The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-12-18
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.

According To the views expressed
In the meeting OF the parks and bou.
lcvardS committee OF the council Fri.
day morning there Is very strong
possibility that the Belle Isle casino
viii be run under the auspices of the
biy next season. Chairman Fret
valid and Ala Ilcineman and Thomp-
son expressed themselves ~ very .ay-
CRADLE To such a plan. Aid Shapland
opposed il and Aid Heating was non
Committal
lf this plan goes through William
konen. who Is the present lessee. Will
be hired al n salary of $500 per
year for himself and wife as super.
ntendent of the tasino
Il do not like any such plan de-
cared Ala Shapland IT would give
the superintendent, whoever he might
be, too much opportunity 10 favor pom.
t'cians and hold his position 10y OK
tending favors He could have his
friends eating at the casino at low
prices while others paid the full
rates"
Park Commissioner Hurbut also no.
4 tahly failed 10 become enthusiastic
NNfT tho SncEtNllnU ilt Has b'llN wa
record us favoring the leasing OF the
casino tn Konen at s4500 year. he
liCving that Konen is giving the pub
lie satisfaction and cannot afford
longer TO pay n rental OF $1,000 per
wear
I'm tho committee meeting two bids
FOR the casino privilege were rcceiy-
ed James H. Hogg bidding s. 600 per
wear while John J. Dowding and VIM.
McIvar offered s. 600 per year. None
~ the members except Aid. Shapland
showed any inclination 10 consider
these bids.
Aid. Heincman started the discus
sion by n motion that Commissioners
TIurlbut be empowered 20 enter into
The lease with Konen This caused
Shapland TO declare that bids should
first be taken
Service is the first consideration"
declared Aid Helneman We should
have service at the casino equal 10
that AT the Detroit Boat club | TO-
member how the old casino was run
not for the public, but for private gain.
with dirty walters. dirty tables and
no whole place like a pig.sty 10
nen has given good service. We are
in honor bound 70 give him another
lease II he makes us reasonable pro-
rosa! Even IL someone else were
given the lease he should b. protect
"a by an agreement that the new man
should take over his stock OF silver,
dishes and other equipment
Shapland then produced tho bid %
UoWding & McIver Hcineman de-.
dared that cafe owner in his ward
would pay more than $1,000 wear,
Int that he did not consider 1t best
- have tho casino run with profit rs
the only object
Frciwald and THOMPSON then sprang
the city operation plan
1T is immatcrial what tho amount
~ the bid u.s. declared Thompson
Whoever bids for the privilege is go
ing In get his money back ana get 1t
ont 81 the public
We want 10 get rid OF the dead
line" asserted Frcwald referring to
Tho distinction IN vogue this season
between people purchasing cheap
meals and these getting expensive
dishes
SAapland declared that tho most
general uublic complaint about the
casino was that II was impossible 10
cot service unless the walters were
TIMED This practice should he 1ro-
lHhltcd. he said, and the other Nom
Tors Of tho committee agreed that
chat must hC done novt season. In"n
chapand declared that kou"n's prices
were too high and that they should be
cut 20 nor cent. AID Grndley also
asserted that the pubic was not sat-
lsGed with the way the casino has
been run.
The pooplc In my ward complain
tpr &
Koonic The casinO Is not popular
with the people: they do not eat there
unless they have to. If il was run
rieht II would make a profit Of $4,000
wear"
Commissioner Hurlbut came 20 ko-
mons defense lie declared that he
had heard Of very few complaints. AMI
that these had simmercd down 20
practically nothing on investigation
This brought on a hot interchange Of
views
AS II vas evident that tho commit
toe could not agree AT once on any
plan. Chairman Frciwald adjourned
the meeting until Monday afternoon.
Both Freiwald and Hurlbut declared
that they would like TO hear Of any
complaints in regard 10 the casino
that they might Investigate them. 10
nen sat silent throughout the whole
session.
Dowding and Mower are both Mich.
lgan Central commlssary department
mon. Dowding came 10 Detroit IN
1882 to work for the Detroit club and
had run a restaurant in Mt. Clemens
as we'll as working for tho u. e G.
Inc and the Michigan Central.
II would cut down the n la carte
prices AT the casino if ! had the con
tract" he says Then | would offer
good dinner for 20 cents. The in
creased business at the lower prices
would more than pay for the cutting
down Of the prices. / am sure.
Aid. Helneman Joined ia with Fret
valid and Thompson In their plan Of
city operation. saying that this would
safeguard good service.
CANADIAN CANAL CLOSES.
cATJIT STE MARIE Mich Doc