The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-01
DICK" JOY POKEs
FUN At VERNON
Makes Humorous Answer To Alder
mans Opposition To Good Roads
Bonding Scheme.


aid. Vernon has produced a be.
wildering mass of figures which he
says proves that the good roads bond
ing proposition will be more costly
than the present slow system OF fin
ishing the good roads which are so
vital 10 the development OF Wayne
county and Detroit" said Richard p.
Joy, former controller of Detroit, for
mer member of the Wayne county
board of supervisors. and now presi-
dent OF the National Bank OF Com
MERGE.
AN analysis of Aid. Vernon 8
figures would indicate that his desire
for the advancement of Detroit and
Wayne county will be thoroughly
satisfied II in 1922, or later, the pres
ent system OF road building has pro-
duced 255 miles of good roads.
Using Aid. Vernor's own figures
and am not impressed with their ac-
curacy or fairness-he is prepared to
throw away many years Of develop;
ment through the benefits OF COM
plete system of good roads at a time
when. If we are to Judge by Detroit's
progress in the past decade, the city
will be spreading out into the county
at a wonderful rate Under the bond
ing plan the 255 miles OF good roads
will be completed within FIVE years
and the taxpayers OF Wayne county
will have had the use of these roads
for from six to ten years while they
would have been waiting for Aid. Yer
nor to build them under his archaic
method of development
AID. Vernor's figures show a main
tenarce charge OF $454,0 under the
bonding proposition, which he insists
will be more costly than under the
present plan. OF course il will! II
there were no good roads, 1t wouldn't
cost a penny to maintain them! II
costs more for Aid. Vernon to main
tain his big ginger-ale shop and his
innumerable tanks, bottles and
glasses.-than II did to maintain one
little soda fountain and a few dozen
glasses in his small store at Wood
ward-ave. and Clifford-st Is or 20
years ago. But does Aid. Vernon be-
grudge the extra cost OF keeping hun
dreds of dozens of glasses clean? Not
while the clean glasses are earning
him a constantly-increasing pile of
nickels. No more should he fuss and
fidget over the cost of keeping up
255 miles of roads that are constantly
earning money for all the citizens by
enabling them to save on the cost OF
transportation OF themselves and all
the infinite variety OF food and mater
ials necessary for the sustenance
and comfort of these citiZens-the
same citizens who pay Aid. Vernon a
good salary to look after their pres.
ent needs and who are prosperous
enough to buy Aid Vernor's ginger
ale
IF Aid. Vernon is sincere in his
criticism of the bond issue, he must,
TO be consistent. close his ginger-ale
shop and dispose of most of his
glasses because II costs more to
maintain them than it would If he
had fewer glasses.
IF he is consistent, he must fight
against any extension of water mains,
because they are no more permanent
than the indestructible concrete roads
for which he objects to issuing bonds.
He must also object to building any
more sewers or street car lines be-
cause OF the cost of maintaining them
and because of the interest on the
bonds. He must object to building
schools and libraries upon bonds, be-
cause these buildings are no more
permanent than the concrete roads.
ITO carry Aid Vernor's arguments
to their logical but absurd conclusion,
all public works must cease: Detroit g
development must be retarded; new
factories must be sent somewhere
else; the present factories must not
enlarge; labor must be idle and De-
troit must deteriorate into a Sleepy
Hollow where no wheels OF industry
may turn, where no hammer may
clang upon the anvil, lest Aid. Vernon
be disturbed in his canny calculations
of what II might cost to run Detroit,
II Detroit prove too big and busy a
city to be frightened by his pessimis-
tic lack of faith in its future"
Hammers Away On Good Roads.
George S. Laid, the national good
roads orator, spoke on the good roads
bonding proposition to the employees
of the Burroughs Adding Machine Co.
and the Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co.,
Monday noon, impressing upon his
audience the certain advantage to De-
troiters by having good roads to de-
crease the cost of hauling food stuffs
to market.