The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-10
.EsTIMATORS
BEG|h PRUNING
Committees on Repaving and Resr'
facing Start on Tour of Streets To-
day-Mayor Sharply Questioned.

The first effort OF the board OF esti-
mates members 10 g> appropriations
within the two per cent limit set by
Mayor Thompson and Corporation
Counsel Hally, was made by the
committee on streets, which started
out at / o'clock, Monday afternoon.
The members assigned to resurfacing
and 10 repaying are working together
and are accompanied by Public Works
Commissioner Haarer. They will go
over all the streets marked by the
common council committee as needing
to be remedied. They Will allow the
worst OF them and cut out the rest.
The early start Is made to enable
Commissioner Haarer TO start work
on some OF the repaving jobs as soon
as possible, borrowing the money In
advance of the appropriation.
President Milton A. McRae OF the
Board OF Commerce has appointed the
following committees OF one TO CO.
perate with the various committees
of the board of estimates: with eau
cational committee, George w. Bates;
lighting committee, j. e. Goss; nre
committee, Frank II. Bessinger; water
committee, c. 8. Hannah; police com.
mittee, r. NJ. Grindley; parks and
boulevard committee, Wilbur Brother
ton; ID. p. W. committee, A. II. Finn
These committees will be added to
as necessary, and will have the co.
operation OF President Barnett and
the cher estimators.
The meeting held In the mayors
office. Saturday afternoon, in response
TO a call sent out by his honor, deyel-
oped into one of the most interesting
sessions ever held in the executive
Offices. Every department OF the city
government was represented. others
present were the chairmen of the vari-
GUS committees OF the board OF esti-
mates, President Barnett, representa-
tives OF the Board OF Commerce and
citizens.
Mayor Thompson and Corporation
Counsel Hally contended that the
Hally opinion entailed no hardships,
but Commissioner Haarer, Superin-
tendent of Schools Martindale, Con-
troller Heineman and others showed
an unwillingness TO accept this dictum
without q sharp contest
The mayor read figures, which have
been given out at various times, TO
show that balances have been carried
over from year TO year, which mighS
better be used up. He said that the
department OF public works had mon
ey still on hand for sewers, and that
the city engineer had told him the
department could not use up more
than 5000 900 year for this purpose.
He said that the board OF education
had money for schools for which no
site had been purchased.
Commissioner Haarer and Supt.
Martindale replied, Haarer saying that
In cases where sewers had not been
built, ii was because OF special rea-
sons, as in one case where an appro-
priation had been made for section
of sewer above the outlet before the
outlet section was allowed.
Controller Heineman said that OF
the s., O00O 900 in unexpended balances,
which the mayor said was in the city
treasury, the fact was that only $10,-
900 was available for running ex-
penses, the rest being tied up for
work that had been contracted for.
Estimator A. +. Gordon, OF the
Fourth ward, asked the mayor some
pointed questions as to his attitude
on teachers salaries and other mat
tiers. The mayor replied that sal
aries were not up TO him.
Corporation Counsel Hally said that
the only way the estimators could get
away from the two per cent limit was
to get a special act of the legislature.
Estimator Andrus announced that he
would put In resolution Monday
night, asking the Legislature to pass
such an act, and would ask that a
committee take the resolution TO
Lansing and have 1t rushed through
before the close of the legislature.
At the first regular meeting of the
board of estimates, Saturday night,
the quizzing OF the mayor was con-
tinued, Estimator Gorden taking a
leading part. AS result, the session,
which ordinarily lasts about five min.
utes, continued over an hour.