The Detroit times., 1915-10-16
Sixteenth Ward Alder
man Is Slammed
in Meeting
SOME FACTS
SURPRISE HIM
City Clerk to Provide
Public with Summary
of Appraisal

teenth ward, ulSpfaYeu taCk or
knowledge that was surprising on
the D. L. r. 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 81 the
common council. make public the
contents OF the Bemis appraisal.
He admitted that he had never
read the Bemis appraisal summary
that was transmitted 10 the council
by the commission and printed in
the Official proceedings. as well rs
IN the news columns OF thu daily
papers: also, that he did not know
the proposed purchase plan cor
templates the acquisition OF - [.
r. property in the one-fare zone.
which extends beyond the city lin
It's on some lines.
Aid. Dill was formerly In the en-
ploy Of the street railway company
and processes 10 be deeply interest
ed in railway matters. He is op-
posed 70 the purchase plan, giving
as his reason that he does not be
heve in the success OF municipal
operation
After Aid James Vernon. chair.
man Of the committee on public
utilities. had read Aid Dilrs reso-
linton 20 the committee, he asked.
II suppose. Aid Dill. that you are
aware that the railway commission
referred the Bemis appraisal 10 tho
council last January" Aid. Dill
nodded his head and said. Yes. Oh
yes. do"
Then isn't that knowledge con-
trary to your statement in the reso-
luton that the commission has re-
fused TO publish or make known in
any way the contents OF the Bemls
APPRAISAL"
Aid Dill attempted 70 avoid Yer.
nor's thrust by exciaiming: But
the people, what do they know
about the contents OF that aIprais-
al? They have never seen IL. Every
day I am asked about the cost 81
this line and about the cost OF that
line I am unable 20 answer these
questions intelligently because I
have not the facts am after facts
so that I can give the people all the
light possible on the purchase plan.
There Is talk about the Beuis and
the Bancroft appraisals being very
similar. although there Is a differ.
ence OF several million In the total
valuations made by the two enRi-
neers. What about ~ The people
also want TO know tho cost Of In.
d!vidual lines. and I have been m
able TO supply them with that In.
formation"
Aid Vernon asked Aid Dill N no
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
III 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.
say commission. remarked that the
daily papers had all commented on
the Bemls appraisal figures nj the
time the report was made 70 the
common council.
II never saw II mentioned in the
newspapers" declared Aid. Dill. in
clined 20 challenge he truth Of Sec.
rotary Hayden's statement. ANY.
how" he added. "it won't be any
trouble 10 publish It again since the
people have right 10 know what
thev 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 $4,000
closely written pages ~ figures and
data. Secretary Hayden explained
10 the committee that, figuring on
basis OF $1,000 for I 900 copies OF
the appraisal, IL would take hun.
dreds OF thousands OF dollars 10
place the Bemis appraisal figures In
the hands OF the voters.
And they wouldn't know any.
thing more about the D. l.. r. prop.
osition II they studied the appraisal
for a month" remarked Aid. Vernon
II have glanced over the appraisal
hgures and ! can't make head or
tail out Of them II takes an ex.
pert engineer TO digest a report OF
that kind
Secretary Hayden made Aid. Dill
admit that he never visited tho com
missions once or made any attempt
to get the appraisal figures.
The appraisal books are open 20
the public In our Office" said HAY.
den. Aid. Dill never came 10 me
for Information George william