The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-06-15
Alb Jenkins Applies Slam Bang Methods
OF Racing To Job AS Salt Lake Mayor
RecOrd-Wrecker
Wastes No Time
In Putting City
In Working Order
By BOB HALE

NEA SeTVlCe SPECIAL OOEEeBpOn0ent
Salt Lake City, Utah, Alb Jen-
kins, who holds more auto speed
records than any other man
In the world, slammed foot on
the municipal government acceler-
ator when he became mayor Of Salt
Lake City January 2-and he has
kept 1t there.
The internationally known driver
and automotive researcher has given
the city slam-bang administration
as breathtaking at times as ride
In his powerful Mormon Meteor"
which has set dozens Of records on
the Bonneville salt fats Of Utah.
Jenkins ran on O trafflc safety
platform, promised to do things
quickly. He has.
In less than three months, he has
fired the city trafflc safety commits
sion and installed one Of his choos-
ing, got new chief Of police, re-
vamped and moderni2ed the police
traf1ic division, battled in high glee
with community safety leaders who
disagreed with him, "told of" that
arbiter Of safety matters, the Ma
tional Safety Council, which dared
send O man into Abs bailiwick with
some suggestions; Jousted with the
red-tape fettered state highway
commission and given reporters
much good copy"
ELECTED WITH PLURALITY
OF ONLY AZ VOTES
Politicians are baffled by him. His
knowledge and concern over politics
Is as minute as his knowledge OF
motor matters Is vast. He ran his
own campaign and wasn't given
chance.
But he qualified In en- upset pri-
mary, then won the final by the
smallest plurality ever recorded
here's votes In Q 42,0oo-ballot
election.
This Cinderella mayor leaped into
the municipal government pit with
the same enthusiasm driver takes
into the racing pit. Instead OF
pounding a 16-cylinder job around
the salt fats, he Is pounding o bud
get and driving IL fast. /
The previous administration sort
Of held out on Alb. The city n.
stalled parking meters last year with
O promise, written into law, that
proceeds would be for trafflc safety
work only.
when Alb took once, he found the
other commissioners had given his
public safety department budget
S75, 5000 in meter revenue Tor this
work but that the rest Of the bud
get had been reduced $4,000, q
budget making trick designed 70
help other departments that could
use some spare change.
POLICE GET BETTER
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
That didn't stop the veteran
he went ahead spending
the money anyhow on the program
he had in mind, warning fellow city
commissioners that II he runs short,
thew doggone we'll can make II up,
because the budget was their doing
anyhow. .
ment more and better automotive
ecuipment, including ambulance
cars equipped with radio. Every
police vehicle Is to have o two
way radio. He's embarking on o
bigger trafiic engineering program.
The public safety budget man
aeer was reluctant to go along be"
cause he dislikes red Ink.
"Yeah? You're working TOT me
now" was Abs answer.
jenkins Is q hard working
mayor. His office hours are long,
he never declines 10 appear at any
public gathering, large or small.
Although he is now on Q cross
country auto tour, retracing me
roiite over which he set Q record N
1925. jenkins Is looking forward 70
a vacation when he takes q re-
vamped mormon Meteor" TO tne
salt fats in quest OF more RECORDS
That's all the relaxation ne asks.