The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-03

Chief Pratt exerted his influence or
the members of the police and fire
committee in secret session last even
ing. The plan of Mayor Clark and the
chief, as amended, to 'reorganize" the
police department did not receive the
concurrence of the entire committee
but there are many indications that
/ when the committee awakeS from its
trance it will find that the mayor and
the chief have secured the committee
endorsement of the slate which re-
moves nine efficient officers and installs
an equal number of new men before
even the city council is formally APP
priSed of the proposed action. Chief
Pratt was in attendance to counsel and
! advise the committee and incidentally
to administer the mayors sugar-coat-
ed pellets which will work the desired
conversion.
THE MEN TO GO AND TO COME.
The chief presented a list of re
movableS" and a. slate Of appoint
ments which the mayor, rs well as
himself, wished the committee to
agree to in advance of any formal APP
pOintiVe or councilmanic action. He
recommended the dismissal of Duty
Sergeants Rhodes and Wire, Desk
Sergeant Silas Smith. Detective George
Raleigh and Patrolmen Tom Everill,
Joe Busby. Billy Carey, Horace Heath
and Dick Shannon, all efficient and
popular officers To fill the vacancies
thus to be created the chief, speaking
for himself and the mayor. wanted to
make sure that the appointments con-
templated would be favOrably re-
ported upon by the committee. His
slate would make Joe Barlow and Joe
Burt duty sergeants; Dave Emery,
desk sergeant; Adam Paul, detective.
and Boman Cannon, Jim Williams,
William S. Thorn, Ortherus Pratt and
a name that sounds like Eddington for
patrolmen.
SOME OF THE CHIEFS REASONS.
The chief stated that he had no COM
plant to make of the efficiency ard
worthiness of the nine men, with a
possible exception or two, who must
walk the plank. but the mayor had
deemed it best that the six Republicans
and three Democrats, all nom partiSans,
however, should go on the force in lieu
of those whose affiliations other than
political were not representative of a
large part Of his constituency. While
Chief Pratt did not so state, he might
have added. while reciting his objec-
lions to the nine marked men and the
qualifications of their proposed success
sors, that all but one of the removables
had declined to sign a petition to the
council several months ago for his, the
chiefs reinstatement.
THE COMMITTEE DIVIDED.
Chief Pratt did not do all the talk
ing, not by any means. Councilmen
Fernstrom and Robertson refused TO
endorse the slate unless it underwent
several notifications. Chairman Howe
mildly protested against the proceed
i'm he 10 n
ences had not been ignored, Council
man Aliens approval was almost as
sured. Councilman Buckle seemed to
be agreeable. but before giving up, he
ventured to inquire if one of the three
guards from the state prison could not
be sidetracked to make room for his
friend. Ben Stewart.
ACTION WILL BE DEFERRED.
Seeing that unanimous agreement
was hopeless and the chiefs supply of
the delusively sweet charms having all
most exhausted, it was decided to go
over the slate at another meeting. Ac-
cordingly the mayor Will be notified to
defer for a week the sending to the
council of the appointments to the "a
cancies as named and that he Will Gre
ate in the police department.
..REORGANIZING'' THE FIRE DE-
PARTMENT.
Chief Devine of the fire department
then had a short inning TO explain that
he wished the removal of Firemen
Moreton, Mcqueen, Mcdonald and Vail
to make room for Chase Smith, John
Lawson, George Reed and one other
non-partisan, who could pass the re-
quired examinations This was his idea
of recognizing the fire department.
However, this matter was also held in
allegiance.
TWO OTHER MATTERS CONSID-
Erred.
Before the meeting broke up the COM
mittee agreed to recommend to the
council the confirmation of the mayors
appointment of William II. Folsom to
the office of building Inspector.
While no formal action was taken in
the premises, the committee expressed
itself as favoring the appointment of
a suitable wheelman to act as special
policeman to enforce the bicycle ordi-
nance with respect to unlawful riding.
A CONTEST LIKELY
Nearly all the policemen and firemen
who are slated for removal are inclined
to avail themselves of the benefits
likely to accrue to them in a judicial
proceeding based upon their removal,
in view of the supreme courts decision
in the Pratt mandamus case relative
to tenure of office.