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Show M MAYOR MAKES THINGS LIVELY AT JjjJmj Mayor T. S. Browning, supplemental of his stntoment mndo at the first meeting of the new board of city commissioners com-missioners last night, stated this morning that ho will insist upon an investigation in-vestigation of the polico and fire departments. de-partments. "There havo been rumors of a grave nature relative to the conduct of thoso ofTlcers and particularly relative to assessments as-sessments of members for a campaign purposes." said Mayor Browning. "In justice to the public and tho taxpayers, taxpay-ers, all tho facts should be known. Also as a matter of justice to the departmentsIf de-partmentsIf any one has been the victim of false and serious rumor, ho also should have the suspicion- removed. remov-ed. Tho atmosphere should bo cleared." clear-ed." According to Mayor Browning's plan, thoro will be no necessity for a grand jury investigation at this time. Ho slated that tho best plan, in his opinion, would be for the commissioners commission-ers to fix certain dates for the cxami-' nation and call witnesses. In this manner, man-ner, ho stated, all sides would bo given the right to examine and cross-examine witnesses and enter into specific details of the charges that heretofore have been, of an iniormal character. Want Specific Accusation. Commissioners Chris Flygare and M. L. Jones stated they had no objection objec-tion to an investigation but preferred that something specific and in violation viola-tion of some law might be suggested as a basis upon which to conduct the examination. They stated that the samo charges referred to by Mayor Browning havo been in circulation for two years and, brought to their final analysis means that some have beenj disconnected with the city payroll and feels unkindly toward those who may have been responsible for their discharge. dis-charge. Tho investigation, they assert, : should have definite object or other-I other-I wise it will- be a mere fizzle, such as j was the recent grand jury investigation, investiga-tion, and tend to keep tho city in a condition of turmoil destructive alike of unity and harmony and progress. They intimated that the entire controversy, con-troversy, reduced to its last basis, is that some have been discharged from public jobs, and the fact that it is a public job insignificant probably as to compensation gives them a starting start-ing point for attack. Tho same things happen in private corporations and are forgotten, they assert, but from time immemorial the "outs" in public affairs af-fairs and politics have charged the "ins" with cusscdness. They insist, however, that if the public desiros more turmoil and strife in city affairs they will participate in the meetings. Last Night's Meeting. At the meeting last night, the program pro-gram as announced in the Standard yesterday afternoon, was carried out in every detail. The resolution apportioning ap-portioning the various departments, as printed yesterday, was carried with Commissioners Jones and Flygare vot- ing "aye" and Mayor Browning opposing oppos-ing with a positive "nay." This resolution reso-lution was introduced by commissioner Jones and was as follows: "I move that the Mayor bo Superintendent Superin-tendent of the Department of Public Affairs and Finance and Health department. de-partment. "And I further move that Commissioner Commis-sioner Miles L. Jonc3 be superintendent superintend-ent of the Department of Public Safety Safe-ty and Parks and Public Proporty. "And I further move that Commissioner Commis-sioner Christian Flygare be superintendent superin-tendent of tho Department of Streets and Public Improvements and Water Supply nnd Water Works," Mayor's Statement. Before tho rosolution was voted upon, Mayor Browning stated that he desired to make his position unmistakably unmis-takably clear to tho public. Ho declared de-clared that his two associate commissioners commis-sioners wore railroading tho resolution resolu-tion through without consulting his wishes and that it was a notorious fact that he had been elected upon tho generally gen-erally and popularly accepted issue that ho would haVe control of the public safety department, which Includes In-cludes the police and firo departments. The mayor became personally direct, and charged that he was being ignored and that by reason of such conduct ho was being deprived of tho control of departments in tho city that required re-quired a chango in policy; he made the fiat charge that if it were not for the sheriff's office, the prohibition law In Ogdcn would be a complete joke; and that evil, if not entirely winked at, at least was not properly supervised and j handled by the police department. He also directly charged that Commissioner Commission-er Jones was seeking to build a "political "poli-tical machine" in this city with the polico po-lico department as the nucleus and that It was improper, illegal and not conducive to the best interests of the city. Ho reviewed his own experience as a municipal officer and declared that tho conduct of the departments under his jurisdiction had shown progrss. An Interruption. During the Mayor's address, Commissioner Com-missioner Flygare interrupted several times and spirited personalities were exchanged. The interruptions were merely inferences of a naturo that charged the Mayor with falling to direct di-rect his remarks to the resolution. In each instance, tho mayor declined to yield to the suggestions and continued to speak. As a consequence, Commissioner Commis-sioner Flygare at ono time called for a vote upon the resolution and, while the mayor was talking, ho and Commissioner Com-missioner Jones passed the rosolution. At the conclusion of tho mayor's address. ad-dress. Commissioner Flygare was asked if he had anything to say and he disgustedly stated he had not. Commissioner Jones then replied to some of the charges made bv the mayor. Commissioner Jones. Commissioner Jones, by consulting a small paper, showed that during one year of tho period over which Mayor Browning was in charge of the public safety department, the fines netted only SG000. while under the succeeding succeed-ing year, the total was $14,000. He also made tho direct charge that Mavor Browning was seeking to select his own departments which were contrary to the wishes of the majority members mem-bers of the board and that tho majority, major-ity, like the mayor, had been elected by the people and were as much entitled en-titled to their Ideas, especially when i there was two as against one.'as was the mayor. The Commissioner sought to make it clear that tho majority did not regard the mayor as tho entire city commission and that the majoritv must bo consulted upon matters pertaining to the public. He did not seek to deny that he and Commissioner Flygare had agreed upon tho departments they do-sired, do-sired, but explained that thev had ample procedent for such policy and besides, the commissioner stated, tho mayor has such departments as a mayor should have, including finance ; which in itself will be a largo task of given proper attention. He closed by making an appeal for harmonv, but intimated that it was contrary to nature na-ture and general custom for the judgment judg-ment of one to bo accepted over the ' judgment of two. when each Is presumed pre-sumed to have been as capable and as qualified as the other. ! Rev. Garver Present. Rev. Christian R. Garver, pastor of! the First Methodist church, concluded! the speechmaking. Tho minister, after being advised by the mayor as to what had taken place-in that ho, the min-ister, min-ister, had arrived too late endorsed the mayors statement that it was generally thought that the mayor would have charge of the public Baftv department Foil,, V,c Baiety , ... cv. Dir. linr- vers adddrcss, the council adopted he old order of business and adjourned. ad-journed. u The attendance was lighL Outside of those occupying some office there were less than a dozen people 'in the council chamber. There was nothing to indicate as to the division of the selt ? ment in tho audience. In the impromp-tu impromp-tu social session there was a general handshaking, even among those known to be opposing partisans. on |
