The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-07-18
THE MOTOR MEN
HAULED OVER BY THE POLICE JUS
TlCE.
cttai of the infgactiOns OF the Urdt-
nauccs by the { icctssc Railway
company An 4 dla milton.

Superintendent Farrell and number
of mOtOr-meu responded. The charges
were that the motor men had failed 10
give proper signals at crossings, in
order TO give notice 90 the drivers Of
Vehicles and 60 pedestrians Of the ap-
preach of the car.
The ordinance ON { @ subject i'm qucs-
ton reads as follows.
Chapter 10. section s. 1t shalt be the
duty Of conductors and drivers Of the
cars 90 give ample notice TO drivers OF
vehicles ard pedestrians Of their ap-
prC ach. and also 90 afford all reasonable
opportunity for them. on either Of them.
10 avoid collision or accident; and any
neglect by them 10 comply with The
provisions Of this section shall be pun
ished by a fire a five dollars, to be re-
covered before the Police Justice OF the
city. for tine use Of the city.
Chapter 50. section 81. Gays: " II any
engine OF other vehicle be drawn or
propelled up0- q railroad or rail track
al greater rate than four miles an
hour. the person who does 10 or causes
1t TO be done. or assists M doing IL. or
causing 10 o. be done shall pay a fine
Of $40.
The franchise Of the Richmond Union
Passenger Railway m0difies this ordi-
nance To the extent of allowing them to
run six miles am hour.
The Police Justice asked Superinten-
dent Farrell what was the signal
adopted by the Richmond Union Pas
scnger Railway 10 give the warning re
quircd by the ordinance. lie replied:
"The sounding Of the bell.
The hearing of the different charges
were proceeded viii. but the Court
did not seem do,irous 10 punish any
one ON the present occasion. H. salts.
fled himself by giving the supernten-
dent some information OF a very posi-
tive character.
He told MN that "a car went down the
Franklin street hill. right under the
shadow of the Police Court room. at
the tate of forty miles an hour. lie
said three gentlemen ON board Of The
car were ready t0 testify tO that fact.
"and. the Police Justice. addressing
MI Farrell "you were ON that car.
The Court further said that the ordi-
nance for bidsruuniug alta greater speed
than six mules nn hour. bat DE did not
intend tO allow them hereafter TO run
any faster. The Court said thatif these
cars IAN auy longer. ON 4 lay street ma
particular, 40 the rapid speed which
had been the custom. the company
would get in,O trouble. There had
been complaints made from one enc of
Clay street to the other about the rate
OF speed at which the cars ran.
Il have another thing which l viii
tell YOU. said the Court. Orders
have been issued from both ends of the
line 10 'lll gaps. Mr.. Farrell said
this only meant that when the cars got
punched 10y some break or obstruction
ON the street. = car going one way was
to return the moment 81 came toa
switch track connecting the tNO main
tracks.
The Court was Of opinion that caIs
did run at rapid speed 90 till up gaps
from one end of the line 10 the other.
and pointed out where cars, after the
punching. would run at a fearful rate
iu order TO lill up a space mile or TWO
miles long where NO cais were travel
ing. The Police Justice said that there
was hardly car on the line that dad
IlUi AIil UNNa NIA UNIV NAA mum
II will call your attention 60 another
Thing. said tine Court. "On your
schedule time you make no allowances
for stoppaees. You allow forty min
utcs To run from one end Of the line
T. the othcr. which is but little more
than SIX mile. an hour. vet your cars
stop sometimes az nearly evOry cross
inv. losing at least onc-han minute
each time on the average. The ofdi-
nance means That tbc cai shall not ruu
a. more than "a certain rate while ac-
tualiyin motion, not HAT the car can
leave one end of the line and reach the
other end IN length of time winch a
car running without stopping would do
AT the rate Oi eiN miles an hour
I'm tell YOU something else, sa'd
Justice Cmichhold. II roGc on The plat
Iofm OF "A car with the motor man. lie
did not ring at Main and Floyd streets.
Grove and Park avenues. Franklin. or
Grace streets. On another occasion "a
gentleman aud myself would have
been run over by car because Of the
failure TO ring, but for "a curve in the
street.
The conductor of that car here said
hc heard the bell ring.
The Police Justice further remarked
that "a gentleman had told HIM that
Within the past week his life had been
i'm jeopardy twice hy reason If the
f.ilure of the motor-man to ring Che
bell.
Mr. Farrell claimed that the bell was
ordered to be- rung at all dangerous
crossings. lie believed that II the
motor-man had 20 ring at every cross
inc lac could have nothing else 90 do.
Tho Court replied that great priv
leges had been granted this company.
and all that wes asked IN return vas
Obedience TO certain restrictions. The
ordinance did not mention dangerous
crossings. IL meant full and emphatic
notice OF the approach OF the car whef-
ever necessary. A crossing might De
clear. Vet team Just around the corner
might reach the track the same mo
ment that tine car approach that point.
No warning given by the motor man
before reaching the corner would re-
suit ia smash.up.
The condition Of your bells has as
much 90 DO with the failute TO ring ~
the neglect Of the motor man. one oi
the cars ran without any bell at al.
others are IN bad condition ana unit Tor
use. Your own cmploye tesuiies 80
that.
The Court said that he could find any
number Of cases 60 Try and impose
rcnalty betw cen then and midnight fVr
Violating the cltv ordinance. lie could
have found a large number Of motor
men for many weeks pa-t. bat did not
want TO take from the little pltlance
they received in the shape Of fines,
money they certainly needed to support
themselves. IL was the company 3 duty
TO obey the laws, and hereafter he in
tended seeing that IL WIS rigldiy en-
forced.
M. Farrell claimed that the men
should have notice that they had yio-
lated The law, and ample time to pre-
pare defense.
The Police Justice said he would see
the Chief OF Police aud have insiruc- |
lions gwen the policemen that when
they saw O car running TOO fast, or the