The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-16

not concern US. We conduct our bust
ness based on conditions existing and
l do not come here to offer criticism
What else can you say concerning
the fire department in this city,"
L think ii should be at least ones
third larger than at present. Some of
the outlying districts are unprotected.
At this point Cohn took a hand in
the questioning
How were the losses by fire the last
! three years as compared with the
! three years Previous
Smaller, I think. The fires were
! one-t third less numerous during the
last three years than the three pre-
viOus years."
! MAYOR GLENDINNING.
This concluded Captain Donnells
testimony and Mayor Glendinning was
called in from Chief PaulS private Of
fee. He took the stand and related
how he came to the fire a few min
uteS after the department. He went
into the store and looked up the ele-
vator shaft to where the biggest blaze
was raging, between the second and
third floors 1t was fully ten minutes
from the time he arrived until the
water was turned on and brought to
play on the elevator shaft. About ten
minutes after this again the depart
ment brought another hose over JOS
lin & Parks building. Otherwise he
saw no attempt to put out the fire on
the south side.
The mayor then gave ii as his opin-
ion that the fire originated between
the first and second floors in the ele-
vator shaft, and that had the depart
ment at once gone into the third story
and closed the iron doors between the
Scott and the Auerbach buildings, the
fire would never have spread into the
latter
VERY POORLY MANAGED.
Did you take notice of how that
fire was managed?" asked Dininny.
I did
How was it managed?''
I think it was managed very
poorly"
no effort on behalf of the department
to fight the fire from the front of the
building until he asked Jack May to
shoot the window panes out, and then
ordered the chief to bring some of
his apparatus to the front.
HAD NO IDEA OF TIME.
Alfred Earl, engineer in charge of
the heating plant at the rear of the
Auerbach building. was next calleu.
His testimony, however. was not of
any Importance, for the reason that
he had no idea of time. He said that
before the department arrived he went
up the fire escape in the GEAR TO rescue
the woman on the roof, but the smoke
and flames from the third and fourth
stories compelled him to desist in the
attempt.
GREAT BIG Il"
William Pitman, a young man with
black, curly hair, parted in the middle,
and an excellent opinion of himself,
was the next to occupy the witness
box, and for the succeeding Is minutes
kept everybody in good humor. Pit
man detailed how he reached the fire;
how r. brought the ladder from the
truck, and how ~ really ought to
have had the credit for saving that
Woman. r. then cut the ropes, car
ried a hose up to the third story and
stood at the nozzle when no fireman
dared venture near that vicinity
The members did start in to ques-
ton Pitman, but were so amused at
his tale of gallant service that they
allowed him to go on until he men
toned Captain Workmans name.
Did you see Captain Workman that
night"
Il did,
What was his condition."
He seemed very excited"
What was the cause of his excite
ment?'
L don't know"
COINS object in asking these ques-
tions was to learn whether CAPTAIN
Workman's alleged intoxicated con-
dltion that night was noticed by Others
CAPTAIN BYWATER.
Captain BywAter of station No. was
next called. He related what he did at
the fire, all of his testimony being
given in a STRAIGHTFORWARD manner. He
stated positively water was brought TO
play on the building five minutes after
the department arrived on the scene
and at that time the blaze already ex-
tended through the tin roofing on top
of the Auerbach building, so that clos
ing the iron doors between the two
buildings would have been of no avail. |
WILL RESUME TONIGHT.
At this point the board adjourned for
one week, although their members will
sit as an investigation committee to- !
night when Assistant Chief Donovan. /!
Captains Sullivan, Workman, Nc +
Carthy, Firemen Mowers Barlow and I
Moreton will be among the witnesses.
wORKMANS PUNISHMENT.
Prior to the investigation the Captain
Workman case was discussed. Work /
man was fined so by the chief and SEN
fenced as a further punishment to be |
allowed no days off during the next |
three months, for being drunk at the
Scott-Auerbach fire.
Dininny said that if what he had |
heard was true. Captain Workman's |
case deserved some other consider |
alton than a fine. If the rumors were ,
true he should certainly be dismissed i
from the department.
1t was then decided to investigate the |
case at some future time. Cohn at |
this point took occasion to call atten- |
ton TO the statement in the Argus 10 |
the effect that Chief Devine had |
charged four of his men with being
drunk. This was an error and should |
be corrected, in justice to the members |
of the department.
SERGEANTS BURBIDGE AND
RHODES.
Patrolmen Burbidge and Rhodes are
now full-fiedged sergeants. This was
TO the board by Chief
Paul. in the following letter:
Gentlemen have appointed Pa
trolmen Matthew Rhodes and John Bur-
bidge sergeants, to fill vacancies in the
force, TO take effect this date, and most
respectfully ask their confirmation"
The usual rule of laying such mat
tiers over for one week was dispensed
with, and both appointments were
confirmed.
CAUSED A SENSATION.