The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-10-18
Sixteenth Ward Alder
man Is Slammed
in Meeting
SOME FACTS
SURPRISE HIM
City Clerk to Provide
Public with Summary
of Appraisal

teenth ward. displayed lack OF
knowledge that was surprising on
the D. L. K. purchase plan when
ne appeared before the council com
mittee on public utilities. Friday aft
ernoon, 10 urge favorable action on
his resolution demanding that the
railway commission. by order Of the
common council. make public the
contents OF the Bemis appraisal.
He admitted that he had never
read the Bemis appraisal summary
that was tran shifted 10 the council
bv the commission and printed in
the Official proceedings. a. we'll as
in the news columns Of tho daily
papers: also. that he did no; know
the proposed purchase plan con
templates the acquisition o. y. L.
r. property in the oue.fare zone.
which extends beyond the city lin
its on some lines.
Aid. Dill was formerly IN the en-
pillow OF the street railway company
and processes 70 be deeply interest
ed in railway matters. He is op.
posed TO the purchase plan, giving
az his reason that he does not be
lieve in the success OF municipal
operation
After AID James Vernon, chair
man OF the committee on public
utilities. had read Aid DIS reso-
luton 10 the com mittee. he asked .
II suppose Aid Dill. that you are
aware that the railway commission
referred the Bemis appraisal 70 The
council last January ." Aid. Dill
nodded his head and said, Yes. on
yes. 7 do"
Then isn't that knowledge con.
trary 20 your statement in the reso,
luton that the commission has re-
fused TO publish or make known in
anv vay the contents OF the Bemis
appraisal"
Aid Dill attempted n avoid Yer.
nor's thrust by eHclaiming: "But
the people. what do they know
about the contents OF that ayprais.
al They have never seen II Every
day I am asked about the cost al
this line and about the cost OF that
line. am unable 20 answer these
questions intelligentiy because
have not the facts. am after facts
so that | can give the people all the
light possible on the purchase plan
There Is talk about the Benlis and
the Bancroft appraisals being very
similar. although there Is differ
ence Of several million IN the total
valuations made by the two engl
neers. what about IT. The people
also want 10 know tho cost OF in
dividual lines. and 7 have been nm.
able 10 supply them with that in
formation"
Aid. Vernon asked AID. Dill II nc
had read the communication from,
the railway commission that was
printed In the common council jour
nal on Jan. 90. Aid. Dill replied
that he had not.
"If you had read that two-page
report you would not be making
such foolish statements regarding
matters that you are not familiar
with" was vernor's sharp retort.
Secretary Jay Hayden. OF the rail
way commission. remarked that the
daily papers had all commented on
the Bemls appraisal figures Mt the
time the report was made 10 the
common council.
II never saw II mentioned In the
declared Aid. Dill, In
clined 10 challenge the truth or Sec
Rotary Hayden's statement. ANY.
how" he added. 'it won't be any
trouble 10 publish II again since the
people have right 10 know what
they are voting on"
Aid. Dills resolution. which he did
not draft, would make public the
full contents OF the Bemis appraisal
report, which Ia composed OF 25, ZOO
closely written pages OF figures and
data. Secretary Hayden explained
10 the committee that, figuring on a
basis Of 5000 for 1000 copies of
the appraisal, II would take hun.
dreds OF thousands OF dollars 70
place the Bemis appraisal figures in
the hands OF the voters.
And they wouldn't know any.
thing more about the d. u. r. prop.
osition II they studied the appraisal
for month" remarked Aid. Vernon
Il have glanced over the Appraisal,
hsures and can't make head or
tail out OF them. II takes an ex
pert engineer TO digest a report O,
that kind"
Secretary Hayden made Aid. Dill
admit that he never visited the com
missions ONCE or made any attemp
TO get the appraisal figures
THE appraisal books are open u
the public in our ONCE" said Hay
den. AID Dill never came TO m,
| for information. George william