The Detroit times., 1910-06-07
FIFTY THR0NsDP
HANDS; ASKS TO
Be RELIEVED
In Letter To Council the COMMITTEES
Places Blame for Failure Of Axhi-
tration Plan ON Carcroft's Re-
fusal To Defend Report.
Asks Mayor and Aldermen TO Iake
Up Work and Suggests Three
Plans of Procedure. "a.

AS predicted In The Times several
days ago, the committee of ffty han
thrown up its hands. In an exhano-
tive report TO be submitted 10 the
common council. Tuesday evening.
along with a report signed by Attor-
ney Clyde l. Webster and Engineer,
Frederick w. Walker. the executive
committee Of the fifty" which II now
the entire body to. all intents and pur~
poses, asks to be relieved Of further
responsibility In the matter. At the
same time the committee holds itself
In readiness To perform any further
work the council may direct.
Three plans OF procedure are sug-
gested by the committee. One IL that
the mayor and council proceed with
the hearing before the present board
OF arbitrators, with Mr.. Bancroft IN
charg of the engineering work for the
city, which is manifestly impossiblo
in view of Mr.. Barcroft's previous
stand. The second plan suggests that
appropriation be made for q new ap-
praisal, which also Is out OF the Quen-
ton. The third plan suggests the ap-
pointment of valuation board OF
three engineers, one to be selected by
the city, another by the Detroit United
railway and the third by these two.
the engineers to have power to call in
such experts as they may deem necos-
sary, the expense to be borne equally
by the city and the company.
While 1t does not say SO In plain
terms. the committee intimates that
1t considers the third plan the best
OF the three. Moreover, Ii Is declared
hn a x.<tl - A.
plan IL 1t Is found impossible to pro-
coed with the arbitration hearings.
The reportp laces all the blame for
the failure OF the arbitration plan ON
Engineer Bancroft. whose refusal to
assist the committee In the arbitra-
ton hearings Is strongly denounced.
The report, prepared after Engineer
Walker and Attorney Webster had
presented THERE to the committee,
starts out by citing the resolution
passed by the council Jan. IS. author
izing the committee of fifty to pro-
coed with the arbitration. The his
tory OF the arbitration board is re-
viewed briefly and the report contin.
ues:
Because Of the unfortunate, de-
plorable and to our minds wholly In
excusable conduct of Mr.. Bancroft.
who made the appraisal for us and
In whom We placed the fullest comb
dence at the time of securing hts
services, and who we consider was
violated this confidence and what we
believed to be pledges and promises
to defend his work, we have found II
impossible to proceed with these hear
ings and arbitration. This book OF
Mr.. Barcroft's we find, is SO arranged
as to be valuable to no one except
Mr.. Bancroft.
I'm order therefore that the money
that has bee nspent shall not be lost
and In order that the work done shall
be made valuable and useful to the
people of the city OF Detroit, whom we
all have the honor to represent, we
suggest and recommend that the com
mon council relieve us of the obliga-
ton imposed upon us by resolution OF
Janu. IS, 1910, and that the mayor and
the common council proceed to give
the Detroit United Railway a hearing
with Mr.. Bancroft In full charge OF
the engineering part OF the work. and
Corporation Counsel Hally In full
charge of the legal part of the work
before the present board of arbitra-
ton II possible. in the members OF
which board we all have the utmost
confidence. or before any other board
OF arbitration. OF In any other manner
satisfactory to Mr.. Bancroft, Mr.. Hally
and yourselves.
I'VE believe that all the objections
raised by Mr.. Bancroft in his efforts
to find an excuse for refusing to de-
fend his own work before an impair
tial board of arbitration have already
been removed. but surely with your
selves conducting the hearing and
with Mr. Bancroft In full charge sub
ject to your approval. he will have
left no excuse for not proceeding. We
assure you that we have come to this
conclusion 10 ask you TO proceed with
the hearing and relieve us or this OBJ
legation only after every possible other
course has been analysed carefully and
found impracticable. having In mind
and at heart always the best interests
or the city"