The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-26
CONNECTIONS DISCUSSED.
IMPORTANT SESSION OF THE
STREET COMMITTEE.


Mr.. Fisher Unprepared to Make Dehnue
statements-Talk About Finance and
neutrality-suspicious. For the Poor-st.
Johns Cemetery-Bids For Coal.
There was meeting last night in the CITY
Engineers Office of the subcommittee, 10
whom the Street Committee referred the
questions of the removal Of the Marshall
street railway track from Fourteenth and
Main 10 Hancock and Marshall, and of al
lowing the Richmond Union Passenger Rail
way Company to connect its tracks with
those Of the Main-strect line by double
track down Twenty-6rst from Franklin 10
Main and up Seventh from Main to Frank
| lin.
MIR. strattOn presided, and the first point
discussed was as TO the Marshall-street line.
Mr. G.. +. Fisher, who represents the STOCK
| holders OF this line. stated that he could not
make proposition as yet as TO what his
company would do in the premises; that he
had attended the meeting wholly unpre-
pared TO take any action, and would, OF
course. have to confer with his associates
before anything could be done.
THE FRANCHISE.
ue asked Mr.. c. V. Meredith that if his
company decide 10 take up the track,
whether the Council would guarantee that
the Marshall-street franchise would not De
granted TO another company.
Mr.. Meredith stated that as to that ne
was not prepared to say, but did not think
il could be done. The present Council could
give such guarantee, but that he could see
no equitable law that would bind the acts
OF future Councils. lie stated further that
he did not think it probable that any 0ther
company would ever ask for the franchise ;
that 1t was demonstrated clearly to nm
that the present company did not make me
| line nav, and that that fact alone would
discourage other capitalists from asking for
the road.
Mr.. Turpin wished TO know If the COM
pany proposed to relinquish all of their
| line. and in reply il was stated by Mr.
Fisher that he did not know as yet what
his company would do.
INFORMAL DISCUSSION.
Al this iuncture of the meeting an in
formal discussion of the subject was gone
! into. participated i'm by the committee, Mr..
Fisher, Major Seldom, Mr. Meredith, Colonel
Frank Rufin. Colonel Cutshaw, and Major
4
Benjamin r. Nash.
Colonel Cutshaw. upon being asked his
opinion of the road, stated that IT was now
| OF no use to the city and did not pay the
owners: that the only thing ii did was to
put an obstruction on the street. 81 nave
always thought" he continued, THAT II had
no business being laid in the first instance.
never saw where 1t was needed. Two
parallel street car lines are enough for the
city at present, and Will be for some time 10
come"
Colonel Rufn stated as his opinion that
the road should be pulled up. "lt is he
said, nothing but an obstruction, and can't
possibly pay the owners a cent. As ii eX-
lists now it is a nuisance in two places-at
seventh and Marshall, wlere the horses are
changed, and passing through the market.
Then. too, as long as the track is there they
can put electric cars on the rails, and there
is nothing in Richmond that is such an in
fcrnal nuisance as an electric car. The
scintillatiOns under the wheels and the noise
the cars make are nuisances, and the resi-
dents of Marshall street do not want to lay
themselves liable TO have such a nuisance
perpetrated on them"
THE CONNECTIONS.
The next point raised was whether or not
the Richmond Union Passenger Company
would make the connections of their track
with the Main street track at Twenty-first
and Main streets, and from seventh and
| Main to Franklin street, thus doing away
with the track on Franklin west Of Twenty
first.
Mr.. Meredith said as his opinion, that he
was opposed TO the granting Of any fran
chises that would in the end benefit the
street-car companies, unless they acceded
| 10 the city's demands. The demand of the
Council is that the company shall relin-
quish the exclusive use Of their Broad and
Main-strcet tracks. The franchise by which
exclusive right of way is granted was voted
| in the Council in the sixties, and Will eN-
pire in 1900.
By allowing cars owned by other compa.
MES to run O,er these tracks, by paving a
stipulated compensation, the city would
avoid having its streets cut up by car
tracks.
| COULD NOT SPEAK.
Mr. Fisher stated that he could not say
what his associates would do in the matter:
that he felt sure they would make the con-
nection at Twenty-tirst and Main streets.
but that he would want tracks on seventh
between Franklin and Main to connect
with the Main-street line, and could not
say as TO the relinquishng OF the exclusive
use Of the tracks named above. He also
stated that the management were now en-
gagged in welding all Of the companies To-
gether under one management, and II would
| be fully month before he could make any
proposition to the committee.
The matter was generally discussed pre-
and con. and il was finally agreed that as
soon as Mr.. Fisher and his associates could
make definite aud clear propositions the
whole Street Committee would meet and re-
celye them.
The general idea is to take up the Mar.
shall-street track from Main to Hancock
! That part Of the track below Main is to con-
meet with what will presumably be line tc
Manchester. At Hancock and Marshall a
branch road will be run on the rest of the
Marshall-street line Iust az is being done on
! Fifth or seventeenth street.
ON the Union Passenger road the general
idea is to run the Twentyfirst street line
| dow n TO Main street, and discontinue the
| Franklin-street track. The same cars tC
run up Main to seventh, use the S0uthside
tracks to Franklin, and continue the same
route now used by the Union Passenger line
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The Finance Committee held a called
meeting in the Chancery courtroom yes
terday. 1t was decided to issue $4,000 il
four per cent. bonds to pay TO" sewers
This was done upon the recommendation Of
the Street Committee.
1t was decided TO recommend an appro
priation of 5000 for repairs TO payements
81 900 TO the construction and expense &C
count of the city, and $1,000 TO lakewood, Il
be used for grading and grayelling of thai
cemetery.
The question of recommending an apprO
priatiOn 10 pay physicians for the poor was
not acted upon. Before the Finance Com
mittee can do anything with this they will
| have TO hear from the Committee on Ordi
nances. Yesterday was the second time
| the latter committee was asked to meet The
Finance Committee, but. like the first time
the Ordinance Committee failed TO have q
quorum.
| SECOND MARKET.
The Committee on Second Market mel
Yesterday afternoon ut & O'Clock. Present:
Messrs. Ferriter (chairman), White, Jack.
son and Mitchell. The monthly payroll
was ordered TO be paid, and other routine
matters attended TO.
ST. JOHNS BURYING GROUND.