The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-26
EXPERTS ABSENCE
THROWS APPRAISAL
IN THE AIR +"
Board Insists It's Impossible To Pro-
coed Without Bancroft or His
Equal" and Adjournment Is Taken
Until Wednesday Morning.
In Meantime "Fifty's" Attorneys
Search for Expert To Back Up the
Appraisal Figures.

appointed To determine the value OF
! the Detroit United Railways property
within the city Of Detroit, 10 defend
the appraisal he made for the commit
/ Tee OF fifty. has thrown the-eeHffitt-
| tee high in the air Barcroft's at
titude threatens to seriously interfere
with the progress of the arbitration
| hearings for the members of the
board are unanimous In declaring
| that the board will not proceed un-
less Bancroft "or his equal appears
before the board TO assist the "fifty's'
| representatives in presenting the
| committees side of the controversy.
| With this announcement. the arbi-
/ traitors adjourned at ll:20 Monday
morning. after brief opening SEES
/ sion in the council chamber. TO meet
again Wednesday morning. at $3.50
O'clock COURTROOM No. in the
county building. In the meantime At
| torneys CLYDE l. Webster and l.. c.
! Stanley. VINO represent the commit
tee of fifty. will endeavoT TO secure
/ Mr.. Barcroft's services. and failing
| in this, will try TO get someone in his
/ place. which will he a difficult task.
/ Wen get Bancroft, never fear,
said Mayor Breitmeyer. hopefully.
( Bancroft Says He Won't Appear.
Mr. Bancroft. on the other hand, de-
! clares emphatically: II will not APP
I pear before the arbitration board UNI
/ der any circumstances. And this
notwithstanding the fact that one OF
7 his objections, that the y. I. X nad
/ not agreed TO accept the boards find
| ings. has been swept away
| II would be extremely remiss in my
/ duty az a citizen 10 lend myself to
any scheme o. purpose that the city
/ has not expressed its opinion or APP
/ proval of, said Bancroft to The
/ Times Under the committees di-
rection, ! appraised the ID. L. r.. as
/ Il going concern. which ii was at the
! time the appraisal was made. Condi-
! tons are vastly different now. Since
! the appraisal was completed fran
chises have expired on some 90 miles
of track, including many of the prin.
! cipal fve-cent lines. The value of
the company's property at the present
! time depends on what plan the city
decides to follow with reference TO
/ the street car controversy. The city
has not decided whether il will follow
the rental plan. the rate.making plan.
the purchase plan. or will grant a
renewal of the franchises. and until
then I would not be in a position TO
take definite stand in the matter
Conditions Have Changed.
Under present conditions. when
it's franchise rights in 6S miles OF
streets have expired. the ID. u. X. Ger
tainly is not entitled to have It's
property appraised on the basis OF a
going concern The appraisal com
mittee tried 10 tell the general com
mittee that, but was not permitted to
do so When the committee of fifty
repudiated the appraisal committee
and its recommendations ii told all
OF us that its whole purpose was to
give the q. L. X another franchise
regardless, To which am thoroughly
opposed.
Attorney Webster may attempt to
secure the services - one of the ex
perts employed by Nj. Bancroft. but IL
| is extremely doubtful whether any OF
these men would consent to act They
are all personal friends OF Mr.. Bar
croft and came here without compen.
sation TO assist him in the appraisal
work So the probabilities are that
these men would be inclined TO stand
! by Bancroft and his attitude. and that
the committee will have TO look else.
where for assistance If ii expects TO
proceed with the arbitration hearing.
The vicious attack made by Chair
man Eddy. OF the fifty" on Mr. Bar
croft is another thing that stands in
the way OF Bancroft or any of his lieu
tenants serving
After Mr. Eddy's attack on me. so
vicious. so false and SO personally
damaging OF me, 1t would be impcs-
sible for me to have anything further
TO do with the committee OF fifty" says
| Bancroft
Contrary to expectations, only a
small crowd was present at the open
| ing of the arbitration session. Mayor
| Breitmeyer and a few city officials
were present: Attorney Clyde |. Web
ster was accompanied by Attorney l..
C.. Stanley, and President Jere G..
Hutchins. and General Manager F. w.
| Brooks OF the ID. L. r., were I'm evil
dence, with their attorneys. John c.
Donnelly, William H. Carpenter, and
Charles ID. Joslyn
X. Is. Rifenberick, chief consulting
engineer for the ID. u. r., was also on
hand
AT the very outset the ID. u. X. arbi.
tration commission discovered that the
council chamber was not suited to its
purposes, when the three members,
| Judge James .. Muffin, OF Detroit:
Judge Robert w. Tayler, of Cleveland,
and ex-Justice Claudius b. Grant OF
Lansing, gathered for the opening ses-
sion Monday morning. The poor
acoustic qualities OF the room and the
absence OF a witness stand were the
| principal objections Judge Murhn
suggested that The court be trans
ferred to the county building, and this
was decided upon.
Judge Grant -Presides.
The arbitrators took their. places on
the rostrum at $40 Judge Grant pre-.
siding at the request of his col
/ leagues. He announced that he had
been selected TO preside throughout
! the session. He made II plain that
/ they would act as impartial judges OF
the facts as presented TO them, and
stated that Judge Tayler had consent.
ed to act with them only on that un.
Outstanding
II want 10 ask now" he continued.
IF our findings are 20 be hnal?"
$50 I understand" said attorney
Chas. ID. Joslyn. one OF those represent.
ing the ID. U. r.
Il