The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-22

order, and read the following call:
A mass meeting of the citizens OF
Roanoke is hereby called to assemble
in the Hastings Courtroom in the court
house this Wednesday night. February
81, 1894, at 7:30 o'clock, for the purpose
OF taking action in regard to opposing
tho passage OF bill now pending before
tho general assembly granting new
charter to tho Roanoke Gas and Wafer
Company, in which provisions are made
by which said company may acquire. by
condemnation proceedings, lands, water
supply, and the stock and equipment of
other companies, for the purpose of fur.
nishing to the city of Roanoke water,
gas and electric lights.
Thos. Engleby Geo. f. Dyer
A. l. Jamison j. A. Fishburne
John Engleby Thos. w. Gilmer
Joseph Engleby Chas. d. Fox
II. Il. Fishburne A. M. Nelson
j S. Groves j. w. Somerville
j. e. Andrews w. b Clemer
j. b. Fishburne VIM. G.. Evans
s. D. Ferguson w. e. Andrews
N. Il. Johnston w. R. Engleby
Il. ID. Brugh Geo. l.. Bennett
John M. Hart Gao 1ravatt
G. B. Moomaw Earman g. Earman.
Mr.. Hart when he had read the call,
nominated G. B. Moomaw permanent
chairman, who WAS unanimously elected
Mr. Moomaw, in taking the chair,
stated that the Gas and Water Company
claimed the bill had been changed, but
II there had been any notifications of
1t the fact had not been com % unic ated
to Representatives Thomas and Logan.
A. M. Nelson was then nominated and
elected secretary of the meeting, and on
motion OF s. Hamilton Graves the chair
was req uested to nominate committee
of three to prepare suitable resoluti
to prevent the passage of the bill.
S. Hamilton Graves, Thomas w. Mil
Ter and j A. Fishburne were appointed
on tho com mittee and they withdrew to
prepare the resolutions. While this was
being done short speeches by differens
citizens were made denouncing the bill
and it's effect on the welfare of the city.
John M. Hart read copy OF the pro-
posed bill as was presented by j. Allen
Watts, and in the course of his remarks
said the Gas and Water Company was
already paying enormous dividends;
that recently London capitalist, who
died, left some Gas and Water Company's
stock, which was valued at ten times it's
par value. lie said that under this pro
posed charter they could monopolize all
the water in or near the city, take all
the water in the river from any manu-
factories and monopoliZe all the ice bust
ness in the city.
1t had been stated ia the afternoon
papers that part Of the bill had been
withdrawn; il 80, the members of the
legislature from Roanoke knew nothing
about it. They say" concluded Mr..
Hart, "that they don't want conde NINA.
tion proceedings, and we are here to see
they don't get it,
James S Groves made a speech
against the bill in which he said he
was glad he was so fortunate al to have
been in Richmond some time ago, when
the bill was first offered and when it
was shown him by Colonel Logan, who
asked if the people of Roanoke wanted
such bill passed. He thought it was
the proper thing to let the people
know it and he informed an afternoon
paper. Mr.. Groves advocated the plan
of the city owning its own water works
and quoted figures showing that Roa-
noke paid five or six times as much for
water as many other cities OF the same
size.
The committee then approved and
reported the following resolutions,
which. after being discussed by DR.. J.
D. Kirk, j. s. Pattie, Geo. l.. Bennett
and others, were adopted by unani-
nous vote:
The Resolutions.
@"At matchmaking of the citizens Of
Roanoke, held in the Hastings Court
room on the 21st day of February. 1894,
upon motion of T. w. Miller, seconded
by John M. Hart. 1t was resolved that
it is detrimental to the interests Of the
citizens of Roanoke that senate bill No.
322, or any other bill enlarging the
power OF the Gas and Water Com pany,
should be passed, as the powers now had
and exercised by the Roanoke Gas and
Water Company are not only sufficient
for all their proper purposes but ample
for the oppression of the people of this
city.
2. That the said company should not
be granted the right OF condemnation.
3 That the bill now pending should
be SO amended as to create commits
sion to ascertain and adjust fair and
equitable rates for water to supply the
city Of Roanoke and citizens.
4. That the general assembly OF Vir-