Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-15
TEST THE AIR PLAN.
The Council Agrees That II Shall Go on
The Nain.Strest Line.
tue CAn-sERvICE on BROAD.
Ordinances and Amendments "c'''-
red TO the mitfcc, CITY N''"r-
NOV. and Enginccr-Dcfatls at
What Each Company PROPOSES

Tho sncciat session Of the Common
Council hcld last night to consider the
Question u s7ou'lns strett-car privileges
on Br,ad stree. resulted in the reference
Of u,a entire matter TO the Commute
on Streets.
Not in years has there been go i'm
uorfani. interesting. OF larsch ATTENDED
a nteciirr e that body OF municipal leg
,.i,.,,s There we're IN attendance citi-
yens fiom All pats If the city, ana rep
res,nt.rS oil walks in ,ife. The matter
benz ons Il vita. interest to the people
of iNof.Aovd. T. TO social ana coinmereia'
development. 70 tue eGc"sy, enterprise
nrG general progress Of the city. bns'">sS
men. mechanics. nnanciers. ana p"l'"-
clans were on hand 10 ascertain what
action would bc taken.
The result cf the special session was III
some respects a disappointment ana while
the question may be determined upon
by tbs Stree; Committee ~ ITS regular
session this afternoon. ana the '"uhOu
may take ny The report Of tnht pouy al
special meeting 10 DE called al o"St'
The delay may mar no street-oar facln-
hopol, however that II VIII not mean
This.
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
The members OF the Council assembled
promptly. ana ~ $40 o'clock President
Glove called tho body - order ! hose
present were Mcssrs. Blanks. RloOmherS'
Briggs. Brock Caskie. CotueH. DAVIS
Donlravy. Eppcs. Grower. Grant. Hobson'
jackson, Landefkin. Mayer Mcpo"l
Murphy. Trower. Wall.rstein. Woody ana
president Glover.
CITY Clerk August read the resolution
under which the meeting had been called,
after which Mr. Garnet was recognized by
the Chair and presented an ordinance.
which was prepared 10y he city Attorney
and CITY Engineer. The ordinance al
lowed the Richmond city Railway COM
lauv 70 MS comprcsscd-ar as a motive
power on its line. II provides that TINS
motive power may pe used on the Main
street line from Seventh street east.
END vast under proper restrictions ana
duct or conduit is to he constructed from
The power-hOuse Of the company along
Seventh street 10 Main street. The quail
ity. character. and location Of the ducts
needed is 10 De determined by the Com
1nittce on Streets.
II the company fails to comply with the
additional regulations or restrictions or
line Of 81 is % h- imposed for each day.
il the Us, Of compressed air should be
.ev0ksi all pipes. ducts. and manhOles.
and other appliances are to Toe removed
and tn streets restored TO their original
condition. tn. company further agrees
IN this ordinance 20 indemnify and save
the city harmless from all losses, costs
and expenses that may be caused hy any
destruction OF damage done by the use
OF compressed air as motive power.
Mr.. lAndcrkin desired 10 know whether
ihe meeting had not been called for a
special purpOse-tO receive applications
for the right TO operate a railway on
Broad street The Chair decided that the
point Of order made by Mr.. Landerkin
was we'll taken. inasmuch as only print
I'd ordinances were TO be considered. UNI
less tho Council should decide otherwise
10y two-thirds vote.
Mr. Gunst then moved that the ord
nance Just read be acted upon This was
agreed 70 by a vot" of II 20 ., and at
tn suggestion of Mr. Gunst the city
Engineer was called upon to make what
ever explanation he deemed necessary.
CITY ENGINEER HEARD.
Colonel Cutshaw stated that the ordl-
nance was an application Of the Rich
mond city Railway Company, which had
been put IN shape by the city Attorney.
The company desired 10 erect on Browns
Island compressor Of air. where pres
sure Of SO pounds l. 10 be secured. The
compressed air IS TO be conducted through
Seventh 10 Main street in the duct from
which the various cars are 10 be- charged
as they turn In from Main street on their
trims. He stated that he inventor of the
system was on his way over from France,
and that he had sent over representa-
tive in Mr. Emil Lehrner. who would
give any desired information.
ON motion Of Mr. Epps the privilege
Of the floor was extended 10 MI. Lchrner.
who explained in detail the system Of
compressed air. which has been ~ ope-
ration in Paris since 1873. and has pr,Ted
t. be a success Since it, use as motive
mower he said. not single accident Oh
interruption has occurred.
Nh. Blanks off red joint resolution
uroyiling that the matter De referred 10
a special committee Of two members o.
the Common Council and one OF the
Board Of Aldermen.
Mr. Davis moved that the matter De
referred 10 the Committee on streets.
Citv-AttOrney Meredith. who was theh
called upon. called attention To the fact
that the ordinance only asked Tor peihi'-
sion to make an eXpcrlme ana thht Only
Seventh street ~ to Main would be used
for the construction Of the duct The pro-
position was TO select the Main-suee'
line for the experiment. In order That the
applications for the Broad-street frdhehlSe
might be unencumhered
Mir. BloOmberg spoke in favor Of adopt
ing the ordinance at once. inasmuch as
IT. City Attorney had provided II with
the proper safeguards 10 protect the city.
Mr.. Landerkin advocated the considerh-
lion Of the measure at some other Time,
and expressed the hope that II would
b. voted down for the time being. Mr.
Glover, on the other hand, desired 10
have il adopted at once.
THE ORDINANCE ADOPTED.
The motion TO refer the ordinance 10 the
Committee on Streets was defeated by
vote Of 10 u. as follows:
Ayes-Messrs. Brock Caskle. Davis.
Deane, Epps, Griffin, Mcdowell, Trower-
Noes-Messrs. Blanks. Bloomberg,
Briggs. Cottrel Donleavy Ferriter.
Grimes. Gunst Hobson. Jackson. Ian
derkin. Lawder. Mayer Murphy, smith,
Wallersten. Woody. Glover-lS.
Nj. Blanks's motion to refer the mat
ter to a special Committee next came up,
aud Mr. Wall,rstein offered as subsu-
tutc 20 lay the entire matter on the table
until some future day. 'n order 10 give
IL better consideration MIR Epps briefly
spoke against dNH IultHtI u'i"S' anu NV
motion o. lay on thu table WAS then lost.
On motion of Mr.. Landerkin. Mr.. George
T. Fisher, treasurer Of the Richmond
Railway and Electric Company 0he sue
cessor Of the Richmond city Railway
Company was invited 10 address the
body for ten minutes.
MI Fisher briefly state; that the city
Railway Company asked the city Coun-
Gil, az the request OF Colonel Calhoun, OF
New York, 20 be permitted TO lay this
conduit on Seventh. street. so that com
pressed air might b. experimental with
az motivc-power on the Main-street line.