The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-08-18
M'VICAR TELLS
HOW HE BROUGHT
D. U.R. TO Time
Tore Up Tracks When Company
Tried to Make Unauthorized
Connection
"wE DID THINGS IN THOSE
DAYS." HE DECLARES

Squabble over JunctiOn-DiX
Switches Furnishes Mayoral
Candidate With Text
| The alleged attempt at franchise
grabbing INDUCED in by the d. U. r..
In seeking to get connection between
the Junction and Dix-ave. car lines Is
the object of attack in statement Is
sued by John McVicar, candidate for
the Republican nomination for mayor.
Monday. Mr.. McVicar was accused
of making political speech by Aid.
Gilman when he sought to be heard
before the council committee consid-
ering the request Of the company for
permission to make the connection.
last Friday.
II was not there for q political pur-
pose" declared Mr.. Mcvicar. Il was
trying to act purely In the interests
Of the large number OF manufacturers
and employees whose affairs would be
disturbed by q delay In the building
of the Junction~ave. line. ! merely
suggested that since the city would
have to pay for the lines finally, that
II might go ahead and build the con-
nection as proposed in q diagram pre-
scented by Frederick 7. Bancroft. which
would give better turning facilities
than the connections at Griswold and
Congress-sts., used by interurban
cars many times each day. The chair
man said l was trying to make po-
litical speech, but that was not true.
l was just advocating the policy which
! l have maintained for years. I am
an entirely Independent citizen. whose
strongest political love Is for the city
every respect.
d. u. r. attorney say In q threatening
manner before the committee that the
company must have the curves pro-
posed built In just the manner 1t de-
handed unless the Junction-aye. line.
which the Marx administration has
authorized the ID. u. r. To build at
its own price. is to be held up until
the supreme court can pass on the
demands We will see next Friday
when the matter comes up again
whether the d. u. r threat Is enec-
tive"
The whole affair Of the Junction
Dix connection recalled to his mind.
Mr.. Mcvicar said, the troubles In 1892
when the company sought to build
three tracks on Woodward-ave., south
OF Grand River They had the fran
chise for three tracks. but no provis-
ion for connecting them. without
which the third track would be use
less. Then Mr.. Mcvicar brought the
company to terms with Rooseveltian
directness by tearing up the unanth-
orixed connection. His statement on
that incident follows:
Judge Hosmer's decision reminds
me OF the d. u. r. attempt to con-
tinue three tracks in Woodward-ave.
from Grand River southerly In 1892.
The corporation counsel OF that day.
John J. Speed, advised Mayor Pingres
that there was no way to prevent
the company putting down the three
tracks except by condemnation pro-
ceedings. and Mayor Pingree had a
resolution prepared for Aid. Seely,
OF the Fourth ward, to offer IN the
council fer the beginning OF such
proceedings. Woodward-ave. was
torn up and It's repaving in progress;
the merchants we're Justly complain
ing OF delay. yet this was the best
legal advice the mayor could get from
the chief legal adviser Of the city,
which meant further delay and loss
Of trade.
81 was then president Of the board
of works. went to Mayor Pfngree
and told him would get the third
track OF II he wanted II on and
would back me up. explaining to him
how I would do Ii. He doubted
whether I could but told me to 90
ahead.
Il got three gangs OF board OF
works employees together under
George A. Burch, my superintendent,
and had them placed contiguous to
the work, with instructions to Supt.
Burch to bring them on the job when
gave the signal.
"I then notified John Winter, su-
perintendent for the company, that
he must stop spreading the tracks.
which he had begun to do just north
of the Grand River-ave. intersection.
telling him the franchise for the
Woodward-aye. line stated clearly
that the tracks must be laid In the
center OF the street His intention
was to run the Grand River track be-
tween the other two and asked me
where he should put II II not as he
intended. / told him the Grand River
franchise said where II should be-
SO many feet west OF the westerly
track Of the Woodward line.
"Mr. Winter then asked how they
would get the Grand River cars back.
and told him I had nothing to do
with that; they might run one up
over the other II they cared to and
could legally do 20. ] then gave him
until o'clock to straighten the
tracks, saying would do SO II he
did not. He laughed and kept on
spreading them TIL his men quit for
the day at o'clock.
'T had set that hour, hoping II
would be too late for the company
to get an injunction as the courts
would have adjourned. At o'clock
gave Supt Burch the signal, and
the board OF works men came upon
the scene Not having all necessary
tools for the work. we borrowed COM
pany's tools and merrily started In.
on went the d. u. r. In search OF
circuit Judge. They finally got hold
Of Judge GARNER, who, on the COM
pany's ex-parte statement, refused
the Injunction. The boards men not
only Strengthened the tracks. but con-
creted them In from curb to curb be-
fo~a laax,tn1 that pi0kt and anwt a.