The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-03
JOHN sTUBRs' VERSION.
Editor Herald:


Sir-I see in this mornings issue
that the committee on waterworks
have reported upon my case and al
tered the whole phase of the question.
This undoubtedly has been done in
| self-juStification. Those CHARGES
against me, as stated by Superintend-
ent Wallace, are false and malicious,
and it is to their discredit that they
gave me no opportunity to defend my
self before their report was submitted
to the council. As to the charge of
"disregarding orders and drunken
ness" l repudiate them as false and
injurious subterfuges.
Perhaps a little further explanation
is needed. l had not been at work
above two or three days before 1 saw
that the foreman, Springall. was lit
tie prejudiced against me, and l could
also see from whence it emanate1 On
the evening of the 18th u party about
to be married passed by our boarding
house and they would treat the whole
crowd. Not one of the crowd got
drunk, and I think could not on about
two glasses of whisky. They were
only jolly. and the rest, as well as my
self. only "joshed' the McKinleyite.
The foreman distinctly told me 1
was paid off on account of that
'.joshing." and 1 demanded to know
TO the charge of throwing dirt to the
injury of a fellow workman, because
Gisliked him, is a deliberate falsehood
The foreman placed me at a lor-
range pitch which required force to
pitch it in its place, and only one
shovelful missed its mark, and for
which 1 apologized to the man, though
it did not strike him-a man whom
never had a wrong word with. All
this can prove by about a dozen wit
nesses, i. e.. if they are not afraid of
not being employed again.
But, now to the political phase of
this question:: Mr.. Wallace, the super
intendent, sayso''no man is asked what
his politics are" We know that, but
there are wheels within wheels. and a
Mckinley wheel appears to revOlve in
that department.
Mr.. Wallace is a red hot McKinleyite,
and just previous to the election I dis
covered that nearly all the old hands,
and those who got regular work in that
department were supporters of Nc
Kinley.
When working for that department
on Second South street. previous to the
paving of that street, 1 '.joshed" sew
eral of them, and 1 was the first to be
paid off.
This looks ominous. Again, 1 have
been spoken to by a dozen or two of
workingmen, who were old residents
ard taxpayers, who had applied for
work frequently at that Office, but
could get none. This caused them to
think that politics had to do with it.
and some of them requested me to
bring the matter I'D.
Another little incident occurred just
on the eve of the city election in 1895.
Some water pipes We're being low
cred up east near Brigham street. Mr.
]. Burt was the foreman. Politics, of
course, was not a qualification for
work but all the same they were eX-
pected to vote for GlendiDning. and the
foreman gave us to understand that
we would all go down to vote together.
did not believe in being led to polling
booths like a sheep TO the slaughter. so
did not appear at work that day.
When l appeared the next day l was
the first to be laid off.
Politics not in it, No, of course rot,
Now. this McKinleyite, Thompson, was
only about two months in Salt Lake
before the election. and yet he gets a
job on the waterworks, to the injury
and detriment of old residents and
others who did not know how to pay
their taxes and interest on mortgage
JOHN STUBBS.
Dec. 2. 1896