The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-11-26
The Facts from Mr.. earcroft


To the Editor of The Times:
notice Mr. Warren's comment in
Saturdays paper concerning the
depot the lack OF depot esplanade
To the new Michigan Central depot.
and hasten to inform you Of the facts
concerning the subject
Over a year and half ago the
matter was taken up by the Improve
ment associations In Detroit, who
worked zealously and untiringly in its
advancement. Numerous council COM
mittees investigated the proposition
prepare plans for the same. The sub
Ject was gone into exnaustively by
Geo. ID. Mason. one OF Detroit's we'll
known architects. G. A. Mueller, de-
signer OF the waterworks gate. and
myself. Some 10 plans were made,
AID finally simmered down TO four
The Improvement associations,
some IL in number. five council COM
mittees and the common council as
q whole, unanimously approved my
plan. known as No. 4. II was then
referred TO the proper committees to
carry out, and they reported back
with the result that 1t has been III
court for the last six months ana the
property will be acquired under the
condemnation powers which the city
possesses.
There has been SO many property
holders involved In the matter that
Il has been difficult TO get complete
service on them, but 1t Is going along
in an orderly way, and best OF all Is
following a defined plan so that the
result will be positive.
Too great praise cannot be given
the Michigan-ave. Improvement asso-
citation, the Greater East Detroit as
ISOLATION, Nortnw estern. and these
other associations when have SO I'M
tiringly devoted their energies 10
carry out a needed Improvement In
Detroit; yes. rather an absolute essen
tial In the way of traffic ways and
automobile places OF safety and other
features so much demanded by this
modern depot; the first real depot by
the way that Detroit ever had.
When plan No. is = reality De-
troit will indeed have reason TO De
proud. but the city has not In this
case been slow or backward in either
recognizing the need for this esplan-
ade nor in seeing that II was carried
out in a proper, orderly and legal
way.
Kansas City, town less than half
the size OF Detroit, has depot OF
equal size and value. and they intend
doing twice as much as what Detroit
has attempted even in this case.
Yol>have no idea how hard 1t was
for these committees to obtain lore
handed and disinterested attention 10
the matter so that there might be no
delay either in this or IN the street
railway transportation.
At the public meetings held before
the council committees and the COM
mon council at which at different
times there were 25 TO 400 people
present. II was publicly stated that
the Board OF Commerce was opposed
to having this esplanade or ramc
WAYS. Whether this was trss-Nr the
speaker authorized to represent the
board. I do not know. but fortunate
ly it did not delay this much-needed
Improvement.
one but needs to go and see this
depot and its location now to realize
how barely sufficient Is the present
movement of the city In making
proper surroundings for the depot
And that says nothing about the once
building which is the largest ONCE
building in the city of Detroit. larger
than the whole downtown office ais
trict of Detroit 20 years ago This In
itself demands recognition that some
thing may be done to keep these PEG
ple in the west side OF the city, IN
stead OF congesting transportation py
carrying them elsewhere.
FREDERICK T. BANCROFT.
Detroit, Nov. 25, 1918.