The Detroit times., 1914-05-23
SUBWAY PROJECT BLOW
TO MUNICIPAL OWN
ERSHIP, DECLARES
GEORGE w. MOORE
tcontlnu-d from PAGE oueJ

I
cipal ownership provides that the
common council shall, at the request
OF the board or street railway com.
missioners, issue bonds OF the city or
| Detroit. To be known as general
bonds, 10 the amount of two per cent
OF the assessed value OF the real and
| personal property OF the city" no
such issue can be made without the
approval OF three-hfths OF the voters.
Whatever the charter may say on
the subject Mr. lawson held at
that time, the city is still bound
by the terms OF the home rule act OF
1909. The charter might be abso-
lutely silent, and still an election
would be necessary"
Unless some plan can be devised
for securing the surface lines OF the
| ID. L. II. before the subways are built.
the Municipal Ownership league will
! fight hard against the issue OF sub
way bonds.
The $l0.000,000 which would be
available for buying the ID. U. X.
lines is no more than sufficient TO give
US a start toward municipal nXnGt-
ship" said Mr.. Moore, Saturday. We
had hoped that these bonds, together
with the money that could be raised
by mortgage on the property, would
give us enough means 10 purchase the
street railways II the $4,000, 900 is
10 be spent for subways, the prospect
OF municipal ownership goes glimmer-
ing-for how can we get the surface
lines? And without the surface lines,
what good would II do US to operate
subway?
Would the ID. u. h. connect with
the subway? What arrangements
could be made for such connection?
What would the ID. u II. charge the
city for moving its tracks from the
center OF Woodward, Gratiot and
Michigan-aves., while the subway is
under construction? What would the
ID. L. r. charge for moving carloads
OF dirt from the subway-for that
would be the quickest means OF haul
ing IL away? These are only few
OF the questions which arise as soon
as we begin TO consider the building
OF subway before we acquire the
surface lines.
1T is very evident that the admin
istration does not want municipal
ownership, and is doing everything in
its power TO defeat IL. have a list
OF charges against Mayor Marx so
long Mr.. Moore held his hands far
apart-"w which ! have presented TO
him. personally | have read them to
him and asked him: Isn't that true|
He tried TO tell me.what he intended
TO do We know what he intends to
do. He intends to do nothing by
which the city OF Detroit can get mum
icipal ownership And there is just
as little to be hoped fyom his chief OPP
ponent."
Secretary Hayden. of the street
railway commission, has been instruct
ed TO communicate with various en-
gineers regarding the subway propo-
sition, and II is expected that several
experts will visit Detroit within few
days to discuss the subway problem
with the commission.
In 1912, the public utilities commit
tee OF the common council, headed by
Aid. Burton. investigated the subway
question to some extent The com
mittee consulted l.. f, Moore, of Bos-
ton; Hans +. Seidl, engineer for
Francis e. Peck & Co, OF Cleveland;
NJ. L. Walker, grade separation engi-
neer for the Michigan Central, and
William H. Adams, OF the engineering
firm Of Adams a. Cummins, Detroit.
These engineers considered that a
subway under Woodward-ave., would
present few serious engineering prob
lens.
The committee reported to the coun.
ell, Jan. T. 1913, that the chief points
to be considered were the location OF
downtown loops and terminal sta
tons. 1t found that the large trunk
sewer under Woodward-ave. was
deep enough to allow a subway to be
built above II. The open trench sys-
tenn OF construction was favored. 1t
was suggested that room be made in
the subway for public service wire
conduits and pipes. The committee
advised that an engineer be employed
TO map the underground routes of the
public service corporations property
in Woodward-aye. TO plan for the re-
moval Of all obstacles, and TO provide
for a system OF loops and terminals.
No estimate of cost was obtained by
the committee. The report was laid
on the table, and the common council
did nothing further in the matter.
Aid. Burton is in Maine, and will
not return 10 Detroit for at least two
weeks When he comes back, Mr.
Hayden will ask him for whatever
papers he may have. that may be OF
any value TO the street railway com.
mission.
Nothing has been heard from the ID
u. X. regarding the selling price
which II has been asked to submit TO
the commission before June L. and
the commission is quite in the dark
as TO what the company intends to do.
On invitation OF Aid. Lodge. chair
man OF the committee on public utili.
ties, Secretary Hayden, OF the NUM-
cipal railway commission, will meet
with the committee, Monday after.
noon 10 discuss the text OF the reso
luton which the commission has
adopted, favoring the construction or
subway system as soon as possible.
81 think that the railway commits
sioners will find that the aldermen
are heartily In accord with them, and
will do everything in their power TO
assist the commission I'm preparing
plans for a subway system said Aid.
Lodge. Personally. have long been
an advocate OF a subway for Detroit.
and | am tickled to think that the
commission has taken up that i'm
portant part OF what will be a com
prehensive municipal railway plan"
IL q, l{kalv that the couNCu Win no