The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-07
STREET-CAR IMBROGLIO.
sraTEMENT ~ BEHALF OF THE
OLD COMPANY.
The Traction Company Failed to Avail It.
self of "a Liberal Exten-ion-Ioo
Late for Remedy.

The Times % yesterday. The statement
Is as follows:
TEE STATEMENT.
1 read with some surprise the articles
In all our daily papers yesterday ana
To-Day referring to Another BiS russ,
"A Serious Quarrel Between the Two
Street Car Companies car Lines az
War" and the like, and IN behalf OF my
client. the Ricl mOnd Railway and
Electric Conrany 1 respectfully protest
against the publication OF statements
which are Inaccurate and evi lenty H.
spired from an unfriendly source, ana
which are calculated 10 do my comp M
great injustice.
Tho facts are very simple. The Trac-
ton Company. finding 1t impossible 10
petfect III lines. as contemplated. IN
time for the reunion, secured pefinls-
sion from the CITY Council 10 Temporal
rily change their direction for lew
hundred yards and 10 use FOR part or
the way the tracks Of our Union Pas
,ensnr lire on Broad street between
Hancock and Harrison.
La this Arrangement the Richmond
Railway and Electric Company cheer-
fuily acQuiesced. not from any desire
70 be particularly generous 10 their OPP
p0ncnts. but because they believed una.
public interest at such time demanded
mutual concessions.
expire on the Attn OF July, but FEARING
that they would not have time aitel tio
reunion 70 take UP their tracks suo
Richmond Traction Company asked ior
an extension OF thirty days wilcn ,lo
Richmond Railway and flectrlc Nvu'
panv also acquiosced in and when the
Council granted CO..
Az the last meeting Of the street
Committee. Mr. Phil. Is. Shield. genera
counsel for the Traction Company, ap-
nf
peared and asked al the minus o' w
kconmittee right Il CONSTRUCT ei,l
.I,,,'nr~rtly, operate crOss-Overs on
Broad street at each end OF TINS '.nl
porarv track stating That tiel ui4 10y
desire another extension OF YIN, ~
would obviate the difficulty by means
OF these crOss-Overs ana udi'iNi'
tween the two points.
TOO LATE. 49,
Mr. Shield personally eNpiaaiihc1 I, l,'
rnattcr 10 me and not only ulu Aot a'N
that my company agree 70 an eN''.'
sion. but stated that they PROPOSE ~
transfer their passengers ue'M.s 49,.
two noints 10 question ny ol'ili"-
r-raer these circumstances III assni 'l
49,, that we would make no oDJec''"
To the proposed pan .,.,..,. d,,,s OK
rrbs extended period Of thirty "ays
,,red At midnight of August aa' hu, u -
no evident that the lracioh co'nfs 49,
- under the impression thdl ~
."tane,on vas one month instead OF
eN.sils'o - no action was taken by
NV company until tho morning vi INC
ON the afternoon Of the an MI l.,
Shield called al my ono anu 49, the
20 aaree 10 extend for a lew OK.
,ornnorarv arrangement about 10 eA-
pire. ,.. ..,,,oirtei,, without
authority 70 agree 70 any such eNteu,,l,ol',
ana that had supposed inc Wnole Iili,5
was settled by the plan OF tiahsleI W. ,,,,,
| bc hal announced. ] also informed MN
tb,t NV senior. Mr. Wyndham r. Mere
| attn had had I'm charge the matter ~
| ~ those temporary arragerments' anu
that he had better see him. .-,..,
Ha did see Mr.. Meredith. VINO lh.yi III.
| him that he also was without autnoi ~
in The premises and that II was 100 hlo
for him 10 communicate Win '"0 H''"
agemont in time
AT AN END.
II IL not true. as stated IN the star on
| authority OF the fraction company va
cit was evidently the intention or lhe
| old company TO catch all the Iractlot
80 an he Western terminus Of that line
and so suspend travel until some auJ ual-
ment could bc made.
The officials OF my company clearly
understood, and thought everybody else
understood. that the temporary aIrdilse-
ment was al an end, and THAT the liac-
tion Company had, as they said they
would. arranged 90 have some or tneir
| cars at each end of this gap and transfer
| their passengers by bus between these
! points.
Had we wished TO catch the Traction
| Company mapping and taken advantage
81 Them we would have caused discon-
nection 10 have been made after midnight
OF August 81. and not in broad daylight
| Of the 9TH. A..
4 o'clock In the morning was an UNI
/ soernlv hour for such work, but IT, IS
| sufficient answer 10 this suggestion tnat
| rhe work had TO be- done by daylight,
/ and our cars begin 10 run shortly after p
/ o'clock so ~ was simply a matter OF
| doing the work at such time as Woud
not detain our own cars.
In order that this matter may be clearly
understood. once for ALL IL is. perhaps.
proper 10 say that as the 1rac-
! ton Company had not secured the per-
| mission OF the Council 10 continue the
temporary arrangement. II was abso-
| lutely impossible for my company 10
have agreed 10 such continuance. ~
would certainly have been violation OF
! the law on our part. which would have
rendered us liable 20 penalties and dam
| ages in the event of accidents if, M
| deed. IL did not imperil or hazard our
| franchise.
NEW COMPANY'S FAULT.
II the public have been Inconvenience.
! II is not the fault of the Richmond Rail-
way and Electric Company. but IS be-
/ cause tho Traction Company has failed
to avail itself of the extension OF thirty
! DAYS in which % make its Arrangements,
and has failed 10 ask the proper authOri-
ties for q further extension Of the time.
My company ana the Traction Company
/ are opponents and in every legitimate way
this opposition viii probably Doe made
manifest. but / appeal 10 a fair-minded
| public N 10 Is Just or right 10 seek 20
manufacture public opinion and sentiment
| by misstating and CisrOrtine facts.
l take IT FOR granted the public is weary
| OF this controversy. so frequently dragged
before il In the public prints. and
would not have annoyed the public 20
the extent OF this communication but for
tho manifest injustice OF this latest APP
! peal 10 public prejudice.
As 10 the amended award or the ar
bitrators. 10 which some of these papers
have referred ! have only 10 say that
the Traction Company and my company
| differed as 10 the proper construction OF
the award OF the arbitrators in reference
| 70 the remuneration 10 be paid by us
TO the Traction Company for the use OF
| their tracks during the three days OF
/ tho reunion.
This matter has been. brought 10 the
attention Of the arhnrators who have
notified me what theft construction is Of
the award formerly made. ] have com
municated this decision 10 my company.
and have no doubt that tender will be
promptly made on the basis OF the arbi-
! traitors decision and In accordance with
the facts. Very respectfully.
A y. GrIGON
For the Richmond Railway and rrleotri,