Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-20
WHAT THE MAYOR WAS TOLD
Karl Schied, Manager of Pacific
Board, Frankly Told MIR.
Bransford the Situation.
Said Board Had No Faith in the
Present Head of salt Lakes
Fire Fighters.

Councilman Fernstrom and the
Mayor BransTord told me
that he was willing to have the de-
nartnent rcorganized. and 10 reap
point Former Chief Bylyatcr. This
was after the fire insurance undcrwrit-
ers in san Francisco had promised
INN 20 per cent reduction IL the
competency of the department were
restored. After that the American
party caucus sat down upon the may
or, and hatly rejected the offer of the
underwriters. Mayor Bransford even
went SO far rs 10 ask Bywater il he
would take the place. That was the
reason why, III the city council,
charged The American party with be-
ing responsible for the people paying
70 per cent more fire Insurance. than
they would have To If the pcrsuadcrs
lad left Mayor Bransford aIonc.''-
statement of Councilman Ecrnstrom.
SAT- Lake City's big business men
are taxed % per cent too much for
their fire insurance.
On this point they are agreed; Mayor
Bransford Is agreed with them. The
rate would be lower except for one
reason, and this one reason iseFire
Chief Charles =, Vail In the diplomatic
language Of the fire insurance repre-
sentatiYes this reason is stated as the
loss IF faith in the department, con-
sequent to the Redman fire"
And now comes the American" par
~ organ seeking to represent that this
rs Mormon" charge, fostered for the
MI 90 ,t,...
formt' chief of the department. Back
of the situation is interesting evidence
that the fight of the said organ is not
on the target at which 1t is apparently
aimed, but upon Mayor Bransford him
self.
Were Mr.. Bransford in control, in
stead OF the we'll known ring, the fire
department would have been reorgan-
ized after the Incompetence shown III
the Redman fire.
TOLD MAYOR FRANKLY.
This would have been done for the
reason that the fire insurance company
officials whom Mayor Bransford saw on
the trip to the coast, told him frank
~ and plainly that the reason--and the
only reason-that the fire insurance
rates in Salt Lake could not be reduced
at that time WAS the chief. They told
him that this reduction hinged upon
The reorganization of the fire depart
ment."
Mayor John s. Bransford returned
to Salt Lake with this information and
he even went so far, it can be stated
on the highest authority as to an
nounce his plans to members of the
council, TO ask y. +, Rcdman not to
file charges of Incompetence against
Vail. but to wait as he was preparing
10 remedy matters. He even went so
far as to ask Mr. w. H. Bywater,
former fire chief whether he would ac-
cept position as head Of the fire de-
partment and this purely because the
fire insurance men had told him they
had confidence in the department I'M
der Bywater that they had seen des-
troyed after Vail took charge. To the
suggestion that some other American
party man be elevated, they had re-
piled that they preferred Vail to an UNI
tried man.
AN ALTERNATIVE
This left the alternative OF Bywater
on suffering insurance rates that are
compiled when fire departments efTi-
cheney is rated as an increased danger
instead Of additional security.
But here entered the fine italian
OF the gang" An Amer
lean" party caucus was called To il
Mayor Bransford submitted his SUCCESS
lions, and they did not call for the
up of the party nj the expense
Of the people. of building up a machine
at the expense of The party. They called
for the appointment of a fire chief who
had proved by long experience that ha
knew a fire when he saw one. and how
10 handle IL.
TO his friends Mr. Redman himself
has expressed his opinion OF the manner
in which his fire was handled. and that
opinion, as stated to a "NeWs" repre-
sentative. Is that child with a garden
hose could nave exhibited as much Of
icioncy.
Tho persuaders took up fighr
against the mayor. That Is the reason
iefense Is sprung for Vail before he Is
ana every mole hill OF oppos-
ng opinion Is fought back at, as IT.
I were a mountain. The american"
by assault upon the board
n fire underwriters, hope 10 force re-
luction with Vail, that was contemplate
ID before faith in his department was
shattered.
WHAT MIR, sCHE1D SAYS.
- may as well say frankly" declared
Karl scheld, manager OF the board in
SALT Lake today. that In contemplating
reduction Tor any city the faith wa
nave in the efficiency OF the fire de-
iArtment ngures substantially in ths
mount OF probable reduction. Ac-
0pling the situation In salt Lake, We
ire figuring this reduction with the de-
as II now stands, and Il is noe
% great as 1t would have been II We
Iad been able 10 figure on a depart
pent In which our faith had not bean
Ideal hre protection comes
Nth combination of a plentiful water
upply. and an efficient department 20
andle II,
Shortly before -he Redman fire re-
We're IN for reduction
cured on tho basis OF an Increased
iater supply and AN efficient depart
mont Every report We had on that
no from our agents was that II was in
handled, and ! was compelled
b change my recommendation 10 tho
an Finuciseo board, 20 the new ba.
Vs.
I'm talking 20 Mayor Bransford on
10 matter 1 have frankly told him that
no department re-organi2ed 10 restore
pr faith IN It's efficiency would result
our being able to mako u reduction.
1d have also said that the Insurance.
np had faltb ir Tho Yut.f,,,.,. ~.