The Detroit times., 1911-10-23

discuss plan whereby the company
eoHid- continue to- operate -its-eafs
pending the advent of municipal own
ership. without continual litigation
and on terms tnat would be satisfac-
tory 10 the peorie. The mayors one
idea In this regard was TO do the
great good TO the greatest number by
securing as low rate OF fare as
possible. His slogan was the familiar
cry or The first Thompson campaign,
'Three-cent fares for all the people
all the time" and he has just about
made good.
Whenever the company made de-
mmd for this or for that concession,
the mayor and his advisors weighed
the proposition carefully and re-iter-
ated their demands for cheaper fares.
His honor took the position that II
he could not give the people some I'M
mediate and substantial benefits In
the way OF lower fares he would take
nothing away.
I'VE don't have to settle, you know
he declared repeatedly, reminding the
company that the city held the whip.
Shoulder 10 shoulder with the
mayor throughout these months OF
planning. arguing. figuring and hght'
ing for the peoples rights, stood Cor
poration Counsel p. j. M. Hally, who
has zealously guarded the citys inter.
ests through two administrations ana
part OF a third, and through the thicK
OF the bitter warfare that has been
waged over the street car question.
His trained legal mind and his broad
conception OF the whole question at
issue were invaluable aids to the
mayor.
In the latter part OF the negotia-
tions. the mayor and Mr.. Haliy
brought to their command the ripe
experience and expert knowledge OF
A. B. du Pont, now OF Cleveland, put
well-known in Detroit as the former
general manager of the local railway
system. Mr.. du Pont had been all
through the late Tom l.. Johnsons up
hill fight for three-cent fares In
Cleveland and was made president OF
Jol nson's erstwhile three-cent line,
when II was finally established
Mr.. du Points advice was first
sought by the mayor In connection
with the paving feature OF the plan,
for this was a matter that required
great deal OF consideration from a
techni,... adpoint, and Mr.. dn Pout
was hit upon as just the man to sup
ply that knowledge. The mayor made
several trips to Cleveland TO consult
with him: hence those mysterious"
bills which City Controller Heineman
refused to pay because the mayor
would not tell him at that time
exactly how they were incurred.
These bills, by the way. are still un-
paid.
Mayor Engages du Pont.
Later the mayor, on his own re-
sponsibility, engaged Mr.. du Pont TO
come here and act as one OF the citys
direct representatives in the negotia-
tions. taking a chance on the council
paying the bill when an agreement
was reached OF this there seems to
be no question, for Mr.. du Pont has
played a most important part In the
settlement He arrived here Sept. 10,
the day before the street car strike,
and his coming was timely. for II was
du Pont, il now transpires, who frst
suggested the conference in the may.
or,s office, between the mems and the
company's representatives, which re-
suited In the speedy settlement and
started the wheels moving again the
next morning.
Mr.. du Pont knew just what the ef-
feet OF long -drawn-out street car
strike would have on the people
when they came. finally, to vote on
a settlement plan, for he had seen the
direful results Of one In Cleveland.
There the strike defeated the security
grant, made failure OF Tom John
sons municipal railway and, in Mr..
du Points opinion, was largely respon-
sible for the defeat of Tom l.. John
son the last time he ran for mayor.
So Mr.. Gu ont lost no time In getting
to the mayor that eventful morning.
Get these people together by all
means and don't let them get away
until this strike is settled. he said
earnestly What followed is history,
and the strike has almost been for
gotten. but Sept. 20 was a blue day
around the mayors Office. for a while.
The company, too, evidently reattz-
ed that Il could ill-afford strike un-
der the circumstances, for Ii was
prompt to accept the mayors invita-
tion to attend the conference. The
same eagerness has been manifest
throughout the negotiations. The
company's representatives were al
ways first on the job. while the mayor
and Mr.. Hally were nearly always
late. The mayor confesses that he
entertained grave doubts as to the
company's sincerity at first, though
he has since changed his mind Mr..
Hally, however, is satisfied that the
company acted in good faith from the
start.
The plan, as now agreed upon, is
substantially the old Detroit Railway
franchise in amplified form, with GER
tain notifications. and, il adopted,
will supercede the latter, and all
other existing franchises. The pro-
posed grant covers period OF 13
years. Thus II will expire in 1924,
the same year the Detroit Railway
franchise is due to expire, so the com
-pany's corporate life is not extended
beyond the life of existing franchises
Moreover. the company. after 1924,
offers to surrender all franchise rights
in the city OF Detroit, including even
those claimed to be perpetual. IL the
city. at that time, Is still unprepared
to take over the lines. the company
may continue to operate until a new
agreement is reached, on condition
that the city's option to buy remain
in force.
Cheap Fares Chief Concession.