The Detroit times., 1909-12-17
CITY OPERATION OF
BELLE ISLE CASINO
IS PROBABLE
Majority of Members of Park Com
mission of Council Favor Plan To
Meet Present Dissatisfaction
With Service.
II Schemes Adopted. VIM. Konen,
Present Lessee, Will Be Engaged
As Superintendent.

W According to the views expressed
In the meeting or the parks and bou-
II iCvards committee OF the council Fri.
day morning, there is very strong
possibility that the Belle Isle casino
n VIII be run under the auspices of the
,ity next season. Chairman Frei-
valid and Aid. Heneman and Thomp-
son expressed themselves as very faH-
rrable to such plan Aid Shapland
n opposed IL and Aid. Keating was non
committal.
II this plan goes through william
konen. who Is the present lessee. win
be hired at salary of $4,000 per
lear for himself and wife as super
lntendent OF the casino
u do not like any such plan de-
clared Aid Shapland 1T would give
the superintendent, whoever he might
he. too much opportunity 10 favor poll.
ticians and hold his position by ex-
tending favors. He could have his
friends eating at the casino at low
rrices while others paid the full
A rates"
N Park Commissioner Hurlbut also no
tably failed TO become enthusiastic
over the suggestion. He has gone on
record as favorlng the leasing OF the
casino IN Konen al $4,000 year. be-
lieving that Konen is giving the Dub-
i l.c satisfaction and cannot anord
longer 10 pay rental Of $1,000 per
wear
In the committee meeting two bids
Sor the casino privilege were receiv
ed. James D. Hogg bidding $4,000 per
wear while John j. DOwding and VIM
None
4 of the members except Aid Shapland
chow ed any inclination To consider
N these bids
81 Aid Heineman started the discus
L sion bv motion that Commissioner
Il Iurlbut be empowered Ia enter into
Et 'he lease with Konen. This caused
Il rhapland 10 declare that bids should
II hrst be taken.
n Service is the first consideration.
4 declared Aid. Heineman. we should
n have service at the casino equal To
,hat at the Detroit Boat club ] re-
Il member how the old casino was run,
not for the public. but for private s&nl :
HI with dirty walters dirty tables and
the whole place like pig-sty. ko-
nen has given good service. We are
'n honor bound To give him another
Al lease II he makes us reasonable pro
II ,csnl Even ~ someone else were
i fiven the lease he should be protect
L Cd bv an agreement that the new man
should take over his stock OF silver.
/ dishes and other equipment
Shapland then produced the bid or
l Dowdipc 4 McIyer. Heineman Do.
/ clared that cafe owner In his ward
/ would paw more than $1,000 year
4 Vat that ne did not consider II best
A 10 have the casino run with proht as
the only object.
Freiwald and Thompson then sprang
he city operation plan.
1T is immaterial what the amount
4 the bid Is" declared Thompson
4 Whoever bids for the privilege is go
Ing 10 get his money back and get II
ont OF the public
I'VE want TO get rid OF the dead
4 line" asserted Freiwald. referring to
4 the distinction In vogue this season
between people purchasing cheap
I reals and those getting expensive
dishes.
n Shapland declared that the most
Il General public complaint about the
] casino was that II was impoSsible to
cet service unless the walters were
/ tipped This practice should be oro-
| hjbIted. he said, and the other mem
hers OF the committee agreed That
that must be done next season. Then
l Shapland declared that Konen's prices
we're too high and that they should be
,ut 90 per cent Aid. Grindley also
asserted that the public was not sat
,saed with the way the casino has
been run.
"The people In my ward complain
az their treatment there" shouted AID.
N Koenig. The casino Is not popular
Il With the people; they do not eat there
unless they have to- II II was run
right II would make profit OF $4,000
year"
Commissioner Hurlbut came to ko-
mems defense. He declared that he
had heard OF very few complaints. and
that these had simmered down TO
practically nothing on investigation.
This brought on a hot interchange or
views.
n AS II was evident that the commit
tee could not agree at once on any
plan, Chairman Freiwald adjourned
the meeting until Monday afternoon
Roth Freiwald and Hurlbut declared
that they would like to hear OF any
complaints in regard TO the casino
that they might investigate them. Ko-
nen sat silent throughout the whole
session.
Dowding and McIver are both Mich
{ lgan Central commissary department
\ men. Dowding came to Detroit In
1882 10 work for the Detroit club and
had run q restaurant In Mt. Clemens
az we'll as working for the ID. C..
line and the Michigan Central.
Il would cut down the a Ia carte
rrices at the casino II had the con.
tract" he says. Then | would offer
a good dinner for 75 cents. The in
creased business at the lower prices
would more than pay for the cutting
down of the prices. | am sure"
Aid. Heineman Joined In with Fret
valid and Thompson in their plan Of
city operation. saying that this would
safeguard good service.