The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-08-17
'M'VICAR MAKES
HOT ATTACK ON
D. U. R. FIGURES
Says Valuation of Over $780,
100000 Claimed il "Beauti-
full Prevarication"
MAKES ANALYSIS TO
SUPPORT CONTENTION
Declares Manipulation Goes On
Between Road and Marx
/ Administration

4. beautiful prevarication'' Is the
term applied by John Mcvicar. can
didate for the Republican nomination
for mayor. to the statement of valua-
ton OF d. u. r. property submitted
several months ago to the street rail-
way commission. In statement
given out Saturday morning, Mr.. Nc
Vicar makes searching analysis OF
the ID. u. r. schedule In the light of
his knowledge OF street railway af-
y fairs gained when he was connected
with the city's department OF public
works.
In conversation. Mr.. Mcyicar warm
~ defended the Bancroft appraisal
and declared that any move to get a
now one Is simply one more attempt
to play into the hands OF the d. u.
r. when the Bancroft appraisal
was made" he said, "the only fault
found with II by the Breitmeyer COM
mittee OF so. was that II was too
high by some $1,000 00."
With regard to the figures pre-
pared by the company under the d.
rection Of General Manager Frank w.
Let's look little at Mr.. Brooks
latest effort. or his thirty odd mil
lions claimed, he prints half dozen
Of the larger items In the appraisal,
aggregating only 81 per cent OF the
whole. don't care to take up In
detail this mass Of figures, included
In which as an asset Is three per
cent OF the whole that Is the prop
- ttxA Att 10. null
But take his item OF straight track
construction, $9.66S.966. He doesn't
give the mileage, but let US assume
that there are nearly or quite 1S5
miles exclusive Of special track
work. curves, etc. This gives over
$4,000 per mile for straight track
construction~) When l remind you
that the cost of the Detroit railway
all its expenditure for Its first so or
IS miles. including everything needed
to have It's cars paid for and running,
was less than $2,000,000. you will
zee what q beautiful prevarication
this appraisal Is for only one item OF
| the d. u. r. alleged values. Besides.
90 commissioner Of public works,
supervised construction OF tracks on
D. u. r. account, that we later made
them pay for, and the cost, including
al iron, excavation. concreting, ties,
and labor OF laying. did not exceed
$4,000 per mile. Note the differ
encel
mean. 1A
sFor every million dollars OF ex-
cess value It takes net earnings OF
100000 passengers to support the
interest charges: 100000 at six per
cent IL 100000, or the gross return
on 100000 passengers, on three
cent fare. Inasmuch as the ID. u. X.
says II costs them Go per cent TO
operate, obviously IL is going to take
three times this amount to get suf-
ficient net earnings, or from 100000
to 100000 passengers. This Is just
10 much waste money and effort.
Initiating stock and bond issues In
public service utilities Is no more per-
nicious than initiating physical valua-
tons.
"The company's method Is to In
fate everything to the limit"
"If Detroit follows the advice and
methods OF the company In its effort
to accomplish municipal ownership.
II will by taking such counsel allow
itself to become a party to the ineyi-
table physical imitation. Wherein Is
this different from stock and bond In
nation?
THE way to municipalize is to mu-
nicipalize every move.
would any sensible person, con-
sidering his future business welfare,
take counsel with his very worst en-
envy and follow that enemy's advice?
II would mean commercial and per-
sonal suicide; and that Is precisely
what the city Is now doing on this
street railway matter.
THE d. u. r. would have the city
act as follows:
BUY the ID. u. r. property.
"Buy 1t by method laid out by the