Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-22
THE STREET CAR BILL
FULL TEXT OF A MEASURE OF VITAL
IMPORTANCE.
Revised Charter Of Incorporation of the
Richmond Railway and Eiec-
trio Company.

ways, ana the electrtc-uEnt coinIdnlos VI
Richmond into one corporation, to be call
ed the Richmond Railway and Electric
Company"
The committee met in the room of tho
Southern Historical Society in the Capitol
at 10 o'clock-Hon. John L. Ryan, OF LOU
doun, presiding.
MANY REPRESENTATIVES,.
The city was represented By Messrs.
Thomas 2. Campbell and w. II. Pleasants,
appointed on the part of the Common
Council: Messrs. Lewis ID. Crenshaw. j.
Taylor Stratton. and Preston Belvin, from
the Street Committee; Mr.. w. Deane
Courtney. from the Committee on Electric
Light, and City Attorney @. V. Meredith.
Messrs. George L. Christian. Beverley h.
Munford, w. X. Meredith. and Frank W.
Christian were present as counsel for the
proposed company. Manchester was rep
resented by Mr.. John Il. Taylor.
Mayor Ellyson was also present.
substitute bill for the one introduced
in the House by Mr.. Joynes was read.
THE BILL EXPLAINED.
Mr.. Campbell and Mr.. G. V. Meredith,
speaking for the Council committee, stated
that after the committee from the City
Council had been appointed to look after
these bills they inquired into the subject
and found that the railway companies
already had authority under their charters
to consolidate, and that this power was
not limited to existing companies, as was
the case under the present bill. This lott
only the question of allowing the union OF
theelectric companies. and as the railways
were to be operated by electricity, the pow.
er to manufactur(&nd sell electricity was
a kindred and proper power; for II al'
lowed TO use it in running their
railway, il would be absurd to prohibit
their utilizing their plant to its full ca.
pacity. But that the committee had em-
bodied in the bill a provision TO give the
city the monopoly. if she ever decided &c
establish her own electric-plant, and had
very carefully guarded the rights and in
terests OF the city in every particular
That these amendments so proposed 10y
! the committee had been accepted by those
interested in the bill, and that rs so amend
cd the committee appointed by the Coun
Gil TO consider this legislation had no OBJ
lection to the bills.
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL.
The representatives from the Commit
| tees on Streets and Electric Light opposed
/ the consolidation.
/ Mr.. Crenshaw gave his views briefly. HI
/ thought it would bo detrimental 10 The
! interests of the city to confer upon The
/ company the powers contemplated. HI
announced that the City Engineer did no
/ believe that any good could come from
such combination and that Colonel Cut
/ shaw would have been present to explain
why this bill should be rejected had h'
not had very important engagement else
where.
DIVIDED IN OPINION.
Dir. Campbell did not think the interest
| Of the city would be endangered by allow
/ ing the consolidation of the roads ant
electric-hght plants under bill in whicl
| the rights of the city are so carefully
guarded as in the measure under considera
/ ton.
The CITY Attorney fully agreed with Mr.
| Campbell in the position he had taken.
Mr.. Stratton proposed the postponemen
Of further consideration of the bill, as !
was desired TO have tho City Enginee
present.
FRIENDS or THE BILL.
The friends Of the bill stated that "a th
ownership of the railway and electro
property were already in the same hand
n consolidation could not work any injury
but would benefit the public by securln
greater efficiency of management and fur
pmshiug the only means (namely, by tn
sale Of bonds under Il consolidated mort
gage) of raising the large amount OF none
needed for improving the railways an
equipping them with electricity;, tina
I the railways had n. lady the right {
consolidate under existing Legislation
which gives much broader power
than were asked under the present bill
and which powers are surrendered unde
one Of the amendments proposed by tn
Council committee; that the amend
ments proposed to the bill by the commit
tee from tho Council amply protecte
every interest of the city and secured
consolidation under bill in which Tn
rights of the city were carefully. guarde
instead Of under existing legislation /
which there was no such guard; that tn
amendments proposed by the Counc
committee had been accepted by TN
friends OF the measure upon the assuranc
that if they accepted them the bill woul
be satisfactory TO the city authorities, al
that after they had so acted upo
tho faith Of assurances gwen by the con
mittee which had been intrusted by tn
City Council with authority in the pre-
mises, they had not expected opposltio
from any quarter, especially as they Ia
been gwen to understand that the amend
ments to the bill were satisfactory to tn
members of the Streets and Light Con
mittees. but that as further time was r.
T QutSltQ lItV Idl ltp utoiit W Bi'.t' ~
measure in the face of any reasonable r.
quest for further time for its due consid'
ration.
POSTPONED ONE WEEK.
Mr.. Joynes proposed that the furthe
consideration be postponed tor one week
and this suggestion was adopted.
The Bill rs Revised.
The following is the full text Of the bi
now under consideration:
4 BILL TO INCORPORATE THE RICHMOND Raj
WAY AND ELECTRIC COMPANY.
l. BE IL enacted by he General assembly
V,rqfnia, That Joseph Bryan, W. X. Trigg
u. n. Houghlaling, John =. Mum, and {
T. Fisher and their associates and sue
cessors, be. and they are hereby, made an
constituted body polite and corporal
by the name of the Richmond Raliwa
and Electric Company" and by that nam
shall have all the general powers conferre
and be subject TO the general restriction
imposed upon such bodies corporate b
the laws of Virginia so far as the sam
NAV be applicable and are not inconsister
with the provisions of this act.
2. The said company shall have power I
construct. equip. maintain, and operate
line or lines Of street railway in the cite
of Richmond and Manchester and th
counties of Henrico and Chesterfield, c
any or either of said cities or counties an
over the bridges across the James rlver b,
tween said cities and counties. The sal
company may construct and operate II
line or lines of railway over the streets
said cities and the public roads OF sal
counties, provided the Councils of .sal
cities respectively and the judges OF I'll
county courts of the said counties II
spectiyely, who are hereby vested with al
thority so to do. shall consent 10 the loci
ton of said railway on the streets an
highways within their respective limits,
jurisdiction, and the said company sha
construct and maintain its hne or lines
railway over the said bridges only with th
consent of the persons or corporation
owning or controlling said bridges r.
spectively, but the consent OF the colnmi
sioners OF the James-River Bridge Comp
ny shall be sufficient IN the case OF ths
company. But all lines of street railwa
constructed by the said company undt
this section shall be at all times subject
. all restrictions, conditions, and limitation
whatsoever nature which may beimpose
respectively by the Councils OF said citie:
or by the Judges of said County Courts. q
10 80 much of said railways as NAV Z
within the limits or jurisdictions OF sal
cities and counties respectively, or by 10
James River Bridge Company, as 10
much of said railways rs may be COZ
structed upon said bridge, and TO all poiic
regulations of said cities.