The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-04
Is IT POLITICS?
The Slow Progress Of the City
and County Building.
THERE CAN BE BUT ONE REASON.
Architects Politics Some Monkey
Business.
To a man up a tree.

To a man up tree.
To ore who is not on the inside Of the
caucuses of the city council.
To the citizens in general, in fact, it ap-
pears as though there was some monkey
ing" as Colonel H. v. A. Ferguson so ele-
gantly expresses it, in reference to the
joint city and county building. Just where
the hitch is, is hard to determine; but GER
tain it is that there is hitch, and very
serious one, at that.
We would not care to positively assert
that it is a fact, but it would seem to cas-
ual looker-on that politics is at the bottom
of the whole affair.
1t is well known fact that the architect
who has charge of the work is not in sym
pathy with the Liberal element that just at
the present time has control Of the reins
of the city government.
1t will be remembered that he fought
them, tooth and toe-nail, during the Feb
ru2ry campaign, and That he was also
allied with the Workingmen during the
August campaign and election.
This has aroused the ire of some of the
Liberal cranks in the city council, and from
a conversation, overheard by HERALD
! representative not long since, it would ap-
pear that at least one member of that aug
ust body entertains the idea. that no one
employed by the city has any political
rights; that as soon as one takes contract
| from the city, if it be merely to furnish
few feet of lumber, or even to build city
hall, he must vote and act as the ring di-
reefs.
| Meeting the architect on the street not
long ago, one member of the council took
occasion to upbraid him for his action as
against the interests of the Liberal gang,
saying that if he (the councilor) had his
own way, the architect should never have
drawn a dollar of city money, adding: ''As
you are working for US, you should vote
with u.s.
mot by blanked sight," came the reply
that nearly paralyZed the naughty solOn,
land let me tell you that. had l my way,
you would never have had an office within
1000 miles of Salt Lake CITY,"
I, This is but one of the instances going to
to show the strained political feelings be-
tween the architect and the council, and we
say to this may very likely be attli-
buted the slow. progress of this
much-needed building. The county
has been the most active in the matter; it
is the city officials who have been dilly del
lying, shilly-shallyiDg, with the idea, doubt
less, of wearing out the patience of the b.
jectionable architect and causing his resi-
nation.
1t was a theme of common talk during TT e
campaign preceding the municipal election in
February last that if the Liberals were SUE
cessful the building would never be erected
on First South street.
There were many who believed It..
The new city council came in, however.
ond took hold of the matter with apparently
considerable vlgor.
But about the first official act Of the
mayor was to order work on the excavation
stopped-something he had no right to do
as it was a matter in which the city and
county were jointly interested and in
which his honor had no more authority than
one of the selectmen. However, the orders
were obeyed, and this occasioned delay Il
some days. at the least
Then wise member of the city council
INDUCED in little more filibustering by
moving that the plans, which had been &C
copied by the council, be referred TO an
architect with instructions to report if the
building could be erected for The sum
which the council had desired to expend
The report was, evidently, a satisfactory
one, as the bond of the architect was given
and approved. Then bids for the founda
ton were advertised for and accepted, the
work was done and several thousand dol
, lars paid out. Now. once more, everything
J is at standstill and the reason therefore
no man knoweth, or if he does, nc will no
tell.
The public however. unless some eXpla
nation shall be made, will be inclined tt
believe that there is niger in the wood
pile-and that he is OF the alleged Liberia
persuasion.
, 1t may be that the people who do not lik
! the present architect are awaiting the ad
vent of the Liberal member of the count
court, in order to help them out of thei
! dilemma.
Whatever the reason for the delay, it j
without excuse, and the public demand
| that the work should go ahead ana tn
, building be rushed to completion as soon a
possible.
The latest kink is said to be the submit
1 ting of the plans to another architect wit
z instructions to report whether or not the
are practical"
6 In consideration of the fact that tn
architect is under b0nds-with ample sc
: curity-ttat the plans are practical, thi
S would seem merely to be another filibustel
y ing scheme, with delay merely as It's object
The fact shat several of the members o
l the council do not like the politics OF tn
l architect is no good reason, or any reason
why the work should be delayed.
Christy's London Derby hats in all CO
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