Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-07
SEXTON SIMMONS
AND COUNCIL.
Cannot Understand Why So Much
Is Made Of a Little Matter.
NO TRUTH IN TIE REPORTS.
city Sexton Makes u statement 10 -
"Ncws" Reporter Claim. Ccnic-
tcry II scif-.u.tnining.

Since the Council ordered an investi-
cation Of the city sections afiaira much
speculation hrs been INDUCED In and
many Inquiries have been made M 20
whether there was really any necessity
for such action.
For the purpose Of getting n state
mcnt from the Sexton News" re-
porter visited Sir. simmons last night
AZ nrnt the sexton declined to give any
Information beyond stating that there
was absolutely nothing to the reports
that had been circulated. Finally. ar
ter being assured that the News" on
~ wanted 20 present the facts In the
case to It's readers. the sexton con.
scented to an Interview.
FUSS OVER NOTHING"
Mr.. simmons said he could not under
stand 'whS a dignincd body like the
city Council should make 20 much fuss
over such u ttining matter"
1T Is true" he naid. II did present
n bill against Salt Lake city and this
20 what caused the trouble. During
,nc year 1891 ! paid out money. out u
Na NNh lN'htts ioi huHuty afttl"A
used ana required In my office az well
AZ To parties employed IN the cemetery.
! was In need " a typcwfiting ma
chine and bought one. l am compelled
To 10 To the city and county building
from four to six times month with
pay rolls To the city treasurer and To-
have my books audited. charged the
city with ear fare. Besides compcn-
antod nine boys who worked hard In
putting out brush iirr IN the GENE
~ last summer and thus helped to
save and protect Thousands OF dollars
worth u property to the city.
CEMETERY SELF SUSTAINING.
rs It crime FOR a person TO present
n billf'' asked the sexton with some
warmth. Certain members OF the
Council say the bill was Irregular aud
should not be- paid. because II contained
itcmH dating back several months. ~
a matter OF fact / did not care to sub
NIT my bill until I knew how the dc.
partmcnt was coming out and this |
was unable to md out until week
or 10 nso. The cemetery department
IN not only felf-suHtaining now but has
money 20 It's credit IN the city treas
uhy. Were my bill allowed not one
dollar or the money would come out of
the taxpayers pockets but out of the
cemetery funds, for az ! said before,
the money ~ there. sent Ia the bill
believing | was entitled 10 the money
] had paid out nnd that the city ought
90 have ana own the things l had par
chased. I never dreamed that the pre-
scntation OF a properly ana fully item
izod account was going To- cause such
commotlon In III. Council and Ia the
community until ! saw some persons
seemed 10 be going Into Mysteries over
IL.
4 LARGE INFANT.
AS TO employing lnfantilc members
OF my family. the only one Of this de-
ncription ! have had ON the pay roll
stands fully six feet high. weighs about
49, pounds. N "a native of Salt Lake
city and what's more IN "a voter, IL N
not true that the chairman OF tho
crinotcfy committee has had occasion
90 frequently rcprimnnd me- Tor cX-
ccedinE the limit OF Official prOprictlcH
have consulted the chairman ON
nearly everything that has been done
IN tho department. II II true never
consulted him as to what men
should employ or discharge. believing
that To be part OF my duties. The
chairman thought | should let my son
out. but then I thought otherwise.
have tried IN be- uniformly accommo-
dating 10 an tho members OF tho city
Council. ana have No lofH than thir-
teen letters ~ recommendation from
eight different members. besides verbal
requests from other members asking
me 10 nut men To- work ON the Gene
terry, which I have done, until one per-
son at Que time handed me no less than
-four letters from uH many different
councilman requesting me TO put him
Co work. then couldn't keep up with
the pEucrasiunf hssldeH nt the time
re- WAS no place 10 put him. have
never hnd but tiiu one son ON the crino-
terry pay roll. OF any other pay roll. at
aiN Time.
II am not sexton OF Mt. Calvary ana
Hebrew cemeteries, or either one OF
them. ana never have boon. Mr. Her
man Hamburger, the chairman Of the
committee aud warden Of the lie
brew" ar Jewish" cemetery engaged
mo TO lind some one to care Tor the
place tho last season. ana mon 10 work
there whom necessary. ana this / have
done, but I hnyo not devoted any OF
the clty'a time IN doing II. Noithor-
hive | been on iiahing or duck hunt
Ing or absent from the office "A day. exc
cent that ! have been TO the Lake re-
sorts a time or two, aud then not To
the detrlment Of the office, hut have
put In for the city from fourteen 10
sixteen hours out 81 the twenty-four
each day during tho months We were
sending out from ak 60 eight hundred
tax notices ana collecting for care OF
cemetery lots.
HE NEVER sWORE,
81 have never said that ! dld not
care a d for the city Council. have
never used any such language To- any
person, body, or thing nj any time.
COMPARISONS MADE,
'Under my 'unbusineHs- methods
and management the cemetery depart
ment Inns been made more than self
sustaining this year, as against a.
$685. cost 10 the city last year. In OK
cess Of receipts. My accounts have
been audited up 30 tile close Of the year
and certified Co nH being correct. and
'fiance Ia a fraction with the audi
tors books"