The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-01-04
A CITY HALL EXPLOSION.
His Honor's Compliments to the
President of the Council.
IMPROPER ACTS CHARGED.
LoofbourOw an Attorney for People
Who Want Franchises.
In Two Messages of Great Length Mayor
Baskin Charges that the City's In
terests Have been Sacrificed
to Loofbourow's Clients.


be brewing between his honor the mayor
and certain members of the city council
burst forth with tremendous fury last
night. 1t is matter of common noto-
riety that the relations between the
mayor and council have been in an erup-
tive state during almost the entire admin
istration. Neither side has made any
especial effort to conceal its contempt for
the other, and the council has never
missed an opportunity to snub or annoy
his honor.
The mayor has been biding his time.
All things come to him who waits, and the
mayors opportunity came last evening,
when he threw the following bomb-shell
into the camp of the enemy:
LooFBoURow ROASTED.
SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 2, 1893.
To the Honorable President and City Council;
GENrLEMRN-The crematory contract con-
tanned q stipulation that the company which
erected the crematory should give bond con-
ditioned that in case OF breach OF the guar
antee set out in the contract, the company
should repay to the city the cost of the furnace
with interest. The bond which the city council
first approved omitted the interest clause. In
answer to my objection to the bond on account
of this omission the agent of the company, in
The presence of Councilman Bell, insisted that
the bond approved by the council conformed to
the contract, and that he had been SO advised
by his attorney in the matter; whereupon l
asked him who his attorney was and he said
that he had employed Judge Loofbourow in the
matter.
am informed that the president of the coun-
Gil was also the attorney of Mount & Griffin in
the matter OF the sprinkling contract; also OF
some of the parties interested in the purchase
Of the gas stock; also the attorney OF Rhodes
Bros. in the matter of the purchase OF the pipe,
e contract for which I have this day dlsap-
proved, partly on that account.
have been informed that member OF the
city council, (Mr. Hardy) asserted in open
council that the president was being EN- ployed
in such matters and that he made no denial OF
the fact, but, on the contrary asserted his right
to be so employed.
An attorney is merely an agent OF his client.
It therefore follows that il the president of the
council can legitmately be employed as attor-
new by persons contracting with, or seeking
franchises, licenses or other privileges from the
city, each and every member OF the COUNCIL and
the mayor may also be employed as agents IN
such matters. If the mayor or counclimen
should habitually permit themselves TO be so
employed what spectacle would be presented
and what q menace such custom would be to
the honest and Impartial government Of the
city.
Each member of the council is an agent of
the city, bound by q solemn oath faithfully to
discharge his duties as such, these preclude
ullI lIOn doSuu1luR duy OluGI lCldblOu lACpu-
sistent with the duty he owes to the city. He
cannot rightfnliy represent or act for any per-
son dealing with or seeking privileges from the
city; nor has any such person the right TO en-
ploy any agent Of the city to act for him in such
matters To do so, especially II the employ
ment be made coVeFtly, would c institute a
fraud SO gross in its character and so contrary
to public policy, as to render any contract
franchise OF license in the obtaining OF which
such agency in any way figured, Voidable, ii not
ab initio void.
a.,
OF this matter be instituted by the city council
and in all cases, if any shall be made TO app or,
ia which contracts, franchises, licenses or other
privileges of a pecuniary bench has been OBJ
tanned by persons who nave employed any agent
Of the city in the matter, that such franchises.
licenses and privileges be revoked, and that
all contracts which remain uneXecuted be
rescinded and further payments on the same be
stopped and that such other steps by token by
the council as IL may deem proper in the
premises Respectfully submitted.
r. n. BAsKIN, Mayor
LooFBoURow vAcATEs THE CHAIR.
AS soon as the communication was
read President LoofbouroW called Mr.
Mainland to the chair.
Rich moved that a committee be ap-
pointed to thoroughly investigate the
charges, and this seemed to meet with
general approval.
Pres dent Loofbourow then took the
investigation possible. He was not par
ticular who was appointed, but thought
that the committee should comprise five
membe and investigate the matter and
report to the council.
Horn favored laying the communica-
ton on the table indefinitely.
Rich also favored such an action, but
thought that it might not meet with the
approval of President Loofbourow or the
r h6 Of@
better in the end to appoint a committee
and vindicate the president.
Lawson also thought that the commu-
nication should be tabled Indefinitely.
On motion the matter was laid over to
come up under the head of miscellaneous,
and President Loofbourow again assumed
the chair.
When the subject was again brought
up, Mr.. LoofbouroW took the floor ana
made a few remarks as follows:
NOTHING BUT SOUND.
sThis document is somewhat high
sounding, but if an investigation is made
il will be found that there is nothing but
sound in it. have no advice as to the
sources OF the mayors information fur
than appears on the face of the document,
but an Investigation into the facts will
show that he is entirely mistaken upon
each of the matters set forth. That will
suffice for the present, but at some future
time may say something further. -
On motion of Rich a committee of five,
consisting of Beardsley, Horn, Rich,
Evans and Wantland, was appointed to
Investigate the matter.
At the close of the session of the city
council Judge Loofbonrow was seen by a
HERALD representative, but as the
mayors charges had been referred to a
committee for investigation and a general
answer to them had been made. the Judge
did not think it necessary nor proper to
make any further statement at that time.
A SECOND SHOT.