Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-09
THE ISSUE JOINED.
WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THE FAILURE
OF OUR ELECTRIC LlNEl
The spraguc Company Attributes 1t to
Faulty Management; Captain Piz1ini
SAYS 1t Is Defective Equipment.

Tn the New York EUening Post of Monday
appeared the following card, which will
prove interesting reading here just at this
time. as II has a very strong bearing upon
a subject that has been generally dis
cussed in Richmond during the last few
weeks:
, To he Editor Of l,e Ereaihg Post;
/ Sir.-The newspaper publications giving
( the views OF various parties IN interest rs
to the question Of success or failure of our
system on the Richmond Union Passenger
| railway in the city of Richmond will more
than likely create feeling Of dlstrust OF
/ the Sprague system. We therefore give
| brief summary of our whole relations with
that concern:
/. The chief director and manager Of the
enterprise was the late Maurice Is. Flynn,
OF New York city political fame.
2. The road was the first ono equipped
/ by the sprague Company and the largest
clectric-railway undertaking III the world:
3. The conditions Of road-bed, track, and
| car-hOuse facilities were from the outset OF
the most exccrable kind.
4. The grades and curves were of tho
maximum a. yet essayed by electric rail
way propulsion.
8. The management has been and still is
50 utterly incompetent as 10 excite the IN
dignation and condemnation OF all who
have either used the road or had dealings
with it.
G. The revenues Of the road have noto-
riously been applied TO other purposes than
the maintenance of the rOad-bed. equip
ment, or other property Of the company.
7. The management from the outset pur-
sued policy of extorting from thiscompa-
ny all regular supplies Teduired IN the or
dnarv operation Of the road, refusing 10
pay any and all bills presented therefor,
until this company was finally forced,
some eight months since. 10 decline 10
give them further credit, since which time
the equipment has been allowed 10 run
down. save and except only as local me-
chanics and shops could retard 1t by an
unintelligcnt and spasmodic effort.
All these circumstances have such forci-
| bic and direct bearing upon the success or
| failure OF the enterprise as whole that
any assertion by interested parties that the
! bad financial and physical condition OF the
| company * due tO the failure of the cleo
trical equipment will ut least be regarded
| by any unpreiudiced businessman AS " un-
proven" go
The fact that we have other roads with
! traffic and grades as heavy, operating salts
factorily with identical motor equipment,
is of itself proof Of our contention that the
troubles OF the road are due 10 misman-
motors.
The other fact, that we are not now sell
ing this motor, but instead an entirely new
and greatly improved apparatus, would
! seem to Us Of itself effectually 10 set aside
the Richmond matter, Independently OF
the truth or falsity Of the contention put
forth by the management.
Finally. this cOmpanyls prepared to qua
rantee It's equipment and Is aoundsnuy
able to do 80.
f. II. JOHNSON, President.
STATEMENT FROM CAPTAIN PIzzIN1.
The above was shown last night to Cap
tain Andrew PIzzini. Jr., secretary and
treasurer OF the Union Passenger Company,
and who has been the acting general
manager since the resignation OF Mr.. Burt
nearly a wear ago. and after reading 1t care
| fully the Captain furnished the Dispatch the
| following statement:
when the railway cases were adjourned
| gave my word that / would not discuss
| the Sprague motor lds Ised IN Rchmond).
and must keep my promise; but | can
| not refrain from calling attention TO that
portion OF Mr.. JOhnsOn's letter, where he
saws: We are not now selling this motor
| (the one used hcre). but instead an entirely
new aud greatly improved apparatus &C.,
| and he fails to say why the old motor has
been discarded. | do not think further
comment is needed.
Paragraph is deceptiye-probabl in
tentionally so-as he does not say the funds
Of the cOmpany have been misapplled, but
'nOtOriOusly applied to other purposes
than the maintenance Of equipment
and other property Of the company As
matter Of course they We're further APP
piled TO paying wages, salaries, purchase
of property for the cOmpanv's use, and for
other expenses incidental to the railway
service; and for every cent disbursed the
books Of the company will show, with
proper vouchers filed for examination. The
book R-kccpcr of the cOmpany-Mr. John l.:
Grubbs-was the honest, upright. and
capable man recommended by Mr.. john
sons representatives rs the receiver.
paragraph is also incorrect. The com
pany's books will show that the Sprague
Company furnished all supplies ordered
until the armatures were sent IN July, 1889.
when they declined 10 reWind them. All
the work ordered from local mechanics
was purely mechanical and was ordered
because | desired to patronlZe home INDUS
tries and because | believed the lalbotts,
Richmond L0cOmOtiye-W Works, and Joseph
Hall & Co. can do as good mechanical
work as anv shops III the United States
and they did not charge 'cut-throat
prices and our people can Judge all OF
ed. II. Johnson, PRESIDENT statements
low the one that such work as the above
firms did only retarded the road by 'unin-
telligent and spasmOdlc effort
He overrcaches himself in his effort 70
overcome the irTeparable injury the IN
efficient equipment Of the Richmond road
has done his company.
~ am prepared to show at the proper time
that the management of the road has been
energetic, economical, and intelligent, and
that the successful operation of the road
until July. 1889. exceeded the expectations
of it, owners that II met It's current ex-
penses promptly. and that It's failure TO be
successful was altogether owing to causes
which the local management could not
overcome with the equipment placed inits
charge"
THE BOARD TO MEET.
A meeting of the Board of Directors of
the Union Passenger Railway Company has
been called TO be- held at the Bank-street
Offices. this city, tomorrow afternoon at 3
O'Clock.
The New York members Of the board.
one of whom Is Mr.. Johnson. president OF
the Sprague Company, are expected to be
present at this time. unless 1t Is decided
today TO postpone the meeting 10 some
future day. IL may be that the negOtla-
tions now pending IN New York looking to
"A settlement of all differences between IN
terested parties will be consummated by to-
night. in which event any plan agreed upon
DN the conference Will bc pun AAtp thSNt
10y the Board Of Directors.
The interests involved being very large
there is strong probability that the con-
ference Will not reach any conclusion by
tomorrow. In this event II IS likely that
Judge Fitzhugh will be asked for further
continuance of the cases seeking the ap-
pointment of receivers for the two street
car lines here and that the board meeting
will be adjourned over.