The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-31
BITTER PILL FOR
THE M0RR|S|TES
Minority Members Of Council
Squirm Over Special
Auditors Report.
VAIL OF FERNSTR0M
LOUD AND LONG ONE
Member From the Third At.
tacks Everything and Every
body American.

The report Of Special Auditor ]. w.
Edmunds, who was employed by the
counts of the bond fund, which was
presented at the meeting Of the City
Council Monday night, called forth
howl from the minority. The Demo
cratic members of the Council walled
and CRASHED their teeth, for they, be-
ing all members of the previous ad-
ministration. which the report criticizes
severely, were driven almost to despera-
tion at the thought that the report
would be adoped officially by the Coun-
ell and would stand on the records as
unmistakable evidence of the utter lack
of wisdom and good judgment, which
characterized the conduit construction
from the start to the closing Of the
last administration.
Wall From Democrats.
Every one of the Democratic mem
bers denounced the report of the spe-
cial auditor as being nothing but a
campaign document, and some Of the
Democratic members went so far as u
claim that The Tribune was the insti
gator Of the report, and that for the
Council TO authorize the payment Of the
special auditor S salary would be using
the peoples money for the purpose of
providing campaign material for The
Tribune and the American party,
Mr. Fernstrom was the leader in the
cry against adopting the report. He
had a pile OF papers on his desk so
high that he could scarcely see the
President. Mr.. Fernstrom started out
in his harangue by stating that the
special auditor had never been hired to
do the work. He stated that be was a
member OF the Finance committee, the
committee which had been delegated
by the Council to hire the special audi
tor, and that he (Fernstrom) had never
hired Mr.. Edmunds.
Pertinent Question.
Mr.. Ferry asked Mr.. Fernstrom If
he was the whole committee, and il
he did not know that the other four
members of the committee had hired
Mr.. Edmunds. HWell,' said Fern
strom, ~ know that l did not hire
him. -
After the reading of the special au-
ditor's report Mr.. Fernstrom insisted
on having his report, as q minority
member Of the Committee Of Finance,
read. AT the conclusion of the reading
Mr.. Fernstrom, on being questioned,
claimed to have been the sole original
or and writer of the report. Mr.. Mul-
vey then asked Mr. Wells if it was not
1acl UndL lHe IepOTI SuDuilGtSu Wy NJ
Fernstrom had not been written In his
Office, and if he had not assisted Mr..
Fernstrom in drawing up the report,
Mr. Wells denied having had anything
to do with the report. Mr.. Ferry,
chairman of the Committee on Finance,
then Jumped to his feet and said, Mr..
Wells, / congratulate you.
Neglected Religious Duties.
Mr.. Fernstrom stated that he had
been compelled TO neglect his religious
duties in order to draw up the report,
duties in order TO draw up the report,
although, as he stated, the language
used was not as decent as IT might be,
but he stated that he thought that the
occasion demanded the use of strong
language.
All of the American members of the
Council made remarks On the question
of the report, which were mostly TO the
effect that they were hot surprised that
the minority members squYrmed under
the bitter denunciatiou of the Norris
administration contained in the report,
as il certainly was a bitter dose to
swallow. but that as the plain state
ment Of facts contained in the report
were undeniable that the Council was
in duty bound to officially adopt the re-
port.
Nothing Personal in It.
In answer to the expression by some
of the members of tie minority side
that the report was reflection on per
sonal character, Mr., Nulvey stated that
there was no such Intention and had
been none in presenting the resolution
which provided for hiring the special
auditor. Mr., Mulvcy paid a high trib..
ute to the honesty and integrity OF
former Mayor Norris, and stated that
he thought Mayor Morris had had
"poor bunch of advisers with him IN
the previous administration.
When it came TO a vote on the ado,p
tion of the report nf ;he special audi
tor. Mr.. Proece. the sole Republican
member of the Council, voted with the
majority in favor Of adopting the re-
port. The vote was as follows;
Yeas-Blnck, Crabtree, Ferry, Hob
day, Martin, Mplvey, O'Donnell,
Precce, Davis-9-
Navs-Barnes. Fernstrom, Holley,
Tuddenham, Wells-5.
Following is the minority report sub
mitted by Mr.. FernstrCm.
Minority Committee Report.
VIC the minority OF the COMMITTEES on
Finance. beg leave TO report the follow
Ing facts concerning the attempt or the
majority of the Finance committee TO
bring In q communication by j. William
Edmunds. accountant, purporting to be
a report prepared In compliance with
resolution introduced on May II by
NJ. e Mulvey, wherein the
Finance committee were authorized TO
spend $1,000 In the employment of some
one TO examine into the account OF the
bond fund.
The Finance committee was called
topether once to discuss the matter,
and several names were proposed as
suitable for the work contemplated. such
men as Messrs Godbe, Bateman, Edgar