The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-11-17

WIN Wage Fight Against Plan
4 u Company to Foist Meter
System on Subscribers
in Detroit
BETTER SERVICE. NOT
'CURTAILMENT, is WANTED
Quick Action Planned on Char
ter Amendment to Furnish
City With ''Club"

Mayor Marx is preparing strong
7 Communication to Lawton T. Hemans,
'schairman of the state railroad CON-
4 mission, protesting on behalf OF the
\ citisens Of Detroit against the unsatis-
I factory report issued by the commits
sion. following the state investigation
Sof the local telephone service. The
{ report plainly indicates that the CON-
mission has accepted the statement
ss'Of the telephone officials that It viii
10 necessary to install meter SER
4 Vice IN Detroit to improve conditions
thak xre generally admitted to be
X 's'x0ttsn."
.sThe people OF Detroit want better
< tslsphon6 service instead Of curtailed
|s.eervice.s said the mayor AFTER study
\ me thp report Il am convinced that II
I - not Intended to correct conditions
\ That We know to exis' The railroad
<pmmissioners, despite the iuvestiga-
Non made BY their experts, seem TO
4 hnyo aocepted without question the ex-
kbInnatUns made by the company Of
Z lc1n1s. while do not doubt the
#t1ousibilitS OF the explanations made
- the cOmpany of1cials. II seems to
No that the state board Aas ample
E6MthC1tty 70 compel better service
lthogt allowing the company to In
knIl 4 meter system. We have known
5&(Ght along that the company 10 very
IN kk4 public, thereby creating an ex-
Z - n M L. "a - q
o1o SyStern. and from what can
1booribors object to t."
4 ~ ~ thn publfcation OF the com
~ fopost. the mayor kas been
Fo1uo VIII protests. He has reeeis-
E4 n hrge number Of letters from
= ninent business men. criticising
= - e0mmissiOn' report. The general
& goeo1ou seems ia, be that II the
4 ljngion's report Al allowed to
1nn4 the telephone company will
~ oae over on the city.
IVY mayor held = lengthy, confer
ox Nth Corporation Counsel Law
~ SolAt1vo to the telephone situAr
1 IT. Lawson informed the mayor
1t ot pfo0ent the council Is without
cGt1Y to regulate telephone SER
4 ~ and rates He declared that q
DboVls10n n the proposed new char
~ would give the council ample atl-
4 kof1ty. but @ the charter will not be
E1U<oA On until February, the c0rD0rA-
U counsel suggested that q similar
nttor amendment be drawn up and
oDontod to the council for indoyse-
8 - soon a possible. n the
y r13or home rule bill II sustained
2 time viii be lost In submitting
4 ~ amondment to the people. The
k1(Y would thus be provided with .
SGb b bring the telephone company
~ 41no sven though tho charter sub
NED later be defeated. The mayor
WE4 eond . communication to the
kGoune1l, Tuesday night. commenting
n he telephone situation and calling
4 nv attention Of the aldermen to the
made by Mr. Lawson.
Inward r.. Fitzgerald. mayors sec
1nty, has . bundle Of recent tele-
EH1one complaints which indicate that
'1NQEo has bean no Improvement IN
Ejn11 service ~ yet, despite the oflicial
Investigation started by the common
|bGGncil committee on public utilities
Z - completed by the state railroad
n H1ward J. DUBOIS. Of the American
1Qool 8 Coke Co.. In letter states that
~ made four unsuccessful attempts to
4 ~ party on Z direct line. The op-
f3Ennor gave him the wrong number
1G&6A time.
The service on the private lines Is
x 3not - bad 1t II on the party lines"
Whites Mr.. Dubois.
The O'Neil Secret Service agency.
mo. IS State-st.. has also written to
E1Ao mayor protesting against the pro-
6600d plan Of the company to install
the meter system.