The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-05-08
|AYOR DEMANDS VOUCHERS
For MONEY EXPENDED BY
I COMMITTEE OF FIFTY
|ays $17,500 Was Handed Over
in Lump Sum Without
Items Being Furnished
|oME BILLS YET UNPAID
accounts Submitted BY Engi-
|nsers Who Assisted Bar
croft Lead To Investigation

Mayor Thompson issued a state
bent. Tuesday, calling attention to
lie fact that $17,5Oo was paid by the
Aty for part OF the expenses OF the
ommittee of Fifty. Which investigat-
ID the street car situation, during
Mayor Breitmeyer's administration,
Eithout receiving, any itemized state
.pent to show who received the
money and for what specific purpose
/ was paid. The absence of every
ming but a personal receipt from
Chairman +. w. Eddy In the control
er's. Office TO show how the money
LAS, distributedf is pointed to as an
Example OF the lax methods OF the
! ,uncil in allowing bills of the Com.
|bittee OF Fifty, while the council has
refused to allow the bill OF A. b. du-
Pont for $4,000 for services rendered
The mayor In connection with the
rhorhpsop- Haliy franchise negotia-
lions.
Joseph Boyer, chairman of the APP
praisal committee OF the Committee
]. Fifty, called on Mayor Thompson
fccently and stated that there is a
balance OF $1,193.S5 due the nine
Engineers who worked under the
Erection OF the committee and +. r..
Bancroft. He wanted TO know II
here are any records whereby the
hayor could verify the claim. The
hayor began an inquiry which arous-
fd' his Indignation as to the method
~ the auditing the bills of the COM
httee. He found tina the council
d resolution Jan. 4, 1910, authorized
Die payment OF $l7,500 to +. w. Ed
~, 10 defray the expenses of the
pnsmiitee. Mr.. Eddy drew the money
rom the controllers Office Jan. l6.
1.-THE mayors complaint Is that 1t
Eas an omnibus bill, the council pay
pg out the money without knowing
detail where 1t was to go. The
ayor also found that $5,Ti1.37 ad-
tional was paid TO Mr.. Bancroft on
itemized bill of expenditures.
he sum OF $492.S0 was also paid to
oughton 4 Jacobson for printing.
he mayor could find nothing to
how that the city was indebted in
lily way to the engineers who are
how samoring for their money, and
~
Understood that the engineers insist
bn being paid and that the members
pf the Committee OF Fifty may have
TO 90 down in their own pockets tc
bay she money. The mayors state.
ment on the situation follows:
II think that the city OF Detroit
puglft TO pay its honest debts in full.
Some folks. for motives of petty poll
Teal prejudice. are willing to give our
Eity the name of being a 'dead-beat
Town. If these men rendered service
10 he Committee of Fifty. the fact
that the program OF the Committee OK
Fifty was not adopted, does net affect
Their rights. They worked in good
Faith and for their work, whatever 1t
|vas, they ought to be fairly compen-
kated.
AT the same time. the city is en-
Titled TO know whom II is paying, and
for what IL is paying. am not ques-
|Ioning anyone's integrity Of act or
burpose. The men who rendered vol
|ntary and gratuitous service at
Mayor Breitmeyer's request or the
Committee OF Fifty were drafted into
|he public service and their charac-
Ter In this community is too high to
termit OF any question. AT the same
lime. think that the individual
Vouchers and receipts for service rem
Eered to the Committee of Fifty
khould be filed with the city control
Ter. The only record that the con
|roller now has is receipt for sl7,-
BOO. signed by the chairman OF the
.ommittee The itemiZed bills for all
kervices paid for by the city should
be on file with the city. hope that
Ibis will be done at once: and these
last bills will be audited in the usual
Nay by the common council, and II
found owing in good faith. they should
be paid"