The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-06-16
ELECTRICIANS Ask
THATs30, 000v0TEO
ELks Be HELD UP
Tell Mayor Contracts for Decorations
Are Going To Chicago and Cincin-
natl, While Detroit Men Are
Begging For Work.
+. s. Burgess Says Press of Tine
Makes Letting of Some Contracts
To Outsiders Necessary.

tricians, through Secretary Fred s.
Thompson, has sent a letter~to Mayor
Breitmeyer protesting agains. the
employment OF outside electricians on
the street decorations for the coming
Elks reunion, the expense 10 be paid
out OF the $4,000 raised by the city
and which comes out OF the pockets
OF the taxpayers. Mr.. Thomson repre-
sents that local firms were given no
opportunity to bid on the work.
though electricians are walking the
streets I'm search OF work. His as
ISOLATION was prepared 70 furnish, on
10 days notice. fegloon work for III
miles OF streets. he says. The mayor
Is asked 10 take some action In the
matter
f. S. Burgess, chairman OF the
Elks' executive committee. declares
that there was no intention 10 slight
the local electricians. IL was found
necessary TO let the contract for some
OF the work to outsiders because OF
circumstances over which the Elks
had no control. he says.
"Other cities have had from three
TO five months TO prepare FOR Elks
reunion in the past. Mr.. Burgess
stated. Thursday morning. I'VE were
delayed in getting our appropriation
and, consequently. the time allowed
In which to get our decorations ready
has been greatly curtailed. To rush
the work through in time for the
opening OF the reunion We had to go
TO the biggest concerns in the coun-
try. which make specially OF these
Jobs. 'Ehe Elblight system, which Is
being used in the decoration scheme,
Is controlled by one man and We were
Obliged 10 go TO him OF run the risk
OF not being ready for the opening OF
the convention.
III there are any electricians beg
ging for work | have not heard Of
them, and IL that Is true they are the
only class OF workmen know OF who
have pot been able 10 secure employ
ment AS matter OF fact. the local
firms have not been ignored. II. ".
Buelow. No. 100 Michigan-ave.. has the
contract for the big arch TO be erected
at Woodward and Jefferson-aves., on
which work has already started. and
the electrical work on this arch will
be done by local workmen. The cleo
trical illumination OF the business
houses OF the city will also provide
work for the Detroit electricians and
we have offered prizes aggregating
$1,000 for the express purpose OF
securing az fine a showing as possible
In this particular"
Mr. Thomsons letter to the mayor
follows:
Detroit. Mich. June Is. 1910.
Hon. Philip Breitmeyer,
Mayor or Detroit, City.
Dear Sir. On behalf OF the
Association OF Practical Electri-
clans OF the city OF Detroit, | am
calling your attention to what we
consider the greatest slur eve-
cast upon a profession in this fair
and booming city OF Detroit. Some
time ago the city council voted
$4,000 TO the society of Elks, To
be spent for the decorating and
beautifying Of our city for the
coming convention, that the visit
ing members OF their brotherhood
as well as the many tourists who
touch on our shores. might feel
the warmth, and spirit. which the
city of Detroit can extend to their
guests On such an occasion
We appreciate the feeling ex-
tended to these guests, and for the
handsome gift 80 generously do
mated the society Of Elks. for this
grand purpose and display. But
we resent this money being spent
In Chicago and Cincinnati when
II should have been spent at home:
What a feeling II will be for the
men in our profession, TO stand by
and watch the workmen from
these outside cities, decorate our
streets. and take the bread out or
our mouths. when some stipula-
ton should have been made, that
this money be spent at home. We
have men begging for work every
day, and there are many Idle cleo
tricians In this city at the present
time
| personally am In position to
know, that proposals for contract
for this work were never asked
for in this city. while every con-
tractor OF note should have been
given an opportunity TO get some
of this work which has been let
outside. The firms that this asso-
citation represents were In a posi-
ton to furnish. on ten days
notice. festooning for ten miles OF
your streets, but the opportunity
never came, and we feel as a
whole that this money should be
held up. untli the committee Which
has the letting and awarding OF
this work In charge. explains and
gives reasons why this money was
not left in Detroit We have jusS
as competent men in this city as
you will find either In Chicago or
Cincinnati, and we feel that
great injustice has been done both
TO the taxpayers and electricians
at large In the city OF Detroit.
Hoping that some steps may be
taken TO overcome this feeling
and resentment that at present
exists, we remain,
Very truly yours.
ASSOCIATION OF PRACTICAL
FL ECTRICTANS