The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-12

himself in the room the board decided to
adjourn to meet In the private of1lcc OF
the County Assessor The Tribune rep
rescntative decided 10 adjourn to that
room also.
Wanted Secret Session.
Clerk Eldredge then asked the board II
it intended having The Tribune repre-
sentative I'm the room. and after con
siderlne the matter they decided that
they would let him remain on condition
that the representatives Of all other
papers were present. so a messenger was
dispatched TO bring in the other report
ers, They arrived and the board then
astoundcd the reporters by asking the
representative bond buyers what further
concessions they had to ofter This, af-
ter the bids had been received In open
market and the bidders who had sent in
their bids by mail and had no representa-
.ives present standing not 8 ghost of a
show.
What Bidders Said.
Tho first one to respond was nIr. Wat
sun. representing Mason. Lewis co.
Mr.. Watson stated that his firm would
psy off the old bonds. pay all expenses
OF the issue and accept }4i OF the new
bOnuS. Mnen ne nAO InlSn'u lb
TO Mr.. Chapman, representing n w.
Harris &c Co. and asked HIM what propo-
sition he had to offer. Mr.. Chapman said
that his firm would pay off the old bonds,
pay all expenses Of the Issue and accept
S4S now bonds. Mr.. Reynolds. represent
Ing F. H. Rollins & Sons, then stated
that his firm would pay off the old bonds.
pay all expenses OF the Issue ana accept
S42 OF the new bonds.
Junket for Commissioners.
Mr.. Reynolds afterward made a further
concession. which was that his firm would
also pay the expenses OF two OF the Com
missioners to visit Chicago to be present
when the bonds are transferred He did
not specify whether he meant TO nave
Commissioners Wilson and Mackey take
this trip, or whether Mr. Miller is to
have another trip this season.
Possibly In the Deal.
Without waiting for any indication on
the part of the board as to what the ac-
ton would be. the representative of Ma
son, Lewis 6 Co. said ''Well. gentlemen,
l acknowledge myself beaten by Rollins
e. Sons, and you may return TO mo my
certified check" Mr. Watson did not
seem to be the least bit disappointed by
the fact that he was being beaten by
competitor. and his face oorc an entirely
different expression from what 1t had In
the morning when he thought that tho
Society for Savings OF Cleveland would
be the successful bidders.
Tribune Did Not Retire.
AT this time and before. any action had
been taken, the board decided TO 10 into
executive session, and asked that every
cne retire from the room All started TO
go but the representative of The Tribune
who objected on the ground that the
board had no right to go into executive
session when 1t was transacting public
business. Tne Tribune representative was
backed up In his contention by the Her
aid representatives. At first the members
OF the board ;ried the art of gentle per-
suasion to get the Objectionable reporters
to leave. but this did not avail, the news
paper men believing that they were right
In the matter, and that as important II
matter as losing or saving several thou
sand dollars to the county would be a
matter that the public is entitled to know
the why's and whereforcs Of
Newspapers Finally Excluded.
At last Commissioner Miller, growing
white in the face, exclaimed: We'll. IL
you fellows won't get out, then the board
VIII. ana we will transact our business
Ghe public's business) in the hail, We
viii not 90 a bit further while you stay
here" Thus were the men. supposed TO
inform the taxpayers OF the methods used
In transacting their business, excluded
from the room, and none but the mem
bers of the board and the clerk are aware
of what transpired behind the closed
doors
Steal All Fixed Up.
After the board had transacted its pti-
Nate business the members emerged and
very gracIously announced that at
o'clock the board would reconvene and
award the bid for the bonds. Al o clock
the board came together again, went
through the formality of voting on the
proposition. and awarded the bonds 10
e. H Rollins & Sons on their bid OF ac-
cepting the entire issue at Az per cent
with a premium to the county Of $500
The deal was thus closed. after giving the
companies who had representatives on the
ground the opportunity to offer addition