The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-30


to finish its work on the BUDGET
the sewers committee presented q
report, cutting out the $4,000
asked for = pumping station In
FasrvIew. The committee ex-
planned that the amount was not
property ItcmIxed and that whom
u had been sont back to the coun-
Gil this defect was not remedied.
At this session the board will decide
whether II will give the council au-
thority to bond the city for $l25.0OO
for voting machines. The general
road fund report. covering all matters
OF paving and street and alley clean.
Ing and repair, with mass of smaller
matters appertaining to the streets,
will be disposed of also.
The budget will be finally approved
Friday night and indications are that
the tax levy will be In excess of So
zoe. 600 and the tax rate around $3.50.
Most Of the time Thursday evening 9
session. which lasted until 11:15, was
taken up with speeches on voting ma
chimes. Estimator Synder, chairman
OF the general fund committee, led the
fight for the adoption of the machines.
and sentiment among the members
who spoke was largely In his favor.
Snyder replied to laws az to the con-
stituti0nality of the use of the ma
chimes, showing that the matter had
been positively passed on in the AFFIRM
alive by Michigan courts. Estimator
Andrus said that he would not be In
fayOr2 Of voting In a hurry TO buy the
Machines but that he believed IL was
necessary to put the city In position
now to buy them In time for next
years election.
Controller Doremus was called upon
and, while declaring himself In favor
Of machines, made an urgent plea that
no bonds be issued to pay for them,
arguing that doing so might shut the
city OF from bonding later for neces-
sary schools and sewers. The bond
ing law, he asserted. had been put
through the legislature at the instiga-
ton Of the voting machine companies.
Not until after a charter revision con-
vention has been called and its work
approved can the bonding limit be
raised, he asserted. The final argu-
ment was that, inasmuch as machines
purchased now might be inadequate
1C years hence. 1t would be better tn
spread q small sum on the tax rolls
now to purchase few machines and
experiment with them.
Estimator SCHNEIDER and Frisch
both declared that they did not think
one machine to q precinct would al
low of everyone voting. Estimators
Brown, Ferguson, Wobrock and Robin.
son all made addresses in favor Of the
bond issue. Then Aid. Gilman took
the Aeef- and made long and very
effective speech In which he showed
the care that had been taken by the
council and promised that greater
care would be taken before any
machines are purchased, adding that
any company getting the contract
would have to give bonds to suppl,
the city with all improvements to the
machines.
o. NJ Myers, representative OF a vot
ing machine concern. then took the
floor and expatiated upon the virtues
of these vote-recording devices. As
the hour was late, the vote was adj
journed until Friday afternoon so that
President E. A. Sumner. OF the Board
of Commerce, can speak IN opposition
to purchase Of the machines.
The park budget was passed Thurs
day night with very little amendment
The committee voluntarily increased
its estimate for preparing the new
Belle Isle bathing beach. All salary
increases were defeated. An item OF
81, 500 for improving Voigt Park was
raised to $4,000 after a little debate.
The general road fund report allows
81, 383,1O7, a cut Of $6S7,1G1 from the
estimates for that fund as they passed
the council The item for an iron
bridge at Fourteenth-st. Is cut out. al
though Commissioner Haarer declares
that he will close the present bridge
as unsafe. The creosoting plan Is also
disallowed.
Another unsuccessful fight was
made by Estimator Miller for new
school to relieve the Bellfontaine and
Gillies schools