The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-14
THE METALS.
II GRAB.

AS expected, the American" party
jammed the $4,000 Kelsey-Moran con-
duit grab through the council, after a
caucus IN which the four minority
members Of the party submitted 10 the
five majority members backed by the,
mayor, by Moran and by Kelsey. Prac-
tically no defense of the Job was Of
fered in the open council, so the con-
trolling party stands as sponsor for a
grab unparalleled in Salt Lakes history
for its constituencies ~effrontery and
disregard of the taxpayers interests.
In its analysis, the grab is important,
not only for the amount Of the donation
to Contractor Moran, but for it's prom
ise Of similar grabs TO come. BY at
tending the caucus and submitting to
its dictates. the minority Americans"
have turned over the government of
the city to five members of the city
council. In view Of the practically I'M
limited power this gives them, it is in
teresting TO note the names and
records Of these five a~utocrats of Salt
Lake City and the American party.
The dominating men in this group of
FIVE are T. r, Black, A. J. Davis and
Martin Mulvey. Crabtree and Martin
have Joined with them under some sort
of agreement which placates them so
they may be depended upon to obey
Black, Davis and Mulvey. It is hardly
necessary TO point out the records If
these three dominant rulers of the city.
Black and Davis were both elected
originally as Republicans Davis held
over and deserted his party allegiance
To be elected president of the council.
Black Topped in time to secure a NOM
ination on the reform ticket, and has
had his reward in the craftsmanship Of
the committee which has given him
Jobs for his pets and influence for other
Jobs" Mulvey was originally a Dem
ocrat, and deserted when he found a
Democratic mayor would not give him
control of the gambling business The
three together make an admirable trio
to control the revenue and general ad-
ministration OF a big city. They fit in
exactly with the kind OF subordinates
the mayor has named 70 manage the
departments and may be counted on to
make the decent people and taxpayers
tired of the whole reform" business
at $4,000 per reform.
Having successfully manipulated this
raid on the water fund, there is no
doubt but that the same combination
has prepared to add another grab TO
the conduit settlement when it pro-
crosses. The little matter Of $1,000 OF
~therabouts viii be added 10 the bill for
concrete forms" 10 be used in MAX
ing the conduit walls thicker. Nj. Mo-
for the city which did not carry heavy
bills for extras. Most OF these bills
have been contested, but all of them
have been swallowed by eompIaeent
councils under the spell Of the con-
tractor When he was formerly city
engineer. Mr.. Kelsey was one Of Mo
rams most docile followers In the MAJ
ter of allowance for extras so no
trouble need be anticipated by the con-
tractor in getting allowances in the
future.
It is a certainty the contractor viii
get everything he asks from the com
bination now at his command; 1t will
pay the taxpayers to watch progress
and see just how much h outfit will
have the courage to separate from the
city treasury for Moran's benefit. With
$4,000 as an initial donation he could
afford to be modest in his future de-
mands, but no one who knows him
supposes for a moment hat he will
allow a little thing like that TO abate
his appetite for more,