The Detroit times., 1911-08-08
Who COMPOSE The
BELLE ISLE AUTO /
COMPANY?
Commissioner Hurlbut Admits He
Knows Nothing Of Personnel q
Concern Holding Privilege Yield
ing 500 Week Income.
City Loses Thousands Of Dollars By
Delay in Buying Buses for which
Money Is Voted.
who eonstItute. the BELLE IsIe Au.o

Who constitute the Belle Isle Auto
Co.?
Park Commissioner Hu. lbut says he
doesn't know. although the company
Is operating seven or more motor
busses between Belle Isle and the
bridge approach and around the island.
doing business in excess OF 500
week.
Capt. Harry Busch, secretary OF the
department Of parks and boulevards.
processes to be equally In the dark.
The question came up in q discus
sion among several aldermen after
meeting OF the council COMMITTEES on
parks and boulevards, Tuesday morn
Ing. In the meeting, Aid. Lynch took
Commissioner Hurlbut 10 task for
holding on on the purchase Of the two
additional auto busses allowed by the
estimators last spring for the Belle
Isle service. and II transpised that the
machines will not be ready for use
this year at ALL
do you know anyone In the employ
OF the city who Is connected with the
Belle Isle Auto Coz" was one Of the
questions Aid. Lynch shot at tho COM
missioner during the meeting. The
commissioners replied that he did not.
When the meeting broke mp Aid.
Lynch declared that he would start
an investigation TO find out Just who
are the individuals tnterss-si in the
concern.
A party OF newspaper men put the
question square1y up to Commissioners
Hurlbut and his secretary. Neither
could tell who the ofiicers OF the come
pany were.
DO you mean to say thai you don't
know with whom you are doing busi-
ness7' the commissioner was asked.
why should I know who the ON
GERS aref" he replied. rather testify.
DO you fellows know the directorn
of your papers? We have no contract
with the Belle Isle Auto Co. this year
except q verbal contract. The com-
Ipany Is there on suffrance, from d.
to day. We can order them to get
out any time"
But whom do you 10 business
with7"
Our arrangement is with the man
ager."
who Is her"
"A man named Shea"
What's his first name?r
II couldn't tell you that
How do you spell IT,"
II think it's Shea"
mo, It's S-h-a-y--Grover Shay put
In an attache Of the Office, holding up
recent report from the manager to
the concern.
The commissioner and his secretary
consulted the city directory for fur
ther enlightenment as to the officers
OF the auto concern, but without re-
suit. The best they could do was to
dig up a 1909 letter head from the
files, but II gave no information OF
any value at the present time.
For the privilege OF operating its
busses on the island and the approach
the company pays the city q commis-
sion of per cent on the gross re-
ceipts. This averages about S1l =
week. which Is not enough. to pay one
OF the two ticket takers employed by
the city. The two auto busses operated
by the city bring In upwards OF $500
per week, A large share OF the profits
that now go into the Golfers OF the
Belle Isle Auto CO., whoever that 10,
would go to the city II the other two
busses for which $1,000 was appropri-
ated by the estimators, were now In
commission.
Commissioner Huribut's excuse to
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