The Detroit times., 1912-01-11
I'EAkERs PUNCH HOLES
IN FRANCHISE GRAB



@||@ forth broad <miles and much
'||tering. also mutterings OF contempt
|1f the mayors change OF heart. The
manner IN which the ID. u. X. In grab
Ding for the franchise. was also dealt
r-(1 Mr.. Moore showing that the
<oupany had put up fund OF $4,000
JOB tho special election for the fran
<1Ise vote; that only the ID. u. r.
Had asked for the vote. whereas 20,-
IIl men had petitioned for the vote
Ion the Gilman amendment. which
rrofIdes for the appointment OF q
||Commission OF five men To negotiate
<pf municipal ownership OF the car
=. .. v. r. Stock Goes Up.
The announcement that the people
wore 20 vote on another franchise for
ne d. u. II. caused the company's
stock 10 increase a haET million dol
lars" said Mr.. Moore. Now, | ask
you, since the mayor has sold out 10
The d. u. r., what. in the name OF
heaven. will the property be worth
with the franchise? Mr. Thompson
tells rs that the franchise is safe and |
sound. good thing for Detroit, be-
cause MI. Hally is an able lawyer, but /
Just want TO quote you few OF HIS /
1<4fements. as private individual.
10 regard TO the street car situation. I
He said, before the last election, that
"A the people stuck for three-cent
I1fes all the time they would get them
Without having TO do the paving be-
/Hoon the tracks that II the ID. L. r.
we're given another franchise il would
M1on the starting of the fight between
[1e. city and the company ali over
11in; that there would be no end 20
Ne litigation.
ask you. ladies and gentlemen, Il
me ID. II. II. wants TO sell out 20 the
<I{r. why does Il want franchise for
I3 years, or for % minutes, for that
Inafter?y
Warm applause greeted the ques-
AT. Moore added that Mayor Thoulp-
son had promised 20 give the people =
chance TO vote on municipal owner
<hIp. hut had not done so.
John McNicar, also strong adNo-
rate OF municipal ownership, followed
Mr. Moore and riddled the franchise
10 the delight OF the audience,
Mayor Defends Measure.
Nfavor Thompson. in defending the
franchise. said that he didn't think IL
MAS perfect; that Il was capable OF
bfin1 criticised He declared that ne
ttiH Thought that 1.-THE only good fran
rhisc IN dead one but he main
r[ined that he could see no better
way OF settling the street ear sitlia-
ton than by giving the ID. L. X. the
proposed franchise for 13 years. he
was confident that the city would
benefit by the ordinance. because ne
had snnbounded confidence in Mr.. Hal
- and others who figured In the max
inx Of H.
rnc mayor admitted that the iran
chise didn't protect people who might
i've beyond the present city limits
within the next Is years, saying the
nroyisions cared only for the boun-
dafies as they obtain at present. ex-
cent that Palmer park. two miles be-
<ond the Woodward-ave city limits,
"a Included In the proposed cheaper
fares. He didn't think the city ought
to grow any more beyond the present
limits. as there was Is per cent OF
vacant property within the limits now
& cx1sfing. He was against bringing In
outlying villages. anyway, because
they wanted many improvements and
oIways brought heavy bonded indeof-
cdness with them.
Mr.. Thompson didn't like the IDEA,
he said. OF being condemned for try
ing to get three-cent fares on all the
city. lines He drew attention 10 the
fact that the citizens had erected
monument TO Hazen $. Pingree for
nroyiding three-cent lines. 20 years
nfo, and the speaker was now being
Censured for doing practically the
<ame thing.
Mr.. McRae's Position.
Afr. McRac voiced the sentiments OF
Tire mayor. but insisted that he was
Tor municipal ownership, and that he
Wouldn't be supporting the ordinance
il Il lacked the municipal ownership
clause. He said he believed the sent.
ment OF the present age was for NUM-
cipal ownership OF traction companies,
and that he felt that all the car lines
IN the big cities would be under NUM- /
cipai ownership or working agree
Inent. such as they have in Chicago
where the city gets 10 per cent or
the earnings OF the company. within ,
the next 20 years. tie thought, how
ever, that there was no chance TO get ,
municipal ownership in Detroit for the
next six years, at least
IN answer TO questions. Mr.. McRae
pointed out provisions in the fran
cbise for penalties. should the ID. U. r.
Violate the agreement In any way. He
agreed that the service on the present
flrce-cent lines is bad. that the cars
are poor and the roadbed dilapidated.
re had no sympathy for the u. Z. r.
because, he said, II had not kept its
promises with the city in the past.
He thought. however that the new
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