Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-02
Chief Vail Gives Veteran Fire.
Fighter Fifty Minutes in
Which to Quit.
EVEN WROTE RESIGNATION.
Decapitated Official Expressed
Himself Adversely to Party
Methods and Fell.
Assistant Chief Workman Also Slated
For the BlOck--Byron Crosby u
Probable Successor.

TO be, and yet not to be. Paradox
ical though 1t appears, 1t Is the posi-
ton OF certain heads" of departments
under the present administration. TO
be chief may be an honor, but it Is
an empty one when the chief does that
which he is ordered to do, whether 1t
suits him or not This condition Of
affairs is said to obtain with reference
particularly to two departments the
leading ones In municipal government,
and they are the police and fire depart
ments.
In confederation Of the assertion, per-
SONS who supported the present adj
ministration point with disgust to the
removals, appointments and changes
made with or without the good will Of
the men occupying presiding positions.
ASKED TO GET OUT.
Here is case that will surprise many
citizens of Salt Lake, citizens who
worked and voted for the American
ticket:
Captain Michael w. Earl Of station
No. /, Salt Lake fire department, is
captain no longer, Wednesday morn
ing or to be more exact at 1910
o'clock OF that day, he was asked to
go up TO Chief Wallis office. II is said
that the chief was somewhat agitated
The following colloquy is reported to
have taken place:
Vail-Cap, ali, can, can you sign
this?
Captain Earl took the paper handed
to him and found that 1t was his own
resignation, to take effect at o'clock
OF the same day.
Earl-Why, sure ! can sign that.
And he did sign It.
Earl-Whats the reason for this,
chlef--politics?
Vail--No
Earl-Have ! failed TO do my duty?
Vail-No, Mike, you are one of the
best fremen in the department.
Earl-Then, what's this for?
Nall-"For the good of the service"
Earl--Oh, ell right. Good luck to
you,
WANTED TO STAY TILL SUNDAY.
The old hackneyed phrase, For the
good Of the service" Captain Earl
intended to resign ON Monday next.
lie wanted TO stay until Sunday noon,
because at that hour he would have
been In the department Just twelve
years, and seven years and half as
an officer. Twelve years faithful SER
vice under three chiefs. From the
ranks he worked his way up to the
position of secretary. After w. H.
Bywater's appointment Earl was given
his old position as captain of the chem
teal, Chief Bywater stated that Earl
was one of the most efficient officers In
that position that the department ever
had, H was fearless In the perform
ance Of his duty and used good iudg-
ment IN the same Former Chief De-
vine has repeatedly declared that no
man In the department was superior
to Earl as a fire fighter
FIFTY MINUTES TO QUIT.
But he has been forced to resign "for
the good of the service" He was given
nifty minutes' notice!
1t is claimed IN defense of Vail that
he had no choice. A place had to be
made for somebody, and Earl was sac
rinced The strange part of Il Is that
Earl was In sympathy with the new
political party. and was not at all back
ward In saying so. He worked for
the party in the hope that his old chief,
James Devine, would get the appoint
ment. Like many others who were
supporters of the party, he became dis
gusted, lie was not at all backward
IN voicing his sentiments, and perhaps
this Is the cause Of his forced resigna-
ton,
WORKMAN ALSO SLATED.
It is said, and by one who claims to
have received inside information, that
,hAs of th.. do - ma
one who has been in the service long
err than any two together is to be
placed on the block for official decapi-
tatlon. II Is claimed that Assistant
chief W. G.. Workman. a man who has
been In the service for 30 years, Is to
go to make room for an American
party worker. The name mentioned In
The capacity of successor Is Byron
Crosby. Whether this Is done or not.
the belief prevails that this change and
others will be made in the not distant
future.
AXE DOES THE REST
With reference to the police depart
ment removals. It Is well known that
certain officers were removed much
against the will OF Chief Sheets. At
least he has himself stated that he did
not want TO see the men go. but he had
no choice in the matter He was sim
ply told to send In their names and the
axe would do the rest. Not long since
man who has been a friend to Sheets
Tor years was removed, and Sheets
didn't want him to so.
AN oFFICIous COMMITTEEMAN.
member of the police committee OF
the council walked out to the patrol
barn, Something about the horses and
wagon did not suit him. He entered
the chiefs Office and asked who the
patrol driver was. A day or two later
the driver was removed and one of the
faithful was given his place. II re-
CURES no stretch OF Imagination In
these departments to believe that
there are heads OF departments who
are heads In name only when II comes
10 the selection OF subordinates.
DEFEAT OF DEvINE.
II is now declared by persons who
claimed to be familiar with American
party Inner circle" affairs that the
reason why James Devine did not get
the appointment OF chief OF the fire de-
partment Is known. IL has been posi-
lively asserted that he fatty and most
emnhatically expressed himself to the