The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-09
MAYOR HASN'T ANY
SYMPATHY FOR D. U. R.
Declares the Corporation Is No
Better Today Than 1t Ever
Was-Gains Vote.

"I've damned the ID. u. II. probably
more than any one else In Detroit and
haven't any sympathy fer II now" de-
Shared Mayor Thompson with en-
phasis, In his Office. Tuesday morning.
II don't think the ID. u. r. Is any
better today than Il ever was the
mayor continued. II don't think any
. more OF the company than | ever did,
and / stand today right where | stood
when | was running fer the office
now hold. And | want to say right
here that don't want franchise that
30 per cent OF the people won't vote
for. but | claim to have a document
that will serve as good club TO hold
over the ID. u. X. and compel them TO
he decent. II they don't behave, then
We can go into municipal ownership at
any time.
Time and again during our confer
Ences, | said TO Mr.. Hutchins that
didn't have TO settle unless could get
advantageous terms Cor the people. !
reminded him OF the way the company
had tantalized them In the past with
Its rotten service and all that and
made II plain that there could be no
settlement unless the company was
willing to be decent That was the
argument we hammered at them from
the first and finally compelled them to
give the concessions We demanded.
The ordinance Is the result. and will
go before my Maker on that ordi-
nance"
The mayor made these utterances
In the course OF a talk with A. A.
Moore and John II. Tigchon, real es-
tate men. Mr.. Moore and his partner,
Mr.. Bessenger. had been quoted as
being opposed TO the ordinance. At
the request OF Mr.. Tigchon, Mr.. Moore
visited the mayors Office and asked
the mayor to explain certain points,
What Is TO prevent the company,
N the franchise is adopted. from fill
ing the streets with suburban cars
and thus forcing the people TO pay
nickel fares?" was one OF the ques.
tions.
Mayor Thompson explained that the
common council would have the pow
er. under Section 8, TO absolutely reg
ulate the running OF suburban cars
through the streets and could prompt
ly put a stop to any such attempt.
Ii could even regulate the size and
weight OF the cars II 1t were so dis
posed, he said.
Mr.. Moore also wanted to know
what was TO prevent the company
from bringing In the freight cars of
other companys and cluttering up the
streets still further. He argued that
II the Michigan Central, for instance,
should some day put electric freight
cars In operation there was nothing
10 prevent the ID. u. r. from making
an arrangement with the Michigan
Central TO handle these cars The
mayor was very sure" that this
phase OF the service would also come
under the citys power OF regulation.
Mr. Moore expressed himself as sat
sstied with the explanations and stat
ed that he would probably vote for
the franchise.
In the discussion II developed that
the d. u. r., according to the mayor,
Is planning a union interurban sta
ton, probably north OF Grand Circus
park, sometime in the future. in
which case the cars will probably be
re-routed to take most OF them out
Of the congested business district. 1t
also plans to develop the freight bus
mess TO a point where IL will have
freight stations at different points
about the city, for the accomoda-
ton of shippers. or course. this elab-
crate program is conditioned on the
adoption of the proposed franchise.