The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-10
FRANCHISE ANOTHER
MONUMENT To PINGREE
Mayor Thompson So Declares In
His Message to Council of 1912
Changes In Committees.

The common council formally or
ganlzed for 1912, Tuesday night, when
Aid. John Grindley. OF the Eighth
ward. was elected president 10 sue
coed Aid Gutman, OF the Third, and
Aid Joseph Theisen, OF the Eleventh,
was chosen president pro tenn. Both
men were chosen unanimously and
without any opposition, there being no
disposition TO break away from the
action OF the caucus, held last fall.
Park Commissioner Hurlbut was
profuse with his decorations for the
occasion. There were banks OF palms
in every corner and around the ros-
trum and a potted plant on every al
dermdn's desk. There were the usual
fluctuations and presentations, the re-
firing president receiving a handsome
ly-mounted gaYel and his successor
gold watch and fob, the gift OF his
constituents I'm the Eighth ward. Aid.
1ossy and HARPER made the presen-
tation speeches. The former referred
TO the fairness of Aid. Gutman's rul-
ings as president, and the retiring
chairman. In turn. threw a bouquet
al his colleagues, by praising the COM
mittees for their prompt and efficient
work during the past year.
l. President Gutman made no whole
! sale changes In the committees for
the ensuing year and the aldermen
appeared 10 be we'll pleased with the.
way the work had been apportioned.
Aid. Gutman changes places with Aid.
| Grindley as chairman OF the commit
tee on claims and accounts. Aid.
Gilman and Aid. HARPER remain as
chairmen OF the ways and means and
franchise committees, respectively,
bur there are a few changes In the
personnel Of each. Aid. Littlefield sue
ceeds Aid. Field as chairman OF the
Judiciary committee and Aid. Burton
takes Aid. Watson's place as chair
man of the public utilities committee.
Aid Field gets Aid. Vernor's place as
lchairman of the committee on taxes.
Aid Lynch is dropped from the com
mittee on parks and boulevards, so
Park Commissioner Hurlbut probably
will have a little smoother sailing
when he comes before the committee
this year Aid Lynch, II will be re-
called, made al unsuccessful attempt
to have the commissioners ousted sew
eral months ago, and at nearly every
committee meeting he has gone after
a
Aid. Garvey and Ellis were appoint
ed a committee TO escort Mayor
! Thompson TO the council chamber,
and his honor then read his annual
message about one-third OF which was
devoted TO street car matters. He
called attention TO the fact that in his
first message 10 the council as mayor,
Jan. S, 1907. he urged that in any ordi-
nance to be submitted TO the people
fer their approval. which is not res
vocable at the will of the council,
there should be included "a reserva-
ton to the city of the right TO ac-
quire the property for the purpose
of municipal ownership a valuation
which would exclude the franchise
and good will value, and be arrived
at in a manner fixed by the ordinance
itself"
The Thompson-Hally ordinance"
continued the message, "fulfills every
requirement thus set forth in my first
official announcement TO the common
council This ordinance reserves to
| the city the right TO buy the street
railway property for the purpose OF
municipal ownership, at a valuation
excluding the franchise or goodwill
value and to be arrived at In a man
ner fixed by the ordinance itself. and
this right 10 buy 10 become operative
at the city's pleasure, when the city,
by proper legislative action, is vested
with the power of municipal owner
ship
The Thompson-Hally ordinance
does more than this While the city
is getting around 10 municipal own
ership; we get immediate Scent fares
with universal transfers. Also, we
get an agreement for 10 miles of ex-
tensions yearly
This, in my judgment. consummates
the struggle begun by the late Hazen
S. Pngree for Scent fares; his ordi-
nance OF 1894, covering 65 miles OF
he city system is extended over every
mile of track in the city. No nobler
monument could be erected TO his
memory"
The mayor referred TO the neces-
sity for extensions TO meet the in
creasing demands Of the city. Under
the head Of municipal ownership"
the MAJOR recalled the efforts of him
self and former Corporation Counsel
Hally to have incorporated in the new
constitution, a clause giving cities
the right to own and operate street
cars. The records of the constitu-
tional convention would show, he said,
that he appeared in person before the
convention to plead for that right,
which, he said, can be secured II the
Gilman municipal ownership amend
ment carries and is held valid. He
concluded his remarks on the street
railway situation by observing:
1T ought to be neither a personal
nor a political question. II ought TO
be weighed and judged according to
It's merits The people will not soon
forget or forgive those who seek to