The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-16
BROAD STREET TRACKS.
sTaTEMENTBy THE BICHMoNDB RAIL
WAY AND ELECTRIC COMPANY.
''wiII the New Company be Petted and
Tostered Mt the Expense OF the People ~
Concise Statement

The following statement OF the Rich
r,ond Railway and Electric Company
touching the Broad-street track question
win be read with interest by the people
of Richmond:
To the People Of Richmond:
The question Of Two tracks or four
tracks on Broad street, and the ordi-
nance now pending In the Board of Al
dermeu, are matters in which YOU are
vitality interested. and which you
have the right TO thoroughly understand,
and /. therefore, invite your attention 10
a few Of the FACTS in the case.
THAT the Broad-street line has not
Ions, ago been equipped with electricity
is not the fault Of the old company. Tor
IL was asked by the city authorities TO
DELAY such equipment till after the city
Nan was completed, and then till after
the new Jefferson Hotel was finished IN
order that the tracks might be used for
the hauling OF freight. Ihese facts were
stated i'm substance by the city Engineer
al a recent meeting OF the Street Com
mttee.
After the completion OF the jefferson
the civ Railway Company again asked
permiesion To electrfy the Broad-street
line. long before the Traction Company
was ever formed, but II was met by varl-
GUS projects Of different companies, which
caused DELAY. and finally resulted In the
refusal or the street Committee TO re-
affirm the old ordinance granting the
right asked for.
- il has been urged that the oid coih-
pany has been ncslectful ot the rights OF
The people. and regardless OF the orders
and directions Of the city Engineer and
street Committee. ana great stress Is
lafd tpon the charge that though the
CIV Fnrineer has been demanding the
use Of the girder rail for a long time
,at none were ever obtained until the
Traction Company began its work
In the first place. / think if the people
will look back upon the condition OF
the strect-car situation as lt was, say
eight years ago. and remember how many
lines have been built since then. and how
the service has been improved and added
to I'm every direction, they viii realize
that perhaps in this case the devil IS
not as black as he is painted.
our company has undoubtedly added
moet materially I'm the development OF the
city I'm many directions, and has main
tanned a service which. though not with
out its faults. and by no means perfect
vet has added greatly to the convenience
and comfort of the public.
As 10 the girder rail. can only quote
AGAIN the CITY IaNEllffl ? ldAir NIft--H IT.
the Street Committee last Monday night,
i'm which he said that a. girder rail Of
almost identically the same shape was
used bv the old company in Fulton. on
Louisiana avenue and Lester street fully
"A wear ago. and that the construction
with the concrete bed and the like was
identical with that now required OF the
Traction Company. except that crushed
granite was used in the concrete. instead
of the gravel which has been allowed TO
the Traction Company
10 was impossible 10 get the mills 10
roll the exact form OF the girder rail
now used by both companies. until just
ahout the time the Traction Company
started its work. but having arranged its
mills for our orders. they were able
10 nm the Traction Company's orders
along with ours. and therefore much
more promptly for them than for ms.
We take without a murmur all the blame
that We deserve but we are not willing
TO be blamed because OF Measurements OF
misapprohension of The facts. ana We
do Law great stress ON Che fact that this
construction now REQUIRED for all me-"
tracks. was used by us. under the orec-
lions Of the City Engineer quite year
before the Traction Company was
thought Of.
@. There can he no doubt about the
unsiehuincss of the proposed four tracks
on Broad street. or the fact that they
viii not only seriously damage property
and business on that beautiful street
but will be a constant source OF danger
10 the citizens.
Major Allen said in the Street Com
mittee meeting that 81 was only shop
street." and that as ~ was not used ioi
pleasure driving. 81 would not. i'm his
] Indictment ha seriously hurt by four
tracks. Suppose 10 Is only shop
street" as me calls IL. your wives and
your children go on IT, 10 make their
purchases. and their lives are as dear
10 YOU as they would De If they were
pleasure driving" i'm some more favored
locality.
q. When We asked 10 be allowed 10
run over the tracks OF the Traction Com
nauv from Ninth 10 Laurel street, we are
told bv partisans that it would not
Doe fair tine new company-that il
would hc taking from them 1.-THE cream
of their business
To this we answer that what We oHef
them in return for this privilege is more
than fair and Will give them cream.
instead of robb.ng them Of 10. We offer
in consideration for using their tracks
this short distance for our electric cars
not horse cars. that they may transfer
any or an Of their passengers IN any
direction over any or all OF our lines. or
that they may take amy or all of their
cars over any or an OF our lines in any
direction. or they may do both of these
things. and 'he respective payments and
division OF fares and AN such matters
shall DO determined hy an impartial
board OF arbitration. selected according 10
Tie terms of their franchise. In other