The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-06-15
AGAIN APPEALS
FORFERRY SERVICE
Mayor Asks Council to Arrange Set
Element of Squabble-Feared Smi-
lansky Boats Are Unsafe.

For the third time. Mayor Breitmey-
er will send q message To the coun-
ell. Tuesday night, calling upon the
aldermen to effect an immediate set
Element of the Belle Isle ferry ques-
ton. He takes the position that the
proposal made by the Detroit, Belle
Isle a. Windsor Ferry Co. Is a reason
able one. with the concession OF one
way fares from Belle Isle at night, and
| that II should be accepted for this sea-
son.
Hormon r. link, president or the
council, sides with the mayor, and. II
canvass of the aldermen shows that
there is fighting chance TO arrange
matters at once. he will have an
amendment to the present ferry ordin-
ance brought In and a vote taken
which will show the people OF the city
which aldermen are responsible for
the present deadlock.
The majority of the members Of the
ordinance committee have no program
as yet. A report will be made to the
council IL Corporation Counsel Il. j.
NJ Hally returns from Lansing in time
To give an opinion on the question as
to whether the council can grant TO
Promoter Louis Smilansky and his
hackers an exclusive franchise to land
on Belle Isle.
IL he decides that the council can
do so. then the committee VIII report
in favor of granting Smilansky 10
years franchise and will endeavor 10
secure for him the use OF the public
lighting commission dock as a city
starting point. If the opinion Is ad-
verse, as some unofficial hints from
the corporation counsels Office would
indicate. the council can offer the new
corners no guarantee OF any right
that couid not be rescinded by the
next council, and Smilansky has In
dicated that he Is not anxious TO take
a two-year franchise.
Few OF the aldermen take seriously
the idea of the Smilansky syndicate or
getting the steamers X. b. Hayes and
A. Wehrle, Jr., which have been run
ming from Sandusky TO Cedar Point,
Ohio. Even Aid. Watson, who has led
the AgAt- against the ferry company,
does not claim that the boats would
be anything more than makeshitts. 1t
Is pointed out that these two vessels
are old side-wheelers, one of them be-
ing SO years old. and that they would
have great difficulty In making the
short turn at the Belle Isle dock to
avoid the Belle Isle bridge. vessel
men say that boats of this type
sTes,la- be tn grave danger OF crashing
into the bridge piers In case OF storm
on the river.
What is not good enough for San
dusky is not good enough for u.s." re-
marked one OF the aldermen, Tues
day.
Aid. Walsh has received PROPOSE
ton from persons who desire to sell
a small steamer that has been in use
on the lower river around Crosse He. |
the owners desiring to sell her to the
city as the start Of municipal ferry
line
Mayor Breitmeyer is standing |
squarely for q resumption of the old |
ferry service on the terms asked=by |
the company for this season only.
II am opposed to bringing any new
parties In and displacing the company |
that has been with us for years. and
given service acceptable to the peo-
pie" says the mayor.
Smilansky, the promoter who wants |
franchise for a new Belle Isle Ferry |
company. says that he can give SER |
vice by using the Wehrle and Hayes |
within week. These boats are for
sale inasmuch as new steel vessel is
TO take their place upon the Cedar
Point run. His plan contemplates
service to Belle Isle only from thS
public lighting commission dock, be-
tween Bates and Randolph-sts.
The letter from the Detroit conven-
ton and tourists bureau, which the |
mayor will send with his message to
the council, brings the ferry service
up in a new light to the council, Sec
rotary Carmichael showing that the
lack OF this service is greatly impair
ing the prospects OF the city as con-
vention center. since delegates to con-
ventions so far this season have been |
disappointed by not getting river
rides.