Not For Its Own Property

NOT FOR ITS OWN PROPERTY

Will The County Pay For Paving Improvement.

CHAIR, HUNTER MIXED UP

Supervisor Case Fought The Proposition From Start To Finish.

At Tuesday morning's meeting of the board of supervisors there was a hot parliamentary debate on the matter of the county paying for its share of the contemplated paving on Huron st. in front of the court house square.

Chairman Hunter got tangled up like a fish line in a boy's pocket, and when he found where he had landed the board, he wiggled out with a dexterity that was amusing.

Supervisor Childs moved that in case Ann Arbor decides to pave Huron st. from Ashley to State st., that the board authorize the payment of its share, the same not to exceed $1,500. It was stated that the entire expense of paving Huron st. in front of the court house, not including street crossings, which the city would take care of, would be $3,200.

Supervisor Case stamped it as the most outrageous proposition that ever carne before the board. "There is no law to compel us to pave. If it is right that we should pave, there would be a law to compel us," said he. He said that those who favored the motion could not point out a single case in the state where the county pays for paving under similar circumstances.

Supervisor Whittaker "remembered the Maine" in the way the city had fixed his town on the equalization, and he said that, while he was always favorable to a just amount for improvements, his constituents would not stand by him if he voted for the motion since recent developments.

Supervisor Allmendinger said he was unable to understand the antipathy of Supervisor Case toward the city of Ann Arbor when his town was at its very door. Mr. Allmendinger said that the state paid for paving in front of the capitol.

Supervisor Case said that there was not any paving at all around the capitol in Lansing.

Mr. Allmendinger said there was, and proved it by Senator Ward, who happened to be present. Mr. Ward said there was paving on her streets.

Supervisor Bacon moved that the county pay $1,000. "If the county can pay $830 for such a walk as we have on the west side, I guess it can pay $1,000 for paving," sad he.

There was no second to his motion.

The roll was called, and the seven supervisors of Ann Arbor and Supervisors Seyler and Bacon voted "yes" but 15 country supervisors voted "no." It was lost.

Mr. Childs then renewed Mr. Bacon's motion.

Mr. Schneider said that in Grand Rapids the county had paid its share for paving on three sides of the court house - and asphalt at that.

Mr. Bibbins said he could not vote on the question until he was satisfied that other counties paid for pavements. He moved that the matter be left for a committee to investigate. It was seconded.

Mr. Case moved that the whole question be indefinitely postponed.

Mr. Allmendinger - "It looks as if somebody was afraid of having the facts brought out." 

On Mr. Case's motion to indefinitely postpone there was a tie vote, 15 to 15.

Chairman Hunter - "The motion is lost."

Mr. Childs - "I now call for a vote on Mr. Bibbins' motion."

Chairman Hunter - (After a slight hesitation) - "I made a mistake. The motion was carried. A tie vote carries the motion." 

The chairman was called down on this, and Supervisor Case got in a motion to adjourn, which was carried.