The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-20

From beginning to end last nights
council meeting was as lively as a min
strel show and a three-ringed circus,
both going at the same time and under
the same canvas. Buckle and Robert
son were the star performers. and they
established a record for epithets and
abuse of their fellow members that will
not be rubbed out for many day.
Robertson didn't find any new epithetS
last night, but he used the old ones
with the profuSeness of a rapid-fire mud
battery Such endearing terms as
"scoundrel." dirty cur "falsifier,"
coward" and like expressions flowed
from the lips of both Robertson and
Buckle in lieu of answer to the argu-
ments presented by the Democratic ma
jority on the Kelsey question.
The upshot of the business was the
adoption of the minority report, which
.censures Mr.. Kelsey for making false
and misleading reports to the council in
been dragging along for so many
weary months. The session of the coun-
ell lasted more than four hours. and
most of the. time was devoted to the
city engineers department.
The main debate came when PreSi-
dent Barnes, who had called Siddoway
to the chair, called up the minority re-
port, which was substituted for the
majority and laid over at meeting
held two weeks ago. In this connec-
ton Mr. Kelseys letter to the council,
in which he denied any inaccuracies in
his report, was read. The letter wound
up with certificates signed by two ex-
pert bookkeepers to the effect that Mr..
Kelsey's accounts were correct.
Employed Without Authority.
Fernstrom Immediately wanted to
know by whose authority the experts
had been hired. Wallace replied that
the finance committee had authorized
it, and this, too, in spite of the fact
that the council had explicitly forbid
den any such action. Barnes stated
that he was a member of that commit
tee, and as such he knew nothing what
ever about the employment of the ex-
perts.
Wallace tried to defend the action of
the committee, and asserted that
Barnes had signed the pay roll contain
ing the names of the experts. This was
holly denied by Barnes, who showed
the pay roll. 1t did not contain either
his name or the name of Wallace. Then
Wallace insisted that he meant an
other pay roll, and Barnes asserted
that he had been misinformed by Wal
lace or ne never would have signed it.
Buckle now came to the rescue of the
committee. He made long talk, to
which nobody listened. Incidentally he
grew so warm that he refused to an
swer any questions.
Fernstrom was the next speaker He
stated that he did not believe there
was a straight hair on the engineers
head.
Robertson On Rampage
This brought Robertson to his feet
81 want to say" he shouted. that
man who will make such a statement
as that about another man who is not
present to defend himself is a common
cur"
Fernstrom paid no more attention to
h. ,1..-ol. 1l.>-aI IL lie mad been buzz
zing insect. The engineers depart
ment is the rottenest any city ever
had" he continued. AS far as 1 am
l will not be satisfied until
removal. He should have been turned
out six months ago. He is dishon-
est
Here Diehl broke in. with his whis- |
kers trembling and his arm swinging
like a piston rod. II can't stand this
any longer" he roared. "a man who
will make such charges as. that is, in
my opinion, a coward
Buckles Contribution.
Again Fernstrom permitted the in
to go without notice He
had gotten as far as MIR. Kelsey is |
cue from his fellow Hannaites, Clipped |
in with:
All want to say is this: 1 object to |
sitting here and listening to the va
porings of a semi-idiot."
Fernstroms only reply was: 81 have |
been attacked continually but / am (
making and have made no attack on
any member of this council. am at |
lacking the city engineer. He is a city |
employee and have a right to attack |
MIN. have figures here which prove t
that although his allowance has been |
only $500 per year he has in the last |
year spent something close to s17,7OO |
[ don't believe he has been honest"
Diehl talked next but confined his |
to the mere statement that !
none of Fernstrom's statements was !
rue.
Howe's Strong Argument.
Howe made strong argument for
he Democratic side. He carefully re-
trained from personalities. Instead, |
ne gave lucid review of the situa-
ion from the beginning of the investi- |
cation until the present time. The |
speaker pointed out Mr.. Kelsey's fire. |
luent and high handed methods of |
gnoring the council and the commit
ICES and while he did not charge the |
engineer with actual dishonesty, he as
serted that he had made false and |
statements and quoted |
igures furnished by the engineer him
self to support his position.
Patrick also made an excellent argu-
nent He told of a visit he had paid
o the engineer and on that occasion
lie asked the official why he had not |
,iven the investigating committee the |
desired. He said Mr.. |
xelsey's reply was: Il haven't given
t to them and won't give it to them
because they are opposed to me politi-
ally"
Robertson made the closing talk for
he Keiseyites. He attempted no argu-
nent Among other things. though he
aid: II have no doubt that the
minority report will be adopted and it
S a fitting climax to an administration
hat has been disgrace to the city. |
This body has done nothing but bieker I
md fight ever since it came into Of
Ice"
Kelsey Censured.
When the question of adopting the
minority report came to a vote it was
.arried as follows: Ayes, Allen, Fern
trom, Howe, Margetts. Patrick, Siddo-
way, Weller and Barnes; noes. Buckle. !
0iehl, Robertson and Wallace. There
we're some explanations during the
roting, the lengthiest being made by |