Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-23
Odd Petition is Circulating Among
Members of the Fire
Department.
MAJORITY OF MEMBERS SIGN
Others Cannot See Object of Peculiar
1ransaction--Chier Is Now Gus
todian of About $4,000.

w nat ~ 10 ne uOllt WIN wv GU
called flremen's relief fund?
This Is the question that is now con-
fronting members of the Salt Lake
fire department. and 1t comes at a PEE
culiar time, in view of the shake-up
incident to the removal if Chief Vain
and his assistant. Byron Crosby, and
the uncertainty of the future.
The question is brought UP by pc
tition being circulated among the fire.
men by Electrician Charles Sheeiy,
and which petition has been already
signed by As out of SO members, and
there are vet some to be consulted in
the matter. The petition is that the
fund be placed in the custody of ex-
Chief Charles 4. Vail. SO that there
can be no misunderstanding as to tho
desires of those who signed the petit
ton, 1t is given herewith in full:
Salt Lake City, June %, 1908
To Whom it May Concern.
We, the undersigned members Of the
Salt Lake City fire department are
at present and have been for some
time. endeaVoring TO organize legally,
a firemen's benefit association, AMI
show our belief in the honesty and
integrity of Charles T. Vail, chief of
the fire department, agree to leave all
properties or moneys belonging TO the
so-called firemen's relief fund in the
hands of the said Charles A. Vail, chief
of the said fire department, and until
such time as we have organized and
elected officers of the said firemen's
association. And he To have and hold
the moneys, or properties. until such
time as he may be called upon by The
proper authorities of said firemens as
ISOLATION for an accounting"
AS stated above, some of the fire.
men refused to sign the petition despite
the fact that it is signed by the ma
Jority OF the members, some of whom
are among the oldest and most reliable.
Whether all those who refused to sign
did so because of personal or other rea-
sons, could not be ascertained. One of
the firemen who declined to attach his
signature to the document said Il
understand that Vail 1t going into bust
ness and wants the money for that
purpose"
Another member of the department
who signed the petition said: -
II signed the petition with the idea
that it would benefit Chief Vail, OF
eourse. it,is Understood that he will give
a bond Of $4,000 so that the fund will
he protected | understand that Vail
Is going into some kind OF business.
As the fund now stands 1t does us no
good. There are only two men who
ever received anything out of It, They
were Asst. Chief Wood and Asst Chief
Mccarthy. The fund belongs TO the
boys collectively but not individually,
and / presume that the majority pre-
walls. The fund amounts to something
over $1,000 Unless something is done
with IL to insure that 1t is used for
the purpose for which IL was intended,
we do not know that the council may
not at some time appropriate II and use
It for other purposes. say we do not
know, but this might be done
The fund was started in 1894 and,
according to James Devine, former
chief. II was the understanding that II
should be used as a nucleus for the es-
taiblishment of permanent fund pro-
viding for sick and disabled firemen, in
the way of a pension. 1t was under
stood also according to Mr.. Devine.
that this should be brought about at
some time by legislative enactment, and
that the fund was not to be touched or
used for any other purpose until the
law was enacted. 1t was also under
stood that the chief of the department
should be the custodian with the coun-
ell committee on ire
In 1904 when Chief DeVine retired. he
turne dover to W. II. Bywater, his ste
cessor, between $4,000 and $2,IO0 In
bonds and cash.
One thousand dollars was invested In
street car bonds and about 5000 IN sugar
stock, and there was some ce-. or
course. since that time the fund has
grown Its accumulation has been by
donations from citizens and business
men, and through the sale of con-
demned hose. When Chief Devino re-
tired he turned the fund over to Chief
BywatT. When the latter stepped
down to make room for Chief Vail the
latter became custodian of the fund.
Some OF the firemen are OF tho opinion
that this rule should prevail, and that
the successor TO Vail should be the Gus
todian of tho bonds and cash. II IN
estimated that there is about $500 In
actual cash in the fund.
1t is explained by some who are ia
favor of the petition that II would
be all right to turn the tund over 70
Vail. or rather have II kept In his
hands, provided he gave bond, but
others object because there rs no pro-
vision in the petition for such bond.
The petition was started at a time when
every member of the department knew
that VAN was 10 be removed from tho
position Of chief, and they also knew
that Assistant Chief Crosby was to go
with him. Mr. Crosby was one OF tho
first signers OF the petition.
Those who are most interested de-
clare that VAN has ever showed his
friendship for the boys and win do
great deal TO consummate the scheme
now formed 10 organize a State Fire
mems association and that II the fund
were In his hands II would be used
for the purpose for which II was in
tended. But other hremen look at II
In a different light They ask How
win the next chief regard such ac-
tion2"
The fremen hope to induce the next
legislature TO assist them In The for
nation of the association referred to.
They say that the state received one
and one half per cent from all inEur-
unce written Ia the state and have
hopes that this per centage VIII be
turned over 10 the hremen's fund. They
say that In Salt Lake City alone the
department would receive about $4,000
per year.
Former chief Van could not be
found In time for publication SO II
could not be learned from him person
ally whether or not he wanted the fund
and II so for what purpose. As stat
ed before some OF the men stated they
were willing 10 turn over their portion
OF the fund, or all Of II " II would
benefit Mr. Vail