The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-06-01
The CITY Hallway.

The City Railway.
Editors of Dispatch: ,Mr. Todd, when be
prepared bis letter on behalf OF the Commit
tee on Streets, which appeared 10 your issue
OF MAY 1lth, did not have the petition OF
the Richmond Railway Company, as amend
ed by the Committee on Streets, before him,
and consequently overlooked the features
therein most Objectionable to the company.
The amended petition requires the COM
pany 10 change the gauge OF It's tracks when.
ever directed so TO do by the Council, and
to place double tracks on all streets on
which the company now has single tracks.
BY the present ordinance the company Is
not only required to keep 10 repair all pave.
ments and streets between is tracks, but
also for t,oo feet on either side Of its tracks
and to pave between its tracks, and also
for t,c0 feet on either side Of its tracks on
all unpayed streets used by the company
when such streets are paved by the city.
Broad street from Adams to Laurel and
Laurel from Broad to Main and Main from
Laurel TO Reservoir street are unpaved.
Might not the Council. no matter what the
demands OF travel or the financial condition
OF the company, direct it 10 place double
tracks on Broad, Laurel, and Main, and
then by paving said streets throw upon the
company not only the costs Of paving be.
tween their tracks on said streets, but also
eight feet on The outside Of their tracks this
lch0te distance, and at the same time order
the company to change the gauge OF their
tracks, rendering all OF its rolling stock
useless, and causing an expense more than
the present value OF its whole property
Are not such provisions "runous" The
petition Of the company was presented to
the Council after full consultation with Mr..
Todd, and after 1t bad been changed in seye-
raj respects TO meet mis- views, and when the
management OF the company thought he ap.
proved Of its every feature. 1t remained
before the committee from June, 1880, till
March, lSSl-eigat montbs-and there was
no time between the filing of the petition
and action thereon by the committee, ex-
cept day or two in December last, when
the company was not pressing for action,
deemiDg it measure OF the utmost import
ance to the company, IL not to the public.
AS 10 the extension to the chatter asked
by The company, the management OF the
company Withdrew lis petition (before Mr..
Todd's letter appeared), and informed Mr..
Todd and other members OF the committee
that it would accept the extension proposed
by the committee, and also informed NJ.
Todd that it would waive its right to charge
for parcels and baggage Of passengers; but
enjoying that privilege, and having enjoyed
it for sixteen years, an extension of the
privilege was asked 10 practically prohibit
this trans portatiOn, and thus TO prevent its
cars from being blOckedup with baggage.
b the Inconvenience Of It's passengers, and
no: (as Mr.. Todd by his card would have
the public TO believe 10 increase its reye-
nues to the detriment Of licensed express
and transfer companies and teams,ers.
The company, In asking TO be relieved
from keeping the pavement and street be-
tween IL tracks and two feet outside thereof
in repair. proposed that in lieu thereof a
tax be charged upon it, cars; and the man.
agement OF the company still think this the
best mode Of taxation.
Ii the committee would have granted the
extension on Nam street under the present
ordinance, it should have so Informed the
company, and il it would have given the
privilege OF single track upon Main be-
tween Eighth and Laurel, upon conference
with the company, Mr.. Todd should not
have denied 4 conference, which was asked
for and refused.
The company in its card, which was in
reply TO 4 card Of a citizen, and TO which
Mr.. Todd saw tit to reply, did not refer. to
the 10 per cent tax when it said the terms
imposed by the Street Committee would
be runous. IL referred to the change
OF gauge and placing double tracks
where it now has single track. Ii never
thought that the city was its partner, or that
said tax could be placed before the interest
on its bonded Indebtedness, or after dvi-
drnds on its stock, or that its bonded in
dcbtedness should be readjusted because 1t
has been sold at less than It's face value.
Mr. Todd says the company pays tax of
only s. per car. 1t keeps 10 repair the
pavement on those portions Of Main aud
Broad streets most travelled upon. Is that
not taxi 1t will be forced to pave be-
| tween IFS tracks on all improved streets
when the city payes such streets. Is that
not tax? For do the cars and horses OF
the company lDinre the streets Of the city
as much az they are injured by wagons
and carriages? Mr. Todd thinks the
company is making money. From whom
does he obtain his information! The
management OF the company has AS
sisted him and has offered 10 prove to
him that it is not making money. True ii !
il, he has found a statement which shows a
credit balance OF 90 600 in six months but |
that is not the last statement made by the |
company before Mr.. TOdd's letter. The |
last statement shows a debit balance. Why |
did not Mr. Todd, II he wished TO arrive at |
the facts OF t0e case, inspect all OF the re-
turns made 10y the present management CT
the company 10 the city AudtoTy
The logic Of MIR. Todd az to increasing |
its ears TO one hundred does DOtppply TO the
company. The company wishes some pro- |
it, and before it can receive anything il |
must pay 10 the city It's 10 per cent. tax. !
Mr.. Todd, in the statement which he saw lit |
TO select, finds two items which he thinks |
have been carried to the wrong account.
The management Of the company will glad
ly correct any and all errors In its state
ments. The citizens Of Richmond need !
cheap transportation. None need il more |
than the residents OF Mr.. Todd's ward, and |
il will be furnished them II the company |
can make o reasonable contract with the
Council. e. NJ. BOLTON,
Manager OF the Redmond Railway Com.
pany.