The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-21
THE STREET RAILWAY.
Radford Agitated Over the
Granting of a Charter.

| RADFoRD, Aug. 2O.-lSpeciall-T
council of Radford, at meeting last
week. after considera Bile debate, do
cided by D majority vote to grant the
franchise of street railway 20 M. A.
Rifle. This action of tho council has
| caused considerable stir throughout
the town and tho de cision has been pro.
nounced in unmeasured tones as a
highly unjust one.
Some three years ago company COM
posed OF business men of Radford was
| formed, to be known as the Central
City Street Railway Company" and %
charter obtained. The purpose of tie
Company was to bnild and maintain "a
street railway in tho city of Central
from point near Plumb creek to Ingle's
ferry in Montgomery county. With this
object in view, franchise was Obtained
from the council OF Central city and
permission from the supervisors OF
Montgomery county, confirmed by the
| court to construct this line of railway.
| Reference to House bill No. 1O3 shows
that it provides that the work NAV be
begun within thirty days from the
| granting of the charter and must be
commenced in twelve months. This
| the company claim and can prove they
have done, complied strictly to the
letter Of the law.
Some months ago Messrs Strauss,
| Stearns ct al. made application to the
city council for franchise to build and
equip a street railway in Radford, ar
rangements having been made by which
| these gentlemen were to purchase tho
charter of the Central City Street Kali
way Company.
They met every proposition of the
| council and agreed TO complete the line
to Wadsworth street, by January l, 1893,
and to the pipe works by July /, 1893,
charging a fare of cents for one con.
tinuous ride. and filing if necessary
bond of $4,000 to insure its completion
work to begin at once. Mr.. Rife was
to charge ~ cents to Wadsworth street
and cents beyond, or Is cents for one
continuous ride from depot in East Rad
ford 10 the pip" works. Attic meeting
OF the councii Tuesday night, Mr.. Rifle
was represented by sucn legal talent as
the Messrs lluAc ami a a. Phlegar
while on thu other side were Messrs
Stenrns. Rob rtson ard others to look
afccr the interest "i Strauss, Stcarns
ct al.
Every pcouo,ision let forth by the
council we're met bv tue latter named,
ami ;tS il matter al business and when it
|
Mr. Eiiic accepted the same. Ills claimed
upon good authority that the afternoon
just before the meeting, members of the
! council from tho west ward held a eau.
Gus and decided unanimously to vote in
favor of Mr.. Rifle. NIessrs Strauss.
Stearnes ct al. were the first applicants
| for the franchise; they have charter,
are ready to begin work at once, were
the hrst TO meet every proposition made
by the council and to make the fare five
cents for continuous ride.
| The question is now asked Have
these gentlemen been treated fairly?
Has the council of the city Of Radford
acted wisely and impa TALLY in grant
ing Mr.. Rifle this trancbiae, in the face
of the facts as stated above? That is a
question that at the present time is Gre
ating considerable amount OF talk.
Some Of the best legal talent assert that
the charter OF the Central City Street
Railway Company is perfectly good in
every particular. They have franchise
granted by former council and per-
mission from the supervisors of the
county to construct the line
Dir. Rifle has no charter, but has OBJ
tanned franchise from the prese Mt
council. IL an attempt is made by MIR
Rlffe ana his associates to Commence.
parties on the other side threaten that
they Will get out an injunct ton and Lut
stop to il from tho beginning. This
means then that in the long run we will
not have street railway. Let the mat
ter be thoroughly looked into, and be-
fore accepting the bond OF Mr. Rife, let
the council OF Radford reason among
themselves and say If they have acted
wisely in that matter.