Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-09-09
SENSATION IN
THE CITY COUNCIL
Robinson Makes Damaging Charge
OF Irregularities at the City
Cemetery.
SAYS MONEY IS BEING DIVERTED
Complete Investigation will be In.
sugurated - The New City Jail
- Electric Railway Protest.

Councilman Robinson created a sem
sation at the city council meeting last
evening by demanding that the ceme-
terry committee take immediate action
upon his resolution, introduced about
four months ago, demanding an inves-
tlgation of the irregularities which are
said to exist in the management of the
city cemetery. Mr.. Robinson does not
propose to have this matter whitewash-
ed or delayed any longer He stated
that IL the committee did not submit
a report by next Monday evening, he
would submit one himself and air the
Irregularities on the floor Of the coun-
ell.
RoBlNSoN'S CHARGES
The charges preferred against the
officials at the cemetery by certain
citizens to Councilman Robinson, are
that they use the city's time and teams
in sodding lots and pocket the proceeds
Of their labor. Unsodded lots, which
sell for $75 are sodded, he says, by the
employees, upon the citys time and S25
additional is charged for the work.
which sum IL pocketed by the managers
and not turned into the city treasury.
Further than that the officials have
established somewhat Of a monopoly
and have prevented outsiders. who have
been making a living by doing such
work for purchasers OF lots. from So
curing any of the work at all. It was
through this attempt to monopoize OF
the work that the matter was brought
to the attention OF Councilman Robin
son. Mr.. Robinson stated that four
months was long enough for the COM
mittee to investigate the matter and
that he did not propose to walt any
longer. After considerable discussion on
the matter, motion was made and
carried TO instruct the chairman OF the
committee 10 submit n report to the
council on Monday night.
WHAT ABOUT THE JAIL.
Daveler introduced a resolution pro.
viding that the committee on police and
prison report to the council as TO the
time the new city jail will be completed.
1t was stated by the author of the reso-
luton that the work has been negll-
gently delayed, as the company prom
ised that the Jail would be completed
a month ago and II does not seem to be
any nearer completion now than It did
then From all indications the Van
Dom company will have to pay a con-
siderable sum as forfeiture for failure
to complete the job within the contract
time. Daveler's resolution, amended
so as to include the superintendent Of
construction, was adopted.
While the Jail subject was under dis
cussion Black inquired II the committee
had placed the $4,000 insurance on the
building as authorized He was Of the
opinion that building which Is as near
fire proof as that one, should not be In
sured for such q large sum. He was
also OF the opinion that the rate Of In
surance on the building Is too high. The
discussion which ensued, resulted In the
council resembling Its former action, and
placing only $1,000 insurance on the city
iall and applying 5000 on the isolation
hospital. All insurance companies viii
be given an opportunity to bid on the
insurance and the bids will be opened at
| the council meeting next Monday night.
BY this method II is believed that a
much lower rate Of insurance VIII be
| secured.
STILL ANOTHER PROTEST.
Another protest against granting q
| franchise for the new electric line OF
| First West street was received by the
| council and referred to the committee
| on streets and municipal laws. The pro-
| test is signed by President Joseph r
| Smith, by Julianna j.. Smith, l.. l.. Mills
A. f. Doremus, Sister NJ. Alexis, super
Tor of st. Mary's academy, Arthur r.
| Barnes and Mae Williams. 1t follows
| In full:
In the matter OF the petition Of I, p.
Stately, Milando Pratt and f, NJ Ly-
| man, Or, for franchise 70 construct
| an electric railway along First West
| First North and Second West streets,
| in this city, the undersigned beg TO
represent that they are property own.
ers and residents on the above named
streets and with Others see no good
that will accrue to the public through
the construction and operation Of said
road along said streets, while great and
lrreparable damage will result to the
property abutting said streets II the
said road shall be constructed. The
proposed road will also be menace
to the children who attend the several
schools that are situated on the streets