The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-14
Councilman FernStr0m Investigates
the City Engineer.
CLAIMS QUEER DISCOVERY
SAYS OFFICIALS AGENT MADE
WILD PROMISES.
A. S. Geddes, An Employee of the
Engineering Department, Alleged
to Have Made Unwarranted State
ments to Big Cottonwood Far
mers-Resolution introduced.

councilman tIHSiIOln went after
City Engineer Kelsey with an exceed
ingly sharp stick in last nights coun-
; Gil meeting. After a lively lot of mis-
ceiIaneous business had been trans
acted, Fernstrom sent a set of resolu-
tions up to the recorders desk. The
paper was read amid a respectful 81
lence, and when FernstrOm moved its
adoption. Romney promptly seconded
the motion. A lively debate enSued, at
the end of which the resolutions were
referred to the special committee ap-
pointed some time ago to look into the
city engineers accounts.
The Fernstrom Resolutions.
The resolutions follow:
Whereas. In the investigation made bv
the committee appointed to examine into
the engineers Expenditures of the amounts
appropriated for the special water survey
a number of irregularities appeared, and
the accounts of said department were
found to be in a deplorable condition and
the engineer has withheld from said COM
mittee and the city council the actual con-
ditions of affairs: and
Whereas, The engineer in reporting ex-
penditureS on Jan. TO- stated that he had
expended S2S4S.27 to Jan. l. 1893. but after
wards, at the meeting of the committee on
waterworks. admitted having expended
$500 more than that amount to date. while
tne DOCKS or the auditor show an eXpendl-
ture, including January, of $3S95.S9. the
work having been ordered stopped on the,
10th of January, the date of the receipt of
the engineers report, and work was not
resumed until Feb. l. Consequently he
had expended 47.61 more than stated in
said report, and S547.6l mere than admitted
by MIN to the committee: and
Whereas, he has not reported to the au-
dltor his expenditures since March 81, this
year, while work has been constantly go
ing on, and has refused to give the special
committee any figures of such expendi-
lures for the month of May. and
whereas, Contrary To his specific denial
TO the committee, it appears by the writ
ten statements signed by responsible par
ties living i'll Big Cottonwood, that the
city engineer has sent agents out to said
district with written contract. bargaining
with them for exchange of water from a
contemplated canal for water of Big Cot
tonwoOd creek. which statement above re
ferred 10 Is hereto attached and made Il
part hereof. Now therefore be it
Resolved, That the city engineer be and
he is hereby ordered to produce TO this
council at its next regular meeting all
papers, blank contracts and drawings APP
pertaining to the special water inveStiga-
ton and survey, and that no further eX-
Dense be incurred in said matter until
further order of the council. And be it
further
Resolved. That the engineer bring before
the council at said date a complete state
ment showing in detail the expenditures
mentioned in the special committees re-
port, filed June 6. 1899 showing the names
of parties employed, the time put in by
each, and the amount allowed them for
each of said accounts.