The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-02-20
THE COUNCILMEN PRESENT.
NO SPECIAL SESSION OF THE BODY
CALLED.
Addresses Made BY Supporters of
Both stanton and Devfne, and the
Situation Was Talked Over Freely
No Action TaIen-Another Meet
ing.

zens, both Acting Mayor Mccormick
and Acting President Young of the
city council refused to convene the
council in extraordinary session .yester-
day afternoon in order that the signers
might be given an opportunity Of ex-
pressing to the members of the coun-
Gil their personal views on the pro-
posed changes in the fire department.
Out of courtesy. however, several
members of the council, including
Messrs Daily, Lynn, Cheeseman,
o. Meara, Morris and Remington at
tended the meeting, which was held
in the council chamber and which, af-
ter those present had exhausted two
hours in frey discussion, adjourned
without action. Devine and his fol-
lowers were out in force and when it
came to q. vote the sympathisers with
the mayors nominee adjourned the
meeting and prevented the naming of
d committee to present a, protest
against the confirmation of Devine.
That protest will be filed, however,
and the fight will be continued at the
meeting of the city council tonight,
when the entire matter will be again
opened. Stantons friends say they
have not given up the ship by any
manner of means
The attendance at the meeting was
not as large as had been confidently
expected, but among those present
were some of this city's most staunch
business men. The insurance agents
were out in force and in direct contra
diction of the statement of the Tribune
of Sunday morning, which was to the
effect that Captain Donnell had stated
that in case of a change in the head
iaf Y-tr7 4 hp
no increase in rates, the captain stat
ed that any change would bring about
an increase, for the reason that the
insurance companies decline to edu-
cate another fire chief
It was $3.50 o'clock when Captain
Donnell called the meeting to order and
stated that the call was issued for the
purpose of securing a. gathering of
citizens, counciln@en and
insurance men in order that the matter
of the proposed changes in the fire de-
partment might be discussed. He saw
present goodly representation of
both business men and insurance
agents but very few members of the
council. Inasmuch as the acting
mayor and acting president of the city
council had refused to call a special
session of the council the captain did
not see the advisa bility of holding a
meeting for general discussion but ad
vocated the naming of a, committee to
wait upon the council and protest
against Stantons removal
Upon the suggestion of Mr.. Coates
Henry w. Lawrence was selected
chairman. In accepting the chair, that
gentleman stated that he was not pre-
pared to give an opinion upon the pro-
posed change, but he was satisfied with
the efficiency of the fire department.
He favored a full investigation of any
charges which might have been made
against either the present chief or his
would-be successor.
Mr.. Rogers was selected as secretary.
Mr.. Smedley did not consider that the
object of the meeting was to protest
against the confirmation of Mr.. Deyine.
Captain Donnell stated that he was
not making a personal fight against
Mr. Devine. 1t would be the same had
any other person been named by the
mayor. What he wanted was to see
the department uninterferred with
]. J. Thomas wanted to know wheth-
err or not the mayor would retain Ma
jor Stanton in the fire department
should the council refuse to confirm
Devine's nomination. His agency had
refused to endorse any other man
than Stanton, but the members did not
wish to be taken as protesting against
Devine
No one seemed able to vouch for the
mayors future actions. Both Mr..
Rogers and Captain Donnell however,
eXhorted those present to place them
which must of necessity impair the
service of the department. Mr.. Coates
lent his voice and influence in Stan
toms cause and protested against a
change.
Wendell Benson had attended the
former meeting and likewise attended
this as business man and an insur-
ance payer, and as such protested
against any change in the head Of the
fire department. He did not desire to
be forced to help pay for the education
of another fire chief when the city al
ready had a. most competent one.
There could be no fault found with
Stanton's record as a fire fighter and
the citizens generally were satisfied
with present conditions in the depart
ment.
r. K Thomas, having supported the
Citizens movement. did not feel that
he could do anything which would in
any manner tie the hands of either.
the mayor or the city council The
nominee of the mayor would meet with
his hearty support.
That is the very thing we are pro-
testing against" said Mr.. Rogers I'VE
want the fire department taken out Of
politics. and demand that Stanton be
retained. An efficient man is espe-
cially needed at this particular time.
when the city is likely to have some
heavy fires" Continuing the gentle
man cited the rules and regulations
governing the fire departments Of all
large cities, where the chiefs are re-
tanned for life. Stanton he said.
has made brilliant record as a
fire fighter. He has had some large
fires and always extinguished them in
remarkably short time and with COM
para lively little damage. The insur-
ance men protest against a change
Mr.. Thomas again obtained the recog-
milton Of the chair and asserted that
as the citizens movement was non
partisan, therefore, the nominations
were not in politics. The gentleman
then branched off and called attention
to the present expenditures being
made by the city for salaries and cited
the annual cost Of the fire depart
ment which he placed at $50, 000 ANY.
man with even a small amount Of in
telligence, could build up and run a
fire department if he was provided
with enough funds. said he.
George e. Blair-Would the cost Of
the department be any less under
Devine2
4 don't know answered Mr.
Thomas, probably ] should not have
preached the subject in this connec-
ton. What I will say. however. is that
shall be satisfied with James Devine
as chief Of the fire department should
he be confirmed, as | would like wise
have been satisfied with Stanton had
the mayor elected to retain him."
Sam Kenyon was an ardent Devine
man and brought politics into the meet
ing with a vengence, with the assertion
that the people had called for
change in every city department and
that change would be made as sure as
the gentlemen present occupied their