The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-10-12
COUzENS ORDERS BRICK
THAT THOMPSON REJECT'
Chairman of Investigating Com
mittee Thinks Medal o. K
Report Coming Soon.

While Mayor Thompson has reject
ed Medal block, ordered by the de.
partment OF public works for paving
purposes, on the ground that II shows
an abrasion Of more than 21 per cent
In the rattler test, the brick Is good
enough for the Ford Motor Co. viii
Thomas. the local agent OF the Deck
man-Duty Brick Co., manufacturers or
Medal block, has received a large
order from the Ford company through
James CouEens, who is chairman OF
the special committee of the Board
OF Commerce. appointed to investigate
the paving question. In the investi.
CATION. the committee learned about
all there is to be learned about brick.
Mr.. Thomas charges that the mayor
has been unfair in arbitrarily fixing
the limit Of abrasion at Fl per cent.
The other cities insisting on q stand
ard as low as that. do not use the
same kind Of rattler as Detroit uses,
he says. .t. -. ....., +.
The brick stringency, owing to the
mayors vetoes, has placed Thomas in
rather an odd position. The alley back
OF Seminole-ave,, where he has his
home, 10 among the paving Jobs laid
out by the department. OF public works,
but Thomas. though he % agent for q
number or brick makers who have
contracts with the city. cannot secure
brick TO complete this job, In which
he ID personally interested. Ship
ments OF brick were resumed for a
time, on the understanding that the
city would pay the freight bills, but
the mayor Is vetoing these bills. too,
and the chances are that the ship
ments will stop again. Several paving
jobs are still held up for lack Of ma.
terial
The special paving committee OF
the Board OF Commerce Is now one
Of the standing committees OF that
body. President McRae having re-
organization at least until the close
of his administration next April. The
committee will take an active inter
est In the work Of the board of esti.
mates next spring. The committee
will. meet Friday to start work on its
paving report. In the meantime, f.
II. Macpherson & Co., expert account.
ants, have been engaged to look up
some special data In the department
Of public works. Public Works Com.
missioner Haarer threw = his books
wide open and told the -secountants
they could 60 as far as they pleased.
Chairman. CouZens, of the commit
tee, says that Commissioner Haarer
will be given a clean bill OF health In
the committee report as far as sus-
picion OF crookedness I'm his conduct
Of the department is concerned. but
there will be considerable criticism
OF some Of the methods In vogue In
the department While he has fol.
lowed the practices OF his predeces-
sors. the blame for the partial inef-
fciency OF the department must fall
ON him. Mr.. Couzens says.
I'VE find that Mr.. Haarer is an hon
est, hard-working public Official. but
there are many methods In vogue In
his offlce that need shaking up" Is
the way Mr. Couzens puts II. Some
OF the things we shall criticise. how
ever. are not the fault Of the commits
sioner but of the laws under which
he operates and OF insufficient appro-
priations."
The committee has sent a communi-
cation to the common council asking
that body to look into the question OF
whether sheet asphalt IL desirable
having material for resurfacing the
boulevard before deciding on It's use.