Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-07
OLD COMPANY TALKS.
CAPT. GUIGoN REPLIES TO MR..
wILLIAmss INTERVIEW.
SITUATION ON BROAD STREET.
Traction Spoke of Transferring by
CLASSIFICATION of the Richmond
INTERCHANGEABLE 10 Agree to
the Formers Request.

pdnys mas prepared Il CdIu III lcpiy "
the interview with Mr.. John SHELTON VIII
liams. president OF the Richmond Trac-
ton Company, printed yesterday, touch
ing the street-car contentious on Broad
street, and the full text Of his COM
munication is given below.
Tho situation on Broad street re-
mains unchanged although the trans
fer does not seem TO have interfered
with the Traction Companys business.
as lhe receipts from yesterdays anu
Wednesdays traffic over its lines largely
exceeded those Of the two previous days.
Crowds Of people went out to Chimbo-
razo Park last night and enjoyed the
concert given by the band engaged by
the Traction Company.
Appended is the card Of Mr.. Gulgon:
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
/ 1 read with some surprise the articles
IN all our daily papers yesterday and
to-day referring to Another Big Fuss.
| "A Serious Quarrel Between the Two
sueet-Car Companies" Car Lines 81
| War" and the like; and in behalf Of my
client the Richmond Railway and Elec-
| trio Company, / respectfully protest
against the publication OF statements
which are inaccurate and evidently in
spred from on unfriendly source, and
/ which are calculated 10 do my company
( great injustice.
The facts are very simple The Trac-
/ ton Company. finding it impossible TO
/ 1arfect its lines. as contemplated, in
/ time for the reunion, secured permission
! from the City Council TO temporarily
/ change their direction for a few hundred
/ yards and to use for part OF the way
the tracks of our Union Passenger line
ctr hot
| Harrison.
In this arrangement the Richmond
/ Railway and Electric Company cheerful
/ ly acquesced, not from any desire TO be
/ particularly generous TO their opponents,
/ but because they believed that public IN
! terest a. such a time demanded mutual
! concessions.
This arrangement was originally TO
expire on the 4th Of July, but fearing
/ that they would not have time after the
| reunion 10 take up their tracks, the
/ Richmond Traction Company asked Tor
an extension Of thirty days, which the
( Richmond Railway and Electric Com
pany also aoquiesced in, and which the
| Council granted.
| AT the last meeting Of the Street Com
mittee Mr.. Phil. v. SHIELD general coun-
sci for the Traction Company, appeared
and asked at the hands OF the committee
right to construct and temporarily ope-
/ rate cICss-Overs on Broad street at each
/ end OF this temporary track, stating that
| they did not desire another extension or
! time but would obviate the difficulty by
means Of these cross-overs and transfers
between the two points.
Mr.. SHIELD personally explained this
matter 10 me- and not only did not ask
/ that my company agree TO an extension,
but stated that they proposed TO transfer
their passengers between the two points
I'm question by omnibuses Under these
! circumstances ] assured him that We
would make 10 objection to the proposed
/ .lan.
The extended period OF thirty days ex-
| pired at midnight OF August 3d. but IL
| being evident that the Traction Company
were under the impression that the ex-
tension was one month instead or thirty
tays. no action was tnken by my COM
pany until the morning Of the 5th.
On the afternoon Of the 4th Mr.. SHIELD
called at my Office and asked me TO agree
to extend for a few days the temporary
arrangement about to expire.
/ replied that / was absolutely without
authority 70 agree 10 any such extension.
and that i had supposed the whole thing
was settled by the plan Of transfer which
he had announced / also informed him
that my senior, Mr.. Wyndlam r. Mere
dith. had had In charge the matter Of
these temporary arrangements, and that
he had better see him.
He did see Mr.. Meredith, who informed
him that he also was without authority
In the premises, and that Il was too late
for him to communicate with the man
1t is not true. as stated in tho Star on
authority Of the Traction Company, that
at was evidently the intention Of the old
company 70 catch al the traction cars
at the western terminus of that line and
so suspend travel until some adjustment
could be made"
The officials Of ny company clearly un-
derstood, and thought every body else I'M
derstoOd that the temporary arrange
ment was at an end, and that the Trac-
ton Company had, as they said they
would, arranged 20 have some or their
cars at each end OF this gap and transfer
their passengers by bus between these
points.
Company mapping and taken advantage
of them we would have caused disconnec-
ton TO be made AFTER midnight or AUGUST
Sd. and not in broad daylight OF the 5th
The suggestion has been made that
o'clock I'm the morning was an unseeniy
hour for such work, but II is sufficient
answer to this suggestion that the work
had to be done by daylight ana our cars
begin TO run shortly after s O'Clock, so II
was simply matter OF doing the work
at such time as would not detain our own
cars.
In order that this matter may be clearly
understood once Tor all, y Is, perhaps,
proper TO say that as the Traction Com
rany had not secured the permission OF
the Council 10 continue the temporary ar
rangament n was absolutely Impossible
for my company to have agreed 10 such
continuance. 1t would certainly nave
been a violation of the law on our part
which would have rendered US liable 10
penalties and TO damages I'm the event OF
accidents, IT, indeed 1t did not imperil or
hazard our franchise.
If the public have been Inconvenience
IL is not the fault Of the Richmond Rail
way and Electric Company, but IS be-
cause the Traction Company has failed
10 avail itself Of the extension OF thirty
DAYS in which to make its arrangements,
and has failed to ask the proper authoTl-
ties for further extension OF the time.
My company and the Traction Com
pany are opponents. and ~ every legiu-
mate way this opposition will probably be
made manifest. but ! appeal TO 2 fair
minded public II II Is JUS or light 10 seek
20 manufacture public opinion and sent-
ment by misstating and distorting facts
/ take II for granted the public Is weary
OF this controversy. so frequently dragged
before II In the public prints, ana woulo
not have annoyed the public 10 me extent
of this communication but FOR the mani-
fest injustice Of this latest appeal 10 pup
AS 10 the amended award Of the arb-
traitors TO which some OF these papers
have referred have only TO say that tn
Traction Company and my company dif-
fered as to the proper construction OF the
award Of the aroitrators IN reIeIenee 20
the remuneration TO be paid by US 10
the Traction Company for the use OF their
tracks during the three days OF the re-
union.
This matter has been brought 10 the
attention OF the arbitrators. who have
notified me what their construction IS
OF the award formerly made. | have
communicated this decision TO my COM
pany and have no doubt that tender will
be promptly made or the basis OF the ar
bitrators' decision and In accordance with
the facts. Very respectfully.
A, Il. GUIGON,
For the Richmond Railway and Electric
Company.
Tho nnaes Net FsuII
The horeamen ora hegfnnip0 IN shou