts. At 1its bar none but the wicked felt afraid, and none but the guilly recelved its condemnation. But in passing from the ola to the new, we should not lay aeide the jurls- prudence of the old. 1 shall be sorry to see the cld court house destroyed, Six- teen years ago a man sat upon its bench who has done as much to place the supreme court reports on & par with neighboring states as any other man, ON JURISPRUDENCE. The Hon, James W, Woolworth re- lied to the past jurisprudence of Doug- f:u county. Jurisprudence s & large word, said he, and 1t scems to be fitted rather for large than small things, there- fore. we sometimes talk of the juris- prudence of Rome, England, Amerlca, eto., but Douglas county, wl a small place on earth, aud what a little lot of people it has had, and o talk about the jurlsprudence of the county., But after all, cgh little spot has given to the gnoplo of the countrya vastamount of jurls- radence. Only recently there emenated rrom Douglas county litigation Jan opin- be [jon adopted as the rule for practice in all the oourts of the country, Some remember that on an appealed osse from Douglas ocounty there also {ssued from the United States supreme court an opinlon deciding the length, breadth. rights of settler's claims on public lands. In the past the jurle- prudence of this county was often ad- ministered In a very curlous way. REMENJKCENCES OF THE BAK. 7 The reminlscenses of the Douglas county bar were related at length by Hon. Jno, 8. Redick, One of the first men he met, on coming here, was E. Es. tabrook, a tall, fine looking gentleman, endowed with extraordinary attainments, The speaker commenced his practice be- fore a man whohas long since crossed the dark rlver, Judge Wm. Pitt Kellogg, and after him came another Kellogg, ja man whom some cilled uncle,others father but his decisions were elways the eame, The ci'y hed no tilver tongued orators ini those days, llke California Towa and ofher states, but she had good orators all the esme, who have become distivgulshed lswyers. The names of Willlam A. Little, Mr, Poppleton, James M. Wood, Robert A. Howard and Alfred Conklin were mentioned by the speaker. Thoss left of the bar, he said, are the