Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-21
GEN. RICHMOND DEMENT,
Utah's New Surveyor.General Sub
mits to the Inevitable Interview,
In Which He Gives the Democrat "
His Opinion on Utah Matters
In General,
including MormOns and Gentiles, Fed
eral Offices and Other Subjects
OF Interest.

Yesterday afternoon II DEMOCRAT re-
porter dropped into the Office OF the Uni
ted States Surveyor, and in the front
room OF the office found General Rich
mond II. Dement,, the late appointee to
the position OF Surveyor-General of this
Territory. Upon introducing himself the
General welcomed the reporter and asked
him to be seated. After few introduce
tory and casual remarks, the following in
terview took place:
Reporter-W did you arrive?
Turning in his chair, and looking out
OF the raised window upon the scene OF
the city and valley to the westward, the
General replied: Sunday night; my
self and brother, Ambrose Il. Dement,,
whom have since made my chief clerk"
Reporter-What are your impressions
Of the city?
General am very favorably i'm
pressed with Salt Lake City. With the
people we are pleased far beyond what
we expected to be. | have met in
social and semi-oflicial way something
like 200 leading citizens. The Alta Club,
through the courtesy of Mr.. Receiver
Wallace, were pleased to extend to my
brother and myself the privileges of the
Club, and we have met many OF the gem
tlemen to whom l refer there. am quite
sure, as / have already written home,
that 95 per cent, or probably more, will
compare favorably with our best Eastern
commercial circles. In my opinion Bos
ton and Chicago are more nearly repre-
sented here in the character of your peo-
pie than New York, however. There is
u popularity about our Eastern people
each city has its manners and customs,
and while have met very few here who
would be called New York people, have
met quite number of Boston people and
a still larger per cent. OF the higher class
commercial people OF Chicago.
Reporter-What do you think OF the
Territory?
General-We arrived in the night, and
have not even been able to see beyond
the limits OF the city. came at once to
my office and proceeded regularly to take
possession, which / did the day after my
arrival. since which time, the business
| having accumulated to considerable
| extent in consequence OF desire not to
run the old business OF the office into the
| new, | found much that required imme-
date attention, and have already dis
posed OF some OF the more important
cases that were pending. 1t will probably
require some days before | shall be able
to look about much
Reporter-Can you give any idea about
the changes in the present employees Of
the office?
General will not make any further
changes in the office at present, having
already appointed my chief clerk. The
machinery OF this office is doubtless of q
more complicated character than is gen.
orally understood by the public. Tc
make n change in the working force Of
the office, until the office is prepared fol
it, and new men prepared for the pc
sitions, would be like putting new ant
imperfectly adjusted cog wheel into ,
delicate piece of machinery AS soon Al
it is proper from this consideration and a
soon as it will be to the interest of tn,
government, it is my purpose to replac,
from time to time some of the present
employees with gentlemen who will b.
found at least equally capable and il
sympathy with the Administration.
Reporter-Do your assistants INCLUDE
any outside of the Office in this city?
General-Yes; but it is not to thos
| outolIC vi tilC tf1ut lpIprreu Ill VIVA
| have just stated.
Reporter me an idea how thos
are affected by this office.
General-All employees OF the govern
ment acting under commissions an,
directions from this office, are, of course
responsible to the Surveyor General TO
the hdellty with which they perform thei
duties; this includes quite large nun
OF surveys
Reporter-Are these deputy surveyor
and examiners of surveys, county SUI
veyors?
General-No, sir. | have nothing t
do with the appointment OF county sur
veyors.
Reporter-You spoke, in the first par
Of the interview, comparing our peopl
with Chicago and Boston people. Am
to understand that you intend to classif
the Mormons and Gentiles?
General-No sir. In the conduct q
the Suryeyor-General's office there shall
be nothing that shall conflict with stric
business principles. Iregard my position
MS OF purely executive character, an,
understand that it is no part of nv dut,
to consider anything but questions of
business character pertaining to tn,
office. In word, as United States Sur
veyor- General OF this Territory repre-
sent the interest of the Interior Depart
ment, and am in nowise connected witt
the Judicial Department.
Reporter-Do you refer to Mormons o
Gentiles in comparison with Boston o
Chicago people?
General-To that question must re
ply that do not know. DoubtIess mos
OF the gentlemen have met are classe,
with what seems to be known here as til,
GENTLE clement. Still, | do not knoy
what proportion.
Reporter-Will you be kind enough t,
give your view OF the Administration
General-While am supposed to b,
well pleased with it, taking my own APP
pointment into consideration, vet Devon,
this and leaving it entirely out OF tn,
question, l do not hesitate to say that il
my opinion, the President has done wha
has been wisest and best for the interes
OF the country and for the political part,
| Which he rnDrnSpntg WITH otbaro I ~.