The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-10-15
Commerce Board Mem
bers Applaud COuzens
and Connolly
S40,000,000 TALK
is EXPLAINED
Commissioner Tell s
Just What Statement
Meant

lOI the pluuI OF DtCduSe OI lUelT
natural sympathy for James Couz.
ems, who is a former president of
the board, the reception given him
and Judge Connolly, Thursday, when
they talked for the street car pur-
| chase plan, was much more cordial
than that accorded George VIM.
Moore when he spoke against the
plan, Tuesday noon
Mr.. Moore was given a very re-
| spectful hearing and listened TO
| with the closest attention, but there
was no applause except a compli-
mentary hand" when he had fin.
ished. Both Judge Connolly and
| Mr.. Couzens were interrupted by
applause several times and seemed
| to get their main points over much
| better than did the speaker for the
opposition.
MIR. Couzens devoted the greater
part or the little talk he gave to
| the importance OF the street rail-
way development in the business
life and prosperity OF the city, de-
claring unreservedly that the city's
opportunity TO take the one fare
lines over intact and extend them
for the upbuilding of the city was
far more important than the price
TO be paid for them.
TOO much stress has been laid
on my statement that would be
willing to pay $4O,O00O0O for the
D. U. r." he declared. What
meant when said that, was that
II had the city's rights I might.
The city's rights, understand. The
D. U. r. hasn't got the city's rights,
not by n long ways. Given the
city's rights to put street car tracks
on every street In town, II neces-
| sary, and ruin cars on them forever
and ever and you could give $40.
O00, 900 or s50,000,o00 for the com
plete system and make money or
IT, It would be worth almost any
price you can think off,
Mr.. Couzens made one statement
regarding the value OF the ID. u. r.
property that the proponents Of the
street car plan have not been gen
orally making.
There has been a lot of talk
about the Bancroft appraisal" he
said And IL has been stated that
| while the Bancroft appraisal valued
| the property Of the d. u. II. at
around $11,000,000, the Bemis ap-
praisal put the value of the prop
erty at something like $4,000, 900.
7 can say to you that the difference
| between the two appraisals Is just
about represented by property pur-
chased by the ID. L. r. since the
Barefoot appraisal was made. Aside
| from This the two appraisals are
very much alike"
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Couzens'
| talk. during the course OF which he
had given some figures on street
railway business, one Of those pres
ent asked for the net earnings o
the d. r.. r. for any one year, ex
elusive of interest and taxes.
II don't believe I have that fig
ure here with me-" declared MI
| Couzens. but you can tell some
| thing about II when you remembe
that they have paid lately a six pc
cent dividend on s12,000,000 wort
OF stock, or nearly three-quarter
Of a million dollars. We would hav
to pay interest and expect 10 pa
taxes, just as they do, but ut leas
that much we would not have I,
pay, but could save for betterment
or sinking fund"
Both Mr.. Couzens and Judge Con
molly bore down hard on tho de
ferred payment features OF the
pronosed plan. referring again ans
again 10 the fact that of the bonds
II fs proposed 70 assume only 81,
OOO, 900 comes due next summer and
the remaining s10,000,O00 does not
have 70 be paid until 1892.
President Jere c. Hutchins, OF the
u. U. r., and General Manager +
w. Brooks Of the same system, have
new friend, no less a parsonage
than Charles s. Hampton, whose
sonorous voice has rolled through
Democratic convention halls FOR
more wears than he himself likes to
remember. and whose voice IL now
raised against the street railway
purchase plan.
Not. OF course. that Mr.. Hampton
has Endorsed Mr.. Hutchins for
mayor. or Mr. Brooks for police
commissioner or anything like mat
But. Thursday night In discussing
the alleged iniquities OF the pur
chase plan. Mr.. Hampton arraisne'
II particularly because II was agreed
"a nv oflcials OF the n. U. r.
"Do YOU think that Hutchins
would have turned down the rail-
INV commissions offer OF nearly |
sai oe0. 900 II he were not pretty |
nositive ne could get more7" de-
n,anded Mr.. Hampton. ''lf the city
had such men IA Hutchins and
Brooks 20 serve IL with the faith
fulness that they have shown for the
compression that employs them then
there might be less opposition 10
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