The Detroit times., 1912-08-14
JOHN McVICAR TELLS OF
GRAFT OF YEARS AGO


the graft was stopped by the sec
rotary. John McVicar.
In that same year before Joint
committee OF the senate and house
In the senate chamber In Lansing, l
attacked the graft system so pointed
| IL that the then Democratic council
gravely considered methods in caucus
looking 10 my removal from Office or
the reduction OF my salary 10 50 per
year | notified the board that |
would continue to serve at the 50
rate II they cared TO reduce the sal
ary. But Notwithstanding the fact
that I had stated that the then presi-
dent OF the common council. who
had al one time been indicted with
other aldermen for bribery. had not
got his seat well warmed before he
appointed certain leading committees
with a majority OF crooked men on
them. the efforts 10 put me down and
out died a-bornln' and four months
later. Mayor Pingree, named me for
commissioner. and | was confirmed
by vote OF % 10 4 by that same
common council. which | took as a
great compliment 10 my fearlessness,
20 say the least
In January. 1892. | was chosen
president OF the board, and when the
contract was let that year for the
supply OF cedar In elghtfoot posts.
II was given 10 David Watson, the
contract running from July /, as re-
call H. A few weeks latAr | called
Commissioners Deans attention TO
the fact that some 40 men in his dis
trict had apparently used more cedar
in the preceding week than had 80
or more men in my district. adding
They are stealing cedar in the east.
ern yard, Mr. Dean
"Oh. nonsense, he replied that
is accounted for by the fact that my
men do so much more work than
yours.
Praise For Colleagues.
"All the same. he told me next day
thai he had not slept all night for
thinking OF what | had said TO him.
Just here let me say thGJ my col.
leagues, James Dean and Jacob
GuthaId. were always unit with
me for the best interest," of the city
in all business matters
Il requested Mr.. Dean to suggest
to me some man in whom he had
Implicit confidence and permit that
man TO work under my direction at
his yard. He suggested Mr.. Johnson
Il nave forgotten his given name).
who was an inspector in the boards
employ got permission from the
fire department To place Johnson in
the second story OF the engine house
overlooking the eastern cedar yard.
and instructed him TO watch for what
II suspected was being done. After
three days he reported, verifying my
suspicion. and | estimated that In
the four weeks some $500 worth OF
cedar had been measured twice
through manipulating the piles when
the cedar inspectors duties called
him away from the saws.
I'VE could not bring Il home 10
the contractor but produced the ties.
timony OF his own employees as TO
what had been done. We made him
make restitution 10 the city and sign
a statement that the restitution was
made because OF the dishonest work,
but we permitted him TO add in the
statement that he had not known of
IL personally
I'VE got out warrant for his son,
under whose direction IL was said TO
have beer done. but he skipped 10
Canada before II could be served on
him, and died over there, | believe.
We broke up the sewer and pay
ing rings We found in the department,
and put a stop TO the reference of
bids to a committee of the council for
award. thus ending the old den Der
cent graft that had previously been
in vogue Bills for extras that prac-
tically always followed the compile
ton of public sewers were knocked
out, and men who took contracts were
compelled TO complete them for the
price they bid, and also to do the
work according 10 specifications.
Crowds Out Asphalt Ring.
I'VE crowded out the asphalt ring,
bringing the price down from $3.50
per yard to $l.75. We brought in
the firm OF Moore. Stone & Co, and
secured the building of three miles
of the best sewers in Detroit at a
saving Of 100000 TO $4,000. as com
pared with ring prices, and without
a bill for one cent for extras.
We painted Belle Isle bridge for
half the price offered in bids. We
forced the street railway company TO
make needed improvements and
where they did not make them. the
board did, and then made them pay
the bills.
I'VE kept at work until our earnest
ness and our opposition to graft per-
meated the entire department from
commissioner to laborer. We cleaned
up the department and incidentally
made aldermen better.
I'VE stopped the use OF street clean
ing funds for carrying aldermanic
henchmen on the payrolls without
proper work returns, and conserved
the money that formerly had been
wasted, so that when Aid. Werner Sc
cured an injunction to prevent the
use OF the liquor moneys for ward
purposes and not a dollar was re-
ceived that year, we had sufficient
surplus TO clean the streets and alleys
from July l 10 the end OF the follow
ing March, finishing the fiscal year
with money from the House OF Cor
rection fund.
While his board OF works was thus
engaged, Pingree was pounding graft
elsewhere, driving one school inspect
or to Mexico. another CRATER TO pris-
on, another TO suicide, etc.
But | must stop, though | could
give Won many more details OF how