The Detroit times., 1911-07-24
BRICK BUSINESS
SERIOUS MATTER
AID. OWEN.
City Fathers Begin To Sit Up and
Take Notice-Will Inspect Balti-
more-Ave. Pavement.

81 believe that this brick business
is about the most serious thing that
has come before the council in maly
years, !" said Aid. George A Owen, be
fore the council committee on streets.
Monday morning. and think 1t can
not be investigated too thoroughly
have been away for few days, but
see by the papers that the members OF
the council are accused of passing
bills over the mayors veto, for rotten
brick, and that we, every one OF us,
ought to be defeated when we come up
again for election Now IL this COM
mittee Is passing bills under such
conditions, want to know 1t. | am
not a member of the committee, and
I want to know what Is going on. !
have voted 10 pay brick bills recon-
mended by the committee on streets,
because | had every confidence In the
ability and integrity of the members OF
the committee. But IL conditions are
as the newspapers point out. why. l
want to know 1t, that's ALL"
Aid. owen addressed the committee
In response to a few remarks by Aid.
Thomas Gilman, who offered an objec-
ton to a proposal of r. M. Adams, OF
the Detroit Vftrified Brick Co., that
the committee visit Baltimore-ave. and
inspect the pavement, a charge having
ben made that IL was disintegrating,
although down but three weeks.
II don't see that this committee has
any interest in making visit TO the
pavement" said Aid. Gilman. IF
Mr. Adams has any quarrel with a
newspaper which has insinuated that
the brick he supplied for Baltimore
ave. Is not as represented, then he
has redress through the courts. The
controversy doesn't interest this com
mittee."
!. Aid Brozo took the same stand as
Aid. Owen.
Il feel that this brick matter is one
In which the entire city is interest
ed" said Aid. Brozo Indeed, II the
situation Is as bad as the newspapers
point out. then I feel that / owe my
constituents an apology for my action
in assisting in the passing of bills for
bricks. II the conditions are not as
represented. then / think the mayor
owes the people OF the city an apology
for keeping back the city improve
ments. l have heard that the Balti-
more-ave. pavement is bad, and |, for
one, think that 1t is the duty OF this
committee to look into the matter. ("
Aid. Merritt thought that the entire
council. with the mayor, should make
the inspection.
Aid. Gilman had experienced a
change of heart by this time and he
offered resolution providing that the
council, mayor. city engineer and Com
missioner Haarer make an inspection
of the work Wednesday morning, leav-
ing the city hall In a ''rubberneck" at
9 a. m. The motion was unanimously
adopted.
Mr.. Adams assured the committee
that there was not the slightest found
alton for the charge that there was
anything wrong with the bricks which
went into the Baltimoreave. pave
ment.
II want to say to you gentlemen"
said Mr.. Adams to the committee,
that you would be negligent in your
duty towards the city IL you allowed
me any pay for the brick used In the
pavement, provided the brick was not
in perfect condition, and will go fur
Their and say that IL you find one-fifth
OF the story printed in the newspaper
Is true, that don't want you to give
me one cent. But I know that you
will find that the pavement is all
right"
Mayor Thompson told The Times,
Monday afternoon, that he would veto
the brick bills passed by the council
last week.
Il am not going 10 sanction the pay.
ment OF any brick bills said the
mayor, until know just what the
city is getting in return for It's money.
the tests not having been completed. /"