Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-12
strect-Cnr Service During the Con-
fcdcratc Reunion.
Rlchmond. "a. May N,

fedcratc Reunion.
Richmond. Va, May IL, 1896.
To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
notice in your issue Of Sunday re-
marks from General Peyton Wise ex-
pressing his anxiety in regard to street
car facilities to the Exposition Grounds
during the Confederate reunion. and also
your editorial on the same subject, in
which II appears TO me that you would
deem it derellction of duty on the part
Of the Richmond Railway and Electric
Company If it failed to give service 80
the point named.
This subject has been a matter Of grave
concern TO the management of my COM
pany and / beg leave to call your at
tention TO the fact that before any
franchise had been given to any COM
pany on Broad street.we asked for per-
mission to extend our Union Passenger
tracks, from Harrison street to the Ex-
| position Grounds, and also to extend our
Man-street tracks. to the Same place.
| In this effort we received the help of the
| State Agricultural Society managers and
! urged the matter to the extent OF our
ability, but il was again and again re
| fused.
Later on, when franchise had been
| granted TO the Traction Company, We
again asked permission TO build these
| lines, with the agreement that the Trac-
| ton Company should run its cars over the
| tracks we would build. but we again met
| with refusal.
| As far back as August 2. 1885, Mr. G. r.
! Fisher, the general manager OF our com
| pany, wrote me expressing his concern
! about the service during the Confederate
reunion, and urging me to spare no effort
| to get our tracks to the grounds, so that
the city would not suffer censure By
reason OF any default. His letter would
do credit 10 any native born Nirginian
or Confederate soldier, breathing as II
does his anxiety for the honor and credit
of Richmond, and his feeling for our
manned soldiers, who would possibly
suffer from the lack Of transportation
facilities. He was determined that no
blame should rest on his company In the
| matter
can now refer to the records Of the
| Council and the Street Committee 70
show how earnest and persistent my
efforts have been. and have gore iurther,
! and have urged that every euort fhouiu
be made TO assist the Traction company
to have its service ready at the une II
| would be most required. As late as last
| Monday when that company seemed 10
| have been blocked by being held up as
the president termed 1t, by the property
owners on the upper part OF Broad street.
! and could not get by without paying as
it's president termed 1t IAN eNhorDilah.
demand" and il was in the power OF
my company possibly 10 delay its tracks
for months. l cheerfully complied WIN
a request that a temporary alTangeihuh'
| ebould be made to enable that company
to get by and complete its lines. ana
| will confess that il was from no sympa-
| thy / felt toward that company, pul
| altogether from a desire that IL should
| render some service to the ConIeuerate
reunion and not let our city be heiu
M to the scorn and ridicule OF the en-
tire South from lack of facilities Tor
TRANSPORTATION to that point, when mao
been selected for meetings curing 'he
public function most dear TO all OF us
at this time.
| nm Thursday l received a letter from
| General Wise on this same subject |
replied at length, and said: IL the city
will give us permission to connect our
tracks with the tracks Of the Traction
Companv al Harrison and Broad streets
and also permit US 10 extend our Main
street tracks TO the Exposition-Grouncs
under the usual terms, conditions, and
restrictions, we will guarantee minute
and a half service TO and IRON tht
grounds: but do not feel that l should
again apply for any permission, as even
YOUR editorial foreshadows the result OF
| such an application The success OF the
Traction Company seems TO be para
mount and they so so far as TO demand
exclusive rights, which were not contem'
plated in their ordinance, and they are
tacitlv granted them, even at the eX'
pense OF the public. This we cannot
help; we wish 1t was otherwise, but II
is not in our power 10 do more than &c
show that the public conveniences and
rights should be superior TO that or any
corporation. and 10 ask that equal pri'
yileges be granted us as 10 that com
pany.
again repeat what wrote to General
Wise: The Richmond Railway and Electric
Company will build its Main-street tracks
to the Exposition Grounds. and connect
its other tracks at Broad ana harrison
streets (and run all OF It's ears aVail
able 10 that point during the Confede-
rate reunion), completing the whole ar
rancement IN ample time 10 give mi
mute and a half service, provided II has
nermission TO do so under the usua
terms. provisions, and conditions under
which all its other lines are held. anc
will do SO at any time between this anc
the Confederate reunion II said permission
is granted on or before May p. 1896.
Therefore IL there should be any de
| fault I'm car service during the Confede-
rate reunion. or thereafter when INT
Exposition Grounds becomes place OF
public resort as seems likely, |, pray
that you and the public Will place the