The Detroit times., 1912-12-12
ORDER TO CLEAR
WALKS Held UP
Authorities Will Take No Action
Pending Outcome Of Mer-
chants Petition to Council
ALDERMEN BEGIN TO
BACK DOWN ALREADY
Measure Too Sweeping, Says
Owen, Who Supported it to
snake Good on Promise

! Pending the outcome OF q petition
OF the merchants against the councils
order TO have all the stands and show.
cases removed from the sidewalks no
action toward the removal OF the
stands will be taken by the depart
meht of public works. The police de.
partment will not notify the owners
TO remove the stands until served
with the resolution OF the council. The
matter will again be brought up IN
the council and concerted EFFORT
made by the merchants 10 have the
council revoke its order.
Il am not in favor of such sweep
ing order as made by the council"
said Aid. owen, Thursday. Il voted
! for the resolution, but | did SO under
the following circumstances: A num-
! Der of the aldermen proposed 10 wipe
out the fruit stands In Cadillac-sq. The
object primarily. | believe, was 10 COM
pei the removal Of stand in front OF
property in which Mayor Thompson
I Is interested | didn't believe in class
Legislation SO told the aldermen that
III they would make the resolution in-
Iclude the entire city | would vote for
it, / didn't think they would dare do
committees / made good on what
said 10 them and voted for II.
but. 1t is too bad TO make all the
merchants of the city suffer because
There are few Objectionable fruit
notion and candy stands in Cadillac
SO | don't believe in compelling the
merchants TO remove their show
cases and stands where they are not
an obstruction TO the public. These
merchants do not rent the sidewalk
space for large sums OF monty as
some OF the property owners in
|Cadillac-sq. make practice OF doins.
There is feeling in the council that
the order Is too drastic and II may
be altered. However, IL We except
the merchants who maintain their
own sidewalk showcases. the fellows
in Cadillac-sq. would complain that
we Disseminated against them. There
Is a petition out now among the mer-
chants protesting against the ordeE"
THE department OF public works is
not taking the bull by the horns this
time" said Secretary Murphy, of the
department. I'VE took the initiative
in this matter a number OF times and
were not able TO accomplish much.
For instance, q merchant put a show
case in front OF his place on State-st,
SO that IL projecte1 two feet into an
alley way on the other side OF the
alley another merchant had built az
unloading platform out into the alley
These distractions were dangerous To
traffic because many pedestrians used
the alley. We compelled the merchant
to remove the unloading platform and
the other one promised TO yemoye the
showcase II we gave him until spring
10 do IL. In the spring he refused to
remove IL and went to the council
where he got an extension OF his per-
NIT TO maintain the show cases where
Il was. The council has granted a
number OF such permits.
Personally. | predict the whole
thing will fGzle out as similar at
tempts have during the past ~
years
One OF the merchants interested in
the protest to the council Is A. f.
Wood. a milliner at Nos. 14-16 Gratiot-
ave. Wood says the order viii hurt
the business OF tle merchants VIII
out accomplishing any good.