158 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 
chased required prompt and vigorous attention. Later in 
the summer the work of the counsel began to get badly in 
arrears. In the autumn and early winter, when the East 
Side, Eagle Rock and South Mountain Park locations had 
been decided upon, matters went from bad to worse. In 
almost every direction there was evidence of negligence. 
The counsel, instead of attending the board meetings, 
where, with all the important matters then in his charge, it 
was considered his place to be, was frequently conspicuous 
by his absence. 
LACK OF INTEREST SHOWN. 
The suggestions and requests for better service and atten- 
tion to duty met with no appreciable response. Through 
the spring and summer of 1896 matters went on in this way. 
The neglect was not only costing the county dearly in 
money, but was preventing progress in the development of 
the parks. This was having a demoralizing influ- 
ence on the entire department. When the active 
work of the commission was taken up early in the autumn, 
I determined that I would not acquiesce in the prevailing 
conditions longer. First one commissioner, Mr. Meeker, 
then another, Mr. Peck, declared the same view. This was 
a majority of the board. Something must, therefore, be . 
done, and that speedily. It was done—and this is the way 
it was done: 
At the board meeting of October 6, 1896, immediately 
after roll call, the commission went into the most executive 
of executive sessions. Even the secretary, always present at 
our meetings, was excused. Only the commissioners were 
present. Counsel Munn’s case was at once taken up. When 
he was appointed the “votes were there” to elect. him. Now 
the votes were there to dismiss him. The question was well 
gone over. All concurred, or admitted, that his conduct was 
inexcusable; its continuance intolerable. The remedy sug- 
gested was immediate dismissal. One or both of the com- 
missioners just mentioned concurred in that view. 
At this juncture Commissioner Franklin Murphy. began 
