The Detroit times., 1911-04-27
Incensed At Committee Voting $780,
600 For Northwestern High School,
Barnett Faction Will Attack
Increases For Teachers.
Chairman Eddie" Insists That One
Item Or the Other Must Be
Topped Of.

lhCTeaSeS III ledCutrS SdidiiCS,
which may also involve the increases
granted the firemen and policemen,
allowed by the board in committee OF
the whole.
licensed over the action of the COM
mittee in charge Of the board Of edu-
cation fund, Tuesday night. in allow.
ing the item of S280,000 for the pro-
posed Northwestern high school on
the Ferry site after promising. 80
President Barnett declares, to cut II
out, Barnett Is determined to put IL
up to the board as a whole to decide
between the new school and the
teachers increases. Accordingly, Es-
timator Harry Dingeman. strong
Barnett supporter, has decided TO put
In a minority report, recommending
that the items Of $113,350 for salary
increases and $280,00O for the school
be cut out and that the items OF ST.
900 for the purchase Of a lot adjoin-
ing the Trowbridge school and OF
$4,000 for an addition to the Rus
sell school, both of which were cut
out by the committee, be reinstated
The fight is likely to be along fac
tional lines, for Barnett holds Esti-
mator Backus, whom he defeated for
president. largely responsible for the
allowance of the high school item by
the committee.
IF that school is allowed, then the
salary increase for the teachers has
got to go by the board" declared
Barnett, Wednesday noon. ITS either
one or the other When | agreed to
support the salary increase 1t was
with the distinct understanding that
the s2S0,000 asked for the high
school was not to be allowed Then
majority Of the committee, led by
Backus, goes right in and votes to
allow IT, Is there anything square
about that? Well. guess not, and
just watch me rip 'em up the back
when this matter comes before the
board. II that crowd thinks it can
get away with anything like that,
it's very much mistaken"
Should the two factions fail to
reach \ compromise on the PROPOSE
ton and the salary question be open
ed up, there Is no telling where it
would end. While the minority re-
port TO be submitted by Estimator
Dingeman calls for the cutting out or
both the high school and the teach
ers' increases, Dingeman takes the
same position that Barnett does and
is willing to vote for the salary in
creases II the other item is chopped.
II the majority of the committee in
sists on the $2SO,000 item, both may
be cut out, Barnett says.
A tax rate Of SIS or less Is not
only possible but probable from pres
ent indications. There Is good req
son to believe, and the information
comes from authoritative sources,
that the increased valuation this year
will be not far from $40 100000 This
will mean a total valuation of $397,-
335.9S0, approximately. The budget
allowed by the committee OF the
board OF estimates, estimating the
general road fund at $2,090.O00, now
stands at s7.159,131.S5. On this basis,
and taking the estimated increase in
valuation into consideration, the tax
rate would be $1S.03.
1t Is almost certain that the bud
get, as finally submitted. will be cou-
siderably less than the figure quoated,
$7159,131.S5. Either the $2S0,O00 al
lowed for the Northwestern high
school or the s113,359 allotted for
increases In the teachers salaries will
come of this sum, If, President Bar
nett has his way. An attempt may
also be made to cut the number or
new policemen to be allowed Com
missioner Croul down u 100, although
the board, in committee of the whole,
allowed $50.
In estimating the general road fund
at $2,000,000, the cuts are figured at
$5S6,000, which is understood to be
very close 10 the actual figures. the
report being secret. Some of the
members look for still further cut
of about 100000 in this fund.
President Barnett will oppose any
effort to reduce the number OF new
patrolmen below $50 men, and he eX-
pressed the opinion, Wednesday, that
any such attempt would fail. Bar
nett received highly complimentary
letter from President Milton A. Nc
Rae, OF the Board of Commerce, We'd
nesday morning, thanking him for his
good work on behalf of the police
department fund in Monday nights
session of the estimators. The letter
follows:
want to thank you for the
splendid service you rendered the
police department at the board OF
estimates last evening, and hope
and trust that you will exercise
your influence at the final meet
ing OF the board, so that the police.
department may have sufficient
funds to protect the city OF De-
troit as II should be protected
In behalf of the Board OF Com
merce,I want TO thank you for the
services you rendered and also as
sure you of my personal apprecia-
ton of your efforts.
II feel very proud or That letter,
said Eddie" to The Times. You
know, some people thought that be-
cause | was n saloon keeper ! would
not treat the police department fair
ly"
Mayor Thompson believes that the
estlmators should not allow Commits
sioner Croul more than 100 new men
at the outside, and would be better
pleased II the number were reduced
to as. Tuesday afternoon he sent tel
egrams to the mayors OF seven Of the
principal cities in Detroit's class ask
ing for information as TO the cost
and extent OF their police depart
ment, the population and area OF the
cities, etc. Each replied promptly.
Tho rnavor had tho inflammation tabu-