The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-03-13

lstiye body. | don't want TO advise
you to- do anything ia haste. ! dom
want the city TO cucumber itself with
lot or lawsuits"
Mr.. Lucking said that he had pu
his suggestions In written form. ant
he read the following statement:
Il cannot approve OF this measure
as II il drawn. II Is hasty and i'm
mature piece OF work, which contains
some vitality bad features, In my judg
ment.
This matter involves millions, ant
the work should be right, and time
enough should be taken 10 get II right
A special election will cost but Q
trining sum compared with the grea,
interests involved.
In my opinion il is utterly and
wickedly vicious to lodge all the pow
or In one mans hands. No business
institution In this country Is run In
any such way. 1 have high opinion
OF Mr.. Witt; he is my friend, and he
has furnished US lots OF good points
but no one man possesses all wisdom
This measure IL now drawn so ~
I to make the system the football oi
politics. and to make municipal own
erships laughing.stock and q failure
Il think board of high-class citi
zens appointed by the mayor should
pass on all important matters con
nected with the railway, including the
selection Of the general manager, OF
else the common council should re
tain supervision Just as it has now
OF the board OF works. This last
would at least insure publicity to
every important step. In my opinion
the control by the b6ard would be bet
ter than by the common council. but
either Of them assures some degree
OF safety for the public as against the
one man autocrat
"The sinking fund provision In this
ordinance il such az to make low
fare impossible. To pay for this rail
way in 20 years means hve-cent fares
from the start. In Cleveland on q
three-cent fare, not one cent 10 being
put into sinking fund to pay the
oACinal cost.
Greater elasticity should be given
this provision and the amount OF the
sinking fund should be left to the
wisdom OF board Of good business
men.
1T is impossible for me in one day
to give any opinion on the legal
phases OF so important matter, and
l must decline any responsibility.
81 advise the common council to
take it's time and get all these things
az nearly right as possible. The In.
terests at stake are immense, and Q
special election can be held In two
or three months from now, or when
ever the matters have been given
sufacient consideration. The council
should not allow itself to be hurried
into any unwise hasty action"
The mayor called attention to Sec
ton Is Of the ordinance, desiring to
know whether the construction OF
plants as soon as practicable
means that the commissioner must
construct such plants.
II don't know what the section
means by plant said Mr.. Frazer.
"A power plant" replied the mayor
why doesn't It say SO. them" said
Frazer, disgustedly. What does II
mean by suitable economical
take the section to mean that the
commissioner is given considerable
latitude--that the construction OF
power plants Immediately IL not man
datory."
Water Commissioner Gillespie. who
was present. insisted that IL maxi
mum rate of interest, il fixed by the
ordinance. II ought to be Az per cent
rather than L.
I'VE have reached the per cent
limit now" he said. Other cities
find that they must Issue at An. II
would be better to put the limit high
er than to put II at per cent. and
have to amend the ordinance. or
course, no bonds would be issued at
q higher rate unless 1t became alb
solutely necessary"
Mayor Marx was plainly disap.
pointed at the apparent necessity for
delay. but acquiesced In the opinion
OF his advisers.