The Detroit times., 1917-03-05
RECORDER
ORDERS SIFT
OF CHARGES
Directs Commission to
Draft Grand Jury
Thursday

ernoon issued IN order supnoains
a grand jury TO invssttssts charges
made by AID Geo. w. Ross. Of the
Eighth ward. against the board of
education and the city buil61AG eom-
mission. Ala. Ross declared that
the board OF sdunsttes vas vasteful
extrsvASant and that II violated
laws In the purchase anA saAs q
property.
Hs also maAs nnmsss1s cAsrUps
against the building department, AZ
ieging that tho department permit
ted the violation ~ many ss1ejans
OF the building code Hs dscjsrsd
that violations were hushed up. that
inspectors were "nxed- and that In
firence and pull were used unduIy.
Mr.. Ross nlsd his petition FOR q
municipal sraAd jury Estdsy after
noon. II has been many years since
such a jury has bssn invoked here
and with his petition he died q
brief setting forth the fact that the
court had q rtght 70 call such .
Jury.
Judge Connolly issued an order
10 the jury commission that Il drsft
so men next Thursday, from which
a srand Jury may be- selected. I'm
der the law the Grand jury must
consist OF at ieast IS man.
Charles A. Gadd. business man.
ager OF the board Of education. said
the petition was Q Joke az FAR as
his board was concerned. He de-
clared that he vas unable 70 iden-
tify the transactions complained OF
In the petition Of the alderman. He
said the board didn't spend any
money directly. but that all dr.
bursements were made by the con-
troller after careful consideration
by committees and then by the full
board
Conditions In the city department
~ buildings have reached such a
state and the business OF the de-
pnrtment Ia nov handled In such q
way that Mayor Marx believes a
business manager should be ap-
pointed TO take charge.
"If the facts are such as Aid
Ross has represented them to be
in his petition to the recorders
0ourt." said the mayor, II welcome
the investigation. However. the
building code Is responsible for no
small part OF the confusion that
now exists IN the building depart.
mcnt. and many OF the charges that
arc made against the oficials are
Of petty nature.
Every day have complaints
concerning connictions between the
health department and building
codee. II has reached the stage
that n one department issues a per.
NIT the other refuses 70 do like
wise.
There has been a vacancy on
ne building commission for some
time. but have hesitated about
placing man there simply because
OF the turmoil"
Chief Inspector Henry A.. Dupont.
% the department OF buildings.
7tands ready, he says. ton throw bis
department open to any probe that
may be ordered by the recorders
court as the result Of the petition
OF Aid. Ross.
Il see Harry Hollands back Of
this whole deal" said Mr.. Dupont.
Saturday. II believe that Aid. Ross
has allowed himself to DO buncoed
into ding this petition with the re.
corder's court Everything In this
department IL open to them.
81 admit that there are technical
violations OF the building code arisS
ing daily. but they are OF Q trivial
nature. and would not occur n the
city had q building code that were
not q patched-up AFFAIR. Every day
there are dozens OF cases where
persons lie and attempt 10 deceive
the department IN order to obtain
permits. and n requires unusual
watchfulness 20 see that these
things DO not escape us"
Monday Mayor MARI win appoint
a special commissiou 20 start 70
vision Of the building code. Q pro
cedure that long has been contem.
plated The mayors action IN max
Ing the appointment wAs hastsned
by Aid Ross's petition