The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-06-15
! FOREST. RENTAL CASE
is THRESHED OUT IN
! STATE SUPREME COURT
I Corporation Counsel Lawson
: Contends Detroit Has Right
to Collect
DELIVERS LONG ARGUMENT
Array of Legal Talent Lined Up
to Fight Matter in
Lansing
DELIVERS LONG ARGUMENT

4 LANSING, Mich, June IA small
army Of legal talent arrived in Ian
Ising this morning for the legal battle
case which is to be argued before the
supreme court today.
The city Is represented by Corpora
tion Counsel lawson and ex-Congress-
man Alfred Lucklng, who has been
RETAINED as special counsel. The
legal talent representing the Detroit
United Railway Co. is composed or
Hinton K. Spaulding, p. A. Baker,
John c. Donnelly and Judge William
L. Carpenter.
In opening the argument, Mr.. Law
son said:
'This case involves no interstate
problems. The grant on the lines in
fQuestion expired in 1910. There are
$50 miles OF street railway In Detroit,
tof which there are 120 miles OF so
called five-cent lines, and 60 miles OF
three-cent lines. The franchises on
the three-cent lines do not expire I'M
til 1924. A portion of the franchises
ION the flve-cent lines have already ex-
PRED. Previous to the date when the
Fortet. franchise expired, counsel
for the street railway received notice
that after the franchise had expired
the company would have to pay $500
per day. The company replied that
the franchise had not expired, but in
order to avoid trouble, they would pay
the sum demanded. Similar resolu-
tons were passed by the council
when the other grants expired, and
II was upon these conditions only
that they would be permitted to
operate.
"The common council vixen advised
OK the action of the COM any filed a
bill OF complaint asking the court TO
adjust the matter. We have The right
to make the rental rate prohibitory.
They claimed their franchises had not
expired. We ask this court to require
them to pay rentsi from the tiuia the
franchise expired. The council in
st-ucted the corporation COUNSEL to
start suit, but after litigation was
commenced II was claimed the
previous resolution did not give the
corporation coIns,I the right TO test
the company's right to ;he street.
However the council passed another
resolution giving the corporation
counsel full sway.
we claim we have full right to
Ak the rent 1t Whatever We please.
Continuing &c ru1 cars, the only
recourse of the ID u. r. was to pay
the rent demanled by the city.
Il call attention to the fact that
the D. u. r. claims II Is a continuous
line from Toledo TO Port Huron, and
that the city OF Detroit has no right
to- disrupt through service. II this
Is true, they can change their route
from Fort-st. II Is contended by the
d. U. r. that the route of the streets
was taken from the city by the act
creating the state railroad commits
sion. The people of Michigan have
the right to govern locally"
Chairman Glasgow says IL the su-
preme court upholds the contention of
the d. u. r. In the Fort-st. case, the
state railroad commission will have
authority to assume control of all the
street railway lines in Michigan where
franchises have expired He says
this would end the political football
game over the street car situation in
Detroit.