The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1921-11-26
Controversy ended
After Long Fight

Detroit, Mich, Nov. 23.-Recent de-
cision at the polls on the part of De-
troit voters to oust the Detroit United
Railway from parts of Woodward ave-
nue. and Fort street, two of the city's
most important thoroughfares, mark.
ed another step In the long fight for o
complete municipal street railway
! system.
Controversy between the Detroit
United Railway and the city has been
almost continuous for more than two
decades the fight cropping out at all
municipal elections in one form or an
other.
This struggle reached its height
some time ago when the voters ap
proved a proposal for a municipal
railway system to compete with the
railway company. The approval was
contested by the Detroit United, how
ever, the company carrying the fight
to the United States supreme court
on the grounds of illegality in the
election, but the city was upheld.
The latest angle of the traction
fight had its inception more recently,
when the city offered the Detroit Unit
ed Railway $383,O0O for it's tracks and
overhead equipment on the Fort street
and Woodward avenue lines. The
company refused this offer, declaring
it would tear up the tracks rather
than dispose of them for such a sum.
Franchises held by the company on
these lines had expired and Mayor
James Couzens, champion of munich
pal ownership, submitted the custer
amendment to the voters at the recent
election. The voters upheld the mayor
by almost a two to one vote.
The ordinance requires the company
to discontinue service on the two
lines in question by about November
25 and A. F. Edwards, the traction
organizations vice-president, an
nounced as soon as the results of the
election became known that such ac-
ton would be taken. Ninety additional
days are granted the company to re-
move its tracks and trolley wires.
Although Mayor Couzens has not
announced his plans for meeting the
transportation problem that will arise
if service is suspended, it is known
the city expects to depend upon
busses and jitneys during the period
of several months required to Law
municipal tracks.
Woodward avenue is described by
local police authorities as the most
congested city street in the world. De-
troit has no rapid transit, depending
upon street cars, motor busses and jit-
ney busses to move its population. AS
large number of street railway lines
center in Woodward avenue the traf-
fic congestion resulting has placed a
burden upon the police departments
traffic department. To overcome this
congestion the proposal has been made
that the city lay it's municipal tracks
on avenues near Woodward and thus
leave the city's chief thoroughfare
free for vehicular traffic. No definite
decision has been made regarding this
matter, however. The Woodward ave-
nue. street car lines at present. extend
through Highland Park, an exclusive
Detroit suburb that also contains sew
eral important automobile plants.
That part of Fort street from which
the Detroit United Railways must re-
move it's tracks extends from Artil-
lery avenue to the heart Of the city, a
distance of approximately four miles.
Several automobile plants are located
in the Fort street district beyond Ar
tillery avenue. The Detroit United
has announced 1t would attempt to re-
route it's cars on the Woodward and
Fort street lines, bringing them into
the downtown district over round
about routes.
Ousting of the Detroit United Rail-
ways from these two streets will add
about seven miles to the municipal
railway system, that now comprises
approximately 100 miles of tracking.
Franchises on other Detroit United
Railway lines will expire within the
next few years.
Mao r.Ixy % mn Msloe