The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-01-03
MAYOR IS BUMPED
BY COUNCIL
AGAIN
VETO ON BLANCHARD ASSESS
MENT NOT SUSTAINED, AND EF.
FORT TO REDUCE PHAEToN
FARES ON BELLE ISLE FAILS.

The common council began the new
year badly by holding long and
arduous session Thursday evening.
marked chiefly by the bitterness OF
the debate. Three measures took up
most OF the time-the mayors veto OF
the resolution reducing the assessment
of Mrs. Lulu b. Blanchard, the report
OF the park committee, making the
phaeton fare across Belle Isle bridge
TO the aquarium five cents during the
cold months. and the proposal TO let
the ID. u. X. lay "1"' or fat girdcr
rails in Jefferson-ave.
Owing to the regulation which al
lows only the president OF the council
a mallet for desk-rapping, the fnrni-
ture was not marred, although 1t was
pounded frequently.
Assessor Plass took the floor to de-
fend the mayors veto OF the tax re-
duction resolution, and he was bitter
ly opposed by the tax committee,
which finally triumphed by an over
whelming vote. In his remarks, Mr..
Plass commented on the fact that in
many cities there is room to believe
that the rich are not equally assessed
with the poorer classes, who pay full
taxes upon their cottages, and he de-
plored the possibility of such con-
dition being even talked OF in De-
troit. He assailed the evidence in the
Blanchard case. saying that Mrs.
Blanchard had inherited $75.ooe and
been assessed at $4,000 That she
should borrow money at rate which
he surmised could not be less than
5 per cent to invest in government
bonds at per cent, he ridiculed.
link Was Angry.
Chairman link, of the tax commit
tee, was more angry than his col
leagues had ever seen him when he
rose to reply. He attacked the meth.
DDS of the assessors, and read a list
OF assessments in which he claimed
that wealthy hotel and saloon owners
had been let off easily, while a irm
on Fort-st. east had been assessed at
four times the proper valuation.
Aid Grindley followed, reading a
long written speech. containing the
whole history of the Blanchard case,
which has beeen fought in the commit
tee and council for six months. On
the vote to sustain the committee as
against the mayor only four Demo
Gratis and-four- Republicans voted
against the committee.
Aid. Goeschel went after the streets
committee on the "T'' rail proposition.
This is the entering wedge for the
ID. u. r." he shouted. What have
you got from them In return? VIII
they give us fve-cent fare to the
eastern city limits? VIII they restore
the six-for-a-quarter fares?"
The matter was postponed week.
Aid. Mcclellan made fight to have
the mayors position in the Belle Isle
phaeton controversy sustained, but he
could rally no support and the coun-
ell backed up Park Commissioner
Breitmeyer with only five dissenting
votes
Deimel Sees Campaign Stuff.
I'VE will have good campaign ma
terial here" said Aid. Deimel, Demo-
crat '"rhe list OF the aldermen who
voted for q five-cent fare and those
who voted for three-cent fare will be
printed on dodgers and handed out
to the people at Belle Isle bridge"
The ordinance permitting bakers to
bake loaves Of any size desired, pro-
viding that the weight is labeled on
the loaf, was finally passed.
The councils attention was called to
the inadequate pumping facilities for
Fairview, the present station being
inadequate to drain the territory dur
ing thaw weather.
Police Commissioners Smith was In
structed to prepare an estimate Tor
the extra amount needed to pay the
patrolmen since the supreme court has
upheld the 20-day furlough law.
The park commissioner transmitted
bids for wrecking the Belle Isle ca
sino. the lowest being $500.
The mayors communication defend
ing his position relative to allegations
said to have been made against park
department officials, was filed.