The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-17
While the Latter Hold That Devine
Did the Best That Could Have
Been Done Under the Circum-
stances-Remarkab Reduction
in the Loss by Fires During the
Last Three Years.

the latter as at previous hearings, act
ing the part of examiner OF the wit
nesses.
Very little new was elected. The testi-
mony of occupants of the building and
others not connected with the fire de-
partment went 10 show that the depart
ment was long time i'll getting a stream
on the burning building and that the
lire had not been well or lntelllgenJly
combatted. Five or six firemen were ex-
amined and their testimony was eX-
planatOry of the operations OF the depart
me.t on that night and went to show
that the best had been done that could
be done with the materials ana NUMBER
OF men AZ command OF the chief.
Cohn submitted a statement, made up
from the official records of the depart
ment. showing that the loss by hre DUR
inG the three years ending December,
previous three years although the num-
Der of alarms received was practically
the same.
WITNESSES EXAMINED.
James Johnson, who occupied a room in
2. X Thomas building, was the first
witness. He said that on the night of the
lire he spoke to George Rhodes about
closing the doors between the Scott and
the Auerbach buildings soon after the
lire was discovered. 1t was fully ten
minutes after that before the fire depart
Miss Minnie Powers, who roomed at
No. 402 on the fourth floor of the Scott
Auerbach building, said she thought it
was a little before II o'clock when the
alarm was turned in. She could not
identify any of the firemen.
James Moffat roomed on the fourth
floor of the Inflated building. He dis
covered the fire shortly before II o'clock.
His room was next to the elevator, and
when he saw the smoke he ran to the
back window and afterwards got ont on
the roof and from there viewed the con-
migration.
Gould you tell how the fire was man.
aged?" asked Mr.. Dininny.
I didn't see any management at all"
According to your idea was the fire
well fought?"
1T was not well fought" replied the
witness.
Witness then described how the hose
might have been taken in by the front
door to the seat of the fire which, it was
quite plain was around the elevator
shaft. II was about 20 minutes after the
alarm was turned in before there was
a line Of hose playing on the building. If
the water had been directed to the seat
of the IRE it could have been put out with
comparatively little damage. There was
u thick black smoke which drove witness
cut of his room so quickly that he had
not time 10 get his Overcoat and other
personal effects. If the IRE brigade had
arrived in a reasonable time and put the
stream on the right place, which was
easily discovered, the fire could have
been eXtinguished.
utes after Il when the department got 10
the fire?
Witnoss-It seemed to me so long I
thought they would never come.
At this point il was stated that the re-
mainder OF The witnesses were firemen
ard Mr.. Dininny suggested that while
these men We're being examined il would
be better fer the chief to retire.
Cohn-The testimony is being taken |
down and l can't see that it makes any
difference. 1t will get out any way. The |
chief can read it in the papers.
Noble-I think both sides should be
heard. that the investigation be fair and !
the chief have an opportunity TO put in |
rebutting evidence.
Dininny put his suggestion in the form 1
of motion. which failed OF a second.
Cohn remarked that it was the great |
privilege OF every American TO be con- |
fronted by his accusers.
Dininny-There is nobody accusing any |
body. This is simply investigation 10 |
find out about this fire; anyhow | be- |
lieve the chief is not unrepresented on !
THIS board
A little more talk on this line and the |
proceeded.
FIREMEN TESTIFY.
Thomas ]. Mcdonald. one of the fire.
men from the west side department, said
ne got to the fire about il:20 on the sec
md alarm. The aerial truck was partly |
-aised when he arrived and there was
me line of hose playing on the ground
lOor and the chemical hose was also
urneQ on the EEOuuu IOOI. NlIitSS dc
sisted in taking a line of hose TO the
ourth story by the ROOF of Joslyn &
Parks place; that was the nrst line OF
nose that went into the fourth story and
playing about II: S5. about 10
minutes after witness arrived on the
icene. The alarm was received at the
vest side AT 10:55.
Amos Morton. of the west side depart
nent. got to the fire about 1880 He as
listed in getting line of hose in on /
he ground floor. which was left for a
10. fnnTW.
yet another line on to the fourth floor
With Mcdonald. Saw the chief up on the
adder near the fourth floor window.
Mcdonald and witness re-
nained on the fourth floor fighting the
lanes until between and clock in
he morning. Witness saw the chief
hree times during the fire until > o'clock
n the morning
,APTAIN WOREMfN'S CONDITION.
Eugene Mowers. also of the west side
.la.-m. Witness attached Il hose TO the
ly5rant and the hose was taken to the
ear of the building: the hose wasn't
ong enough and it was % minutes before
nough hose was obtained and water
Witness saw Captain Worlzman and OBJ
erved that there was something the
natter with him. He was staggering and
Violently had drank too much. He was
n no condition to work and witness
ried to get him to leave, but he WOuldn I. |
lie got very abusive He fell down and
Witness picked him up but for some
eason or another he didn't recognize
witness and became more abusive and
rdered him out Of the building as if
e had been a small boy who had no
usiness there. Witness described in de- |
all various lines of hose which were run
1to the building.
Joe Barlow came from the west side in
esDonse TO the first alarm about 1855.
Witness was on the roof most of the
inc; was not inside the building at all.
was ten or - minutes after he arrived
{ the fire before water was got turned
nto it.
he aerial truck, but on the night of the
re had charge of the hose wagon. When s
e reached the fire he burst the door open ,
nd went in with a hose line ard look
to within about ten feet of the elevator.
he chief then sent for MN before the
-ater was turned into it and ordered him
} get some ladders up on the outside. g
-hich he did He then saw the fire was {
| the back part of the building ana pro- 2
eeded 10 train the hose on that part. {
lad not seen the chief up there at all. (,
Captain Sullivan described his work l
urine the evening. mostly around the l
evafor until n part of the roof fell in I
pom him and ended his connection with T
he fire. q
ought about the elevator shaft. where
GU were most of the time, as well as it :
Duld have beenZ /
Witness-Yes ! think it was. o
Mr.. Noble-How long was it before you f
Of a stream on the fire after you ar
ved2
Witness-Ten or Is minutes.
Mr.. Dininny-When you say the fire was
ell fought you have reference to your (
1n immediate vicinity? !
Witnes8-Yes.
Captain Mccarthy said he was off duty o
] the Tight of the fire, but arrived on o