Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-08
TO DECIDE MONDAY.
Colonel CutshaH 10 Determine How the
Car.Tracks Shall Cross.
NO PLANS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED.
Mr.. Langstan johnston, the Trac-
tion's Engineer, to he Here To-
Morrow TO Consult with Colonel
CutshaW.
Cutshaw.

yesterday morning WIFI tnc tOpicSS"s"
tives of the Richmond Railway and
Electric Company and the traction COM
pany, they having met there by previous
Arrangement, each to state their posi-
ton in regard to the affair of Friday
night, when three cars Of the former
line blocked Broad street al, the corner of
Seventh. and prevented the new line from
laying its tracks at that point
There were present Messrs. John
Shelton Williams and Philip II. SHIELD.
representing the traction company. and
Mr.. Cowardin, their assistant engineer,
and Messrs. George E. Fisher, Andrew
Pizzini, Jr. and J. w. Wilbur, Of the
Richmond Railway and Electric Com
dith and A. u. Gulgon, Of counsel for
that company. Mr.. c. V. Meredith,
the City Attorney. was present to repre-:
sent the citys interest.
Justice John j. Crutchfield was also
an interested listener In the conference,
which was held In accordance with the
suggestion Of the City Engineer. made
last night.
WHY THEY OBJECTED.
The grounds given by the Richmond
Railway and Electric Company for their
action was that the crossings prepared
by the traction company were unsatis-
factory and had never been submitted
either to them or the City Engineer for
approval. They said that the only way
they saw to prevent their tracks being
interfered with until the proper authorl-
ties had been consulted in regard to the
crossing was to stop their cars at the
intersection of the two lines at this
point, which they did.
The chief objection to the crossing as
prepared by the traction company was
that the rails to be used by the Union
Passenger Railway Company were too
short by two feet in each direction; this
would necessitate the insertion OF two
be so short that 1t would be impossible
to keep it In position.
Mr. John Shelton Williams, president
of the traction company, stated that he
had been under the impression that all
the plans and drawings had been SUBJ
mitted to the City Engineer. He GER
tainly had no intention of disregarding
that officers authority or being dis
courteous to him.
TO BE DECIDED TOMORROW.
Mr.. Wyndham r. Meredith, for the
Richmond Railway and Electric Com
pany, said his company was not rails
ing an unreasonable objection to the new
company laying its rails across their
tracks, but they only wanted to pro-
tect their rights. When these were not
involved they would facilitate the trac-
ton company in its work in every way
possible.
Colonel Cutshaw said the new COM
pany had never submitted any plans or
drawings of the crossings to him for his
approval. At his suggestion the mat
ter was postponed until tomorrow morn
ing at 10 o'clock.
The City Attorney said that he sup
posed In view Of the circumstances that
Justice Crutchfield would dismiss the
charge against the Richmond Railway
and Electric Company The Police JUS
tice said that he would, when the case
was called Tuesday morning.
MR.. WILLIAMSS STATEMENT.
President John Shelton Williams, OF the
traction company, makes the following
statement in regard to the affair:
Last nights disturbance was simply
the result OF the fixed policy OF Fisher
and his associates to harass and hamper
the traction company in the exercise o.
their franchise at every possible point,
on every pretext, however fiimsy or tech
meal.
THE excuse under which they now seek
to shelter themselves for their action last
night is that the allegation that drawings
for the crossings which were made ac-
cording to designs OF and by one OF the
leading eteel-works in the country, had
not previously been approved by the
City Engineer. Engineer Johnston, OF the
traction company. has been in conference
with Colonel Cutshaw on every important
point as 1t has come up. and We took
1t for granted that these crossings had
already been approved by the City Engi-
neer II Is now stated. however, that
although Mr. Langstaff Johnston laid be-
fore the City Engineer some weeks ago
general plans bearing on this subject,
the drawings had not been laid before
him in final detail.
"Mr. Johnston's omission to do this
was certainly not intentional, and, / pre-
sumo, he felt sure that there was no
point or feature in the special work which
could possibly give rise to any controver-
sy. / have, however. telegraphed Mr..
Johnston to Philadelphia TO be here
Monday morning without fail. and /
have no doubt that when he and Colonel
Cutshaw go over the plans together, and
the matter is discussed that We will
receive instructions from the City Engi-
neer to proceed with the work.
Colonel Cutshaw denies the statements
appearing in this mornings papers appa-
rently proceeding from the old company,
that he had declared that there was no
reason why the street-cars should not be
kept standing in the streets all night"
Crhe statement to which Mr.. Williams
refers did not proceed from the old COM
pany, but was made by q Dispatch re-
porter. who was told by Captain Angle
that Colonel Cutshaw was OF the opinion
that the company could keep car stand
ing on the track all night, and the po-
lice could not order its removal, IL public