The Detroit times., 1910-02-10
Franchise Hunters Said To Have
Backing of Syndicate of Manu-
facturers, Who See Wonder
full Future For Village.
Annexation Will Be Opposed and Ex'
pansion Provided For BY Incor-
porating Surrounding Territory.

Nulle these franchises were lhAAb-
duced last week. there has been such
mystery about them that not even the
village officers seem TO be very Ia
miliar with their contents. They are
10 come up for third reading and on
order OF final passage without any pub
lie previous discussion whatever
To take effect, they must receive a
three-ffths vote OF the electors OF
the village at the village election in
March. This means a very short time
for discussion OF their provisions.
Arthur G. OConnor, one Of the APP
plicants for the franchises. is an at
torney who has handled some big deals
in Hamtramck real estate, has taken
a lively interest in bringing large fac
tories TO that place. and is generally
looked upon as having done as much
as any one man could TO promote the
remarkable industrial progress OF this
nearest suburb OF Detroit. Finn is a
bond dealer with Offices in the Bull
block, who has been active In fnan-
cirg village loans and is usually a
bidder on city bonds.
But few believe that these two men
intend, of their own resources, 10 build
street railways, and gas. electric light
ing. power and heating plants. And
none OF the villagers seems TO know
just who is behind them.
Is the ID. u. r. attempting 10 get ex-
tensions Of its lines In Hamtramck,
anticipating annexation TO the city. as
it did with the Jefferson line In Fair
view?
Are the other franchise rights to be
disposed of to the other big public
utility companies Of Detroit when
granted?
Hamtramck people do not seem to
know.
One story current is that a coterie
OF the big manufacturers who are To-
eating their plants In Hamtramck
have formed themselves into a syndi-
cate to build up an independent city
there, touching Detroit on the north
east and that they will furnish much
OF the capital behind the projects.
II have heard that the manufactur-
ers want to make Hamtramck a sep
arate city, annexing the rest OF the
township and fighting against annex
alton TO Detroit" stated President
Charles Geimer. OF Hamtramck. when
asked what he knew OF the franchise
proposals. "But one cannot tell. II
the manufacturers decide TO go into
the city, In we will go.
There is one thing certain. we need
improvements and IL is up 70 some one
TO start them. We have tried TO get
the ID. u. r. to grant us extensions
and better service, but they would not
even give us a shed for waiting
room. We have to pay five-cent fare
inside the village now. on the North
Detroit line, and another fare TO come
down town to Detroit. So we are not
going TO be any worse of If we grant
the new franchises, only we will have
two more lines. Perhaps the ID. U. r.
Is back OF the franchises. / don't
know.
Il do know that we must have cars
to carry the workingmen from Is fac
tories or more. The line we have now
is not enough and we will have TO do
something
What are the terms in the other
franchises? | don't know; but | I'M
derstand that We are 70 pay the same
rates that people in Detroit get. /
have appointed a committee TO look
that up The committee Will report
Thursday night"
President Geimer was not sure who
had the copies OF the franchises, but
believed that Clerk Henry NJ. Jacobs,
Jr., had them Jacobs proved 10 be
too elusive a person TO catch up with.
il is understood, however, that the
street railway franchise provides for
a straight fve-cent fare within the vii
lage limits and has no provisions for
transfers 10 the city lines In case the
d. u r. takes the franchise over. No
definite limit seems TO have been
placed upon the charges for gas and
electricity.
The southern and western portions
of Hamtramck are now virtually por-
lions OF Detroit, industrially, the ter
ritory being about as we'll built up on
one side of the boundary as on the
other. II is a matter of only a few
years until all this portion Of the vii
lage VIII be as solidly built up as
most of the city.
Yet, there are few improvements in
Hamtramck at the present time. With
a sure prospect OF a big population.
the village has mud streets and is but
partially lighted and severed as yet
II must get great many improve
ments all at once as soon as the fac.
completed, and the workingmen EN-
ployed therein move into the locality
Those franchises will be very profit
able investments II they pass the
council and the vote OF the people
later.
"Hamtramck needs improvements
and we are ready TO furnish them.
SAYS Arthur c. O'Connor. one OF the
applicants for the public utility fran.
chises. If the people want them, and
vote approval OF the franchise. we will
go ahead at once
"Mr Finn and myself are applying
on our own responsibility We are
very heavily interested In the village
and It's development. / know OF two
factories which have declined to To-
late there because the transportation
facilities arc insufficient for getting
labor TO and from their plants Since
we cannot get the service from the
city limits 10 carry workmen south. We
must have new lines to carry them
north TO the upper portion Of the vii
lage.
mo one but Mr.. Finn and myself are
interested in the street railway fran.
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