The Detroit times., 1913-02-15
BARNETT FAILS
in BATTLE FOR
WET" CASINO
Tries to Knock Out Municipal
Operation Plan, Which Bars
Liquor from Island
ALDERMAN TURNED DOWN
HARD BY COMMITTEE
Says He'll Carry Fight to Esti-
majors When ApprOpria-
ton Is Asked

Will Belle Isle be wet or dry next
summer? That is an important ques-
ton which threatens to create a stln
fight in the common council and in
the board OF estimates. II the casino
rs municipality operated liquor cannot
be sold on the island.
Aid. Eddie" Barnett. Robert Rutter
and John Jakel. all saloepkeepers. at
tempted to dominate the meeting or
committee on parks and boulevaris,
Friday afternoon, and put the mem
bers on record as unfavorsble to the
municipal operation OF Belle Isle con-
cessions, but Aid. Thompson. Wilson,
Bleil and Heating blocked the liquor
trio at every turn.
This committee reported 10 the
common council In favor Of municipal
operation of the concessions on Belle
Isle and in Palmer park and you sign
ed the report Aid. Thompson said 10
Barnett
Barnett admitted that he had signed
the report which was adopted CIen.
imously by the council, bu. he ex-
planned that he had failed to read IL
before attaching his name. Eddie"
then attempted an attack on "Joo
Lougheed, committee clerk, by declar-
ing that he had for some reason drawn
up a wrong report. Lougheed insisted
that the report expressed the senti-
ment OF the committee and he was
backed up by majority of the com.
mlttee members.
Barnett was peeved and red in the
face by this time. Aid Sherman Lit
tlefield from the side lines asked Bar
nett II he were trying to gig back"
on the report sent to the common
council.
NO, I'm not trying to gig back +"
shouted Barnett. Il never was for the
municipal operation of park conces-
slons and amt now. That report
was a mistake and want the commit
tee TO put me right on the matter"
"Oh, we'll put you right, don't wor-
ry. Eddie Knocked Aid. Heating.
When Aid. Rutter, who was lined up
under Barnett's standard, recommend
ed that the committee select the high
est bidders for the four privileges,
Barnett went up in the air.
IF you want 10 do that recommend
the adoption Of report recinding
municipal operation first" said Ed
! die"
Rutter refused.
"All right then" yelled Barnett in
exasperated tones. Then I'll vote
against your resolution. want TO
stick by what | say and won't be in
consistent. AS long as my name is on
the report I'll stick by municipal oper-
alton"
The chairman was careful TO explain
that he did not think the municipal
ownership report would live very long.
Rutter was peevcd i'm turn when
Barnett buclied his proposition.
He left the committee table mutter-
ing something about certain aldermen
being afraid of the cars.
"A dry island surrounded on all
sides by water" he sneered.
After the meeting one OF the older
aldermen remarked that Eddie" had
been given good lesson in commit
tee manners.
81 guess the alderman from the
| Third ward knows now that he cant
run the council committee on parks
and boulevards like he is in the habit
OF trying 10 run other committees,
said the alderman.
Barnett ragged around the committee
room. He said that he would submit
a majority report TO the common coun-
Gil asking the aldermen 10 rescind the
previous report OF the committee, and
! IL that is denied he made the threat
that he would have Hurlbut's estimate
of $4,000 for municipal operation or
the Belle Isle and Palmer park privi-
leges cut of in the board OF estimates,
adding significantly that there was one
place where the aldermen could not
| balk him.
81 have been accused OF being In
/ favor OF selling beer In the Belle Isle
casino. and OF being against municipal
operation of IL so that beer may be
! sold. because I am saloonkeeper,
said Aid. Barnett, Saturday.
The argument is no good. AS
saloonkeeper. would much prefer
that people buy their beer on the
main land, for have no financial In
terest in the casino. ! am opposed
to municipal operation Of the casino
because | know the restaurant bust
ness. I know how walters sneak
steaks into the alley for their friends.
! ] know how food disappears. | know
how people would steal silver for
souvenirs from a municipal cafe. and
II know that managers for the city
would not keep as strict watch as a
man whose own money Is tied up in
the investment would not like TO
see a municipal eating house fail be-
cause such failure would be used as
an argument against municipal own