The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-26
THE CITY Railway.

Editors Dispatch; In recent No. OF the
Dispatch il was said that the City Railway
Company had proposed 10 obtain from the
CITY Council the right to extend their
tracks along Main street between Ninth
and Laurel streets, but were deferred from
doing so by some restrictions which the
Council were disposed TO annex to the priyi-
lege. What those restrictions were is not
known to the writer. Possibly they con-
sisted rather in a refusal to impose upon
all other vehicles carrying passengers for
hire the restrictions or rather exclusions
which that railway company sought but
failed some two years ago by an injunction
10 impose upon CARRIERS omnibus line,
prohibting their vehicles from running
not only on the rails OF that company, but
over all that portion OF the street embraced
within their Outermost rails and two feet
beyond them, covering (where there were
double tracks, about two thirds OF the
street-a public highway belonging equally
TO all the citiZans Of the STATE. II this
conjecture be correct, this unreasonable
and Illegal request was very properly re-
jected.
But does this company owe no turtle
duty to the public than it now performs
During nearly twenty years they have en-
loved monopoly Of horse.raiIway trans
portatioE in some Of the principal streets OF
the city and could readily have obtained II
in others. II this privilege was not at hrst
very profitable t. the original StOckhOlderS-
ard few such enterprises are-it certainly
has been 80 to the purchasers and present
owners. By reducing their fares some year
or two ago and increasing the frequency OF
their cars they succeeded In successfully
connecting with and disc0ntinuing the Maln-
street omnibus line, which was so great a
comfort and accommodation TO large pro-
norfion of our citizens and their families.
Since then the residents in all that large
part OF the city south OF Broad street and
between Laurel and Ninth streets have
been destitute OF any facilities for transpor-
tation whatever without walking three
four. and some OF them as much As six
squares to and from this city railway. Ana
when they have reached IL, or, more fre-
ouently, when on lower Main street, they
seek 10 return home on II, they find the cars
so over. crowded that they cannot obtain a
seat in them.
In such a state Of facts, which may be eX-
pected TO grow worse daily, is IL not duty
incumbent on this railway corporation. en-
loving such advantages under grant from
the city, to provide some accommodation for
that very large number OF our citizens who
would have no difficulty in securing for
themselves these greatly.needed facilities
but for the competition Of this company!
IL they object TO the difficulty OF drawing
their ears up the grade OF Main street be-
tween Eighth and Fifth, which Is even less
steep than that OF Ninth street, up which
they now run, they might at least, by SIN
gle track connecting that now at the corner
OF Main and laurel streets with that In
Main street at Eighth street, make loop or
circuit over which their ears might go up as
well as down Broad street (where they have
now double trackl and connecting with
Main street as at present by Laurel street,
come dotcn Main street TO Eighth street,
giving TO persons living on or south OF Main
street and going up Ninth and Broad streets
the right for one fare TO come down Nam
street as far as Fifth.
This, which seems to be the least conces-
sion which this company should make TO