The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-18
THE FIRST STREET LINE.
PROPERTY OWNERS AGAIN PRO
THsT AGAINST III.
President Williams of the Traction Com
t,Dy, Urges IL Before the Commit
tee-Usc of Dead Head Gas.


uon OF the Richmond Traction Company
for permission 10 construct branch line
nom Broad street 10 Hollywood Gene
tery along First and Cary streets. There
were several property owners present,
while the members In attendance were
Chairman Allen and NleSsrs. Burton. Car
ter. EDel, King. Mountcasue, j. j..
nng, rvnOcA, 4nd W OOuy. Iho Tepfesedi-
tauyes OF the Traction Company were also
| Oh nand.
On motion OF Mr. Ebel, the First-street
matter was promptly taken up. President
Jonn Shelton Williams, OF the Traction
Company, was the first speaker. lie re-
viewed the history Of his company In
lnis city referring TO tho franchise
granted 1t by the Council about year
ago. IN which it WAS given the right TO
buIld line over some route from Broad
street to Hollywood. lie said that in
Wandering that enterprise no laid be-
fore his friends the cnarter OF the COM
pany. providing for about fifteen miles
OF street railway. stating that the money
| anus invested would be reasonably safe.
and that there would be n reasonable
return tnercfrom, and thao the lines
would also be Of great benefit to the
public Of Richmond 1t was an uncertain
venture declared Mr.. Williams. as 1t
was not certain that a large portion Of
the money would b. lost.
president Williams referred 10 the re-
cent injunction taken out against his Oak
wood line. saying that the commissioners
/ had Just rendered their report as 20 the
damages caused TO property along that
me. ana the erect of their report was
mat the value or the property mad not
only decreased by reason OF the street
car lice. but had been materially en-
/ ranced. Inc situation on First street
| would be Identical with that referred TO,
| said Mr.. Williams. Not one-twentieth Of
! the property holders on First street were
present 10 oppose the building of the
road on mat thoroughfare. There We're
| probably. continued he. only four, FIVE. or
six who dd not wish the line run along
there. The head and front Of the oppo-
| sitiOn movement were his esteemed friends
VINO owned handsome houses at the cor
! ners Of Grace and First and Franklin and
/ FIRST streets This limo would enhance
/ che value OF other property thousands
| ana thousands Of dollars The oupo-
1onis OF the road, ne was afraid had
looked only 10 their personal interests.
| Nr. Williams refuted the idea that the
| fractions cars would make n great
| amount OF noise. stating that the Traction
| ccmpanys cars represented the perfec-
| ton or strect-car equipment, and were
9most noisaless. He said in cOnclu-
Gloi. That these gSntemen who were
complaining OF the building Of tho limo
! would nave resource 10 the courts and
that all the greater cities had street-car
lines on their most fashionable thorough
iares. especially New York and Balu-
more.
THE OTHER SIDE.
Mr.. Thomas Potts. who resides al the
corner Of First and Grace streets. argued
briefly the injury and inconvenience the
proposed street-car line would cause 10
me residents along the proposed route.
lie said he had no history Of corr,ora-
ton 10 give. but that he did have an ap-
! peal from the people on First street. that
| the committee should not grant the fran
| chise asked. He did not oppose public
| improvements but came before that body
| IN the interest OF peace and happiness
| ana comfort. 10 ask that the committee
| should protect him and his home. ~
| believe as much as 7 believe that Their.
Is God I'm Heaven" said Mr. Potts
that that road down First street would
cost me tho death Of my wife. In her
present nervous condition" Mr.. Potts
| further asserted that 10 would DAMAGE
| his property az least 5000 to g. 200 This
| the speaker was willing 10 20 into a
| court and swear Mr.. Potts avered that
The public did not demand this line down
! First street. He thought the Council
! had better relieve the Richmond Traction
! Company Of the burden Of going 10 Holly
| wood than 10 thus impose an injury upon
the citizens owning property along th-
| proposed route.
DR. George Ross. followed Mr. Potts
in opposition 10 the movement and he
| prefaced his remarks by reading the petit
ton Of the property owners asking that
the Traction Company's request be re-
lected. lie said that practically all
the property from Broad street 10 Cary
on first was represented i'm that petition.
! DR. Ross referred 10 the statement os
! Captain Gugon. as the representative OF
the Richmond Railway and Electric Com
| pany that the Traction Company could use
its tracks to Hollywood and said that he
| thought this should Doe sufficient.
| There was some discussion Of the mat
| ter and Mr.. Burton moved to lay the pet-
ton on tho table until the next regular
| meeting and 10 advertise the meeting
every other day for three times so that
! all parties interested might be on hand OF
| the 18th instant
Mr.. Carter said that he was willing 10
! postpone action. He supposed he knew
as much about the feeling OF the peopls
| in that seton as any one AMI he believed
that the proposed road would prove a
convenience and blessing. 10 the people
of the south side.
Air. Burton's motion was adopted.
The resolution requesting the Richmond
Railway and Electric Company 10 put on
sale workingmcns tickets at reduced
prices was read by Clerk Jones' and this
brought Mr. Carter TO his feet. The Clay
Ward member said that he was not in
favor of asking any courtesy whatever
al the hands Of the old company. mas
much as Mr. Fisher the treasurer Of the
company had snubbed the committee.
Mr. Guigon. as counsel for the Rich
mond Railway and Electric Company.
stated that ne did not know Mr.. Fisher
had i'm anyway been disc0urteous to the
committee. but that there were others
in the company besides Mr.. Fisher.
The committee decided TO recommend
the rejection Of the resolution
STREET IMPROVEMENT.
on motion OF Mr. Ebe a sewer was list
al for Broad street. between Firth and
Sixth
Allegations were asked. on motion OF
Mr.. King. for paving and guttering Bur
ION street between Twenty first and
Twontv-third streets. also on Twenty-sec-
ond street between Peasants and Nena-
bic streets. and for paving al the corner
OF Twentyi-hrst and Clay streets.
Colonel Cutshaw stated that the city
Attorney had recently called his a!ten-
,ion n the condition Of the embankment
n the Intersection Of Twenty-hrst and