The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-04-15
D. U. R. is GIVEN
PERMISSION TO
BUILD BELT Line
Aid. Littlefeld Only One To
Vote Against Resolution in
Council Session
LIQUOR LICENSES CAN'T
BE SOLD, SAYS LAWSON
Counsel Admits, Though, Com
mittee Has Easy Way of Get
ting Around" Law

Mayor Marx signed the resolution
"Wednesday morning, granting the=Lle
troit United railway permission 10
construct the workingmen belt Inc
under the terms OF the Aug agree
ment. The resolution, which was IN
troduced by Aid. Lodge, chairman Oh
the council committee on public utiIl-
ties, received the approval or 81 OF
the council members, Tuesday nlgut'
Aid. Littlefield. OF the Twelfth ward
being the only one present 10 oppose
t. He objected 10 routing the pro-
posed line on Seebalt, Lothrop ana
NorthW estern-aves The vote by which
the aldermen "sewed up" the resolu-
ton for the purpose or preventing a
reconsideration was 80 To three.
II don't think we ought 10 tie the
matter up too hastily. t" said Aid Bell,
advocating caution. MANY OF the al
dermen voted To cinch the Aug.
agreement before they fully under
stood the contents OF the measure, and
II they had it to do over again they
would vote the other way
Aid. Lodge argued for immediate
and decisive action.
The workingmen's belt line VIII be
the greatest thing in the history OF
the west side," he said. There VIII
be. a big celebration the day the u.
.Iy. p. stats VOL y the line. urge
-, 1>S1-,-..... 1,e 4s.,tls the ?xeUmjnary
matter right now SO that the railway
company, can begin work this week
The resolution. as adopted by the
council and approved by the mayor,
covers that portion OF the route select
ed by the railway commission anu
agreed TO by the ID. u. r., north OF
Fort.st. The question OF carrying pas
sengers from the END of the new loop
at Fort-st. and Junction-aye TO Dear
born-rd. and West Jefferson'aye. was
satisfactorily settled by letter from
General Manager f. w Brooks, OF the
ID. II. r., promising 10 carry passen'
gers 70 Dearborn-rd. for single rare
over existing tracks.
By the agreement the proposed
Mack Myrtle crosstown line Is ellml'
mated The new line will be built un-
der the supervision OF the railway
commission. BY the agreement the
city has the right to purchase the new
line from the railway company at any
time for price equal to the originai
cost OF construction less depreciation
Mayor Marx and Railway Commits
sioner John f. Dodge were instrumen.
tai In securing the ID. u. RS promise
TO build the belt line. Commissioner
Dodge made several trips with the
council committee on public utilities
before he and a majority Of the mem
bers on that committee were satisfied
with tentative route. Commissioners
Dodge then took the matter up with
the ID. u. r. officials and demanded a
decisive answer. with the result that
the route was accepted. Mayor Marx,
upon his return from western trip
took an active hand in the belt line
plan and Immediately proceeded 10
line up the aldermen.
Aid. Littleheld limited, Tuesday
night, that the railway company would
be enjoined from building the line
on certain residence street. in the
northern portion OF the ward.
At the request OF Aid. Lodge. Cor
poration Counsel Lawson submitted a
written opinion TO the "onncil holding
that a saloonkeeper has no right I'M
der the Warner-Cramton law to sell
LIQUOR license, and also that there Is
no authorization in the law for cor
poration or partnership to mold IL
cense. This last point was made clear
10 the liquor committee year ago
but the question or tprtering liquor
licenses has never cen definitely set
tied. and is not u the corporation
counsel's opinion, since he admits that
the council has arbitrary power IN
granting licenses. Therefore, there Is
nothing TO hinder the liquor commit
tee acknowledging sale or saloon
property as II has done repeatedly In
the past. and granting the license TO
the purchaser.
"a license to sell liquors at retail
Is personal privilege which cannot
be surrendered TO any person whatso-
ever" says the corporation counsel.
but he does not attempt to question
the right OF the committee on liquor
regulation to practically confirm such
sale by denying a new license to the
seller and granting one TO the pur-