The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-22
AMERICANS
WON'T STAND
FOR DEVINE
City and Advisory Committees
Hold Hot Session and Lam
haste the Mayor.
WILLING FOR WALLS
HEAD TO COME OFF
EITHER BYWATER OR HoLLEN-
BECK WOULD SUIT BETTER
AS FIRE CHIEF.

The city committee and the advisory
committee of the American" party, at
stormy meeting in the law Office of
J. f. Darmer. chairman of the city
committee, last night ratified the ac-
ton of Mayor Bransford in removing
Chief Vail from the fire department
and viii confer with a caucus Of the
American" members of the city coun-
ell at o'clock this afternoon To de
eide on a successor.
The successor will not be James De-
vine. That much the members of the
city committee and their advisors de
cided upon emphatically. Some Of the
members Of the committee were elO-
quent, even TO the point of profanity
III their abuse of DeVine Mayor John
). BransfOrd was also spoken of in no
complimentary terms.
What does Mayor Bransf0rd know
about our party organization" queried
one eloquent patriot. We want a man
for chief OF the fire department who Is
an American clear through. / don't
care what BransfOrd thinks OF what
the FIRE underwriters think. Devine lis
not the man for the place"
Tom HOllenbeck, former member of
the fire department, who is said 10 be
a stanch American" had a number
of supporters at the meeting, Former
chief W. II. ByWater. who is now IN
England, was also urged by some of
the less ardent partisans as an ideal
man for the position.
Program for Tonight.
II seems probable that the council
tonight will approve of the communi-
cation removing Chief Vail and that
Assistant Chief Crosby will also be re-
hr-
cation from the mayor appointing De-
vine as chief of the fire department
viii undoubtedly go over for week
1t is possible that the committee win
ask A. j. Davis, acting mayor, 90 APP
point an acting chief of the depart
ment until the mayor returns and can
be persuaded 10 rescind his action ap-
pointing Devine, and appoint some one
acceptable to the 'persuaders.'
The meeting was called by Chairman
Darmer, after ne had heard a great
many irate American" voters protest
ing against the action of the mayor in
appointing Devine. In addition TO the
members of the city committee and it's
advisory committee the American
members Of the city council and sew
eral prominent party politicians were
invited to attend the meeting. Most
of the city COuncilmen. including A. j.
Davis, the acting mayor. sent their re-
grets. The only councilmen said to
have been present at the meeting are
L. d. Martin and J. J. Stewart AS a
prominent American put il after the
meeting last night mo other council
man was damn fool enough 70 GO
There were perhaps twenty men at
the meeting, which lasted from
o'clock until nearly midnight. The
business of the meeting was 10 have
been secret After the meeting Chair
man Darmer declined To say anything
whatever concerning the business Of
the meeting. but the enthusiasm con-
! tinued, and the discussion OF the sub
/ ject was continued on the streets by
/ the various aroused patriots
crabtree Is Eloquent.
! c. j. Crabtree. once an insurgent
/ american" councilman. is said To
have endeavOred to pour water on the
/ troubled, oil of the sometime suave
! Americans" but with poor results. He
! is quoted as saying.
We are i'm a hell of a mess but We
are not here 10 raise any more hell
Let US get together for the sake Of
harmony and agree on something.
And Mr.. CTabtrees language was
/ not more expressive than that of a
number Of other speakers who followed
/ him.
Devine's friends at the meeting were
as scarce as those of Vail chief for a
few hours more. II was the sentiment
Of the meeting that Devirp's appoint
ment meant a disruption of the party.
that the Americans would not stand
Cor him. and he must not be chief De
vine was accused by the members of
the committee Of inexperience. inabili-
ty and cOwardice. TO say nothing of
[ Republcanism and other things
Remembering what had happened on
/ d former. occasion when the "persuad-
+ ers" had selected "A mayor for the city
without consulting the council the
committees agreed to defer recon-
mending Wallis successor until they
/ Continued on Page 2.