Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-01
THEY FAIL TO AGREE
Ths Companies Reach No Terms as to
Tracks on Broad Street.
MAss-NEETIxG no M HELD
This the Conclusion OF the Associ"-
dams Committec-Position OF the
Railway Peopic-aay u" u" '''
Councii.

Broad Street Representatives. ~ my
Richmond Traction and of the kIchinon"
Railway and Electric companies were
present. while there were on manu- ~"
the associations committee Messrs. i~''o
schairman. Cohen. Hutzer' Nhi''o0"'
Fourqurcan. and Milhiser. Inc oo'eo' -
the meeting was TO hear the result ., wy
conference between the authorizes oA wv
railway companies regarding the use VI
.ne SET Of tracks on Broad street, ana
thereby obviating the necessity OF ha'ins
two street-car lines on that thoro"s"-
fare.
Chairman Iaube called the body TO oIue'
at els o'clock. and Captain Andre"
zIni. OF the Richmond Railway ana h'eO
trio Company. was the first speaker nc
rave the result of a conference between
the two companies. which left mat'eiS
lust where they stood on the day previous
The Richmond City railway 0he ola com
pany) was willing TO go upon Inv
traction company's tracks and give trans
fcrs TO and from all its intersectinS hnes'
or was willing to allow the tr@ctlor-cais
20 run upon its tracks, or pay for 'he
use Of the traction company's tracks
These propositions were not Acceptable u
the traction company, who are not III
clined 10 make terms. The traction Cum
many was only willing to give transfers
AZ Eighth and Ninth and Laurel streets,
which, Captain Pizzini claimed, meant
he abandonment by the City railway Oh
its Rroad-street road, and the use OF
those crossroads. simply TO ieed '"e
traction company's road his COMPANY
would not give up its privileges OH b.oau
street. and therefore unless something
was done the four tracks would surely
go down.
Cantain Plzzini was asked II his COM
pany had the right TO use elec'ilcity O'
Broad street. He replied that his conf
many claimed that IL had, but that the
CITY Attorney gave IL as his OPINION
that the company had no such right
This matter. however, could very quickly
be settled by the Council.
HAD NOT KEPT UP.
Mr.. II. NJ. Smith. representing the
Richmond Traction Company, spoke
briefly upon the matter. He said lhat
all these features and propositions hao
been fully discussed before the Commit
tee on Streets. He said a great many
merchants on Broad street who had sign
ed the petition for two tracks onV
on that thoroughfaTe had, upon nav
iuS the question involved explained 10
them. asked to have their names erased
from that paper, and stated that they
would throw no obstacle in the way OF
the traction company. Mr.. Smlth
averred that the old company had kept
the bob-tail mule-cars on Broad street,
and had not kept up with the spirit OF
prosperity and progress on that thorough,
fare He asserted that the Richmond
City railway would not take those eye
sores of Broad street until the City Coun-
Gil had invited competition, and the
traction company had come in and Of
fered TO build. and was building, one o.
the finest street railroads in the United
States. He said the committee only
had four more years To wait Tor the
expiration of the franchise Of the City
railway. and he did not believe that
corporation would pull UP its old tracks
and put down such a road as the City
Engineer and Street Committee would
require il 10 lay. Mr.. Smith said the
COMMITTEES on Streets had fully gone into
an the questions Of damages 10 the
street. the liabilities from four tracks
upon Broad street. etc He remarked
that those who had put their money
irto the traction company, and who pro-
posed to expend a sum amounting TO
$4,000 in building railways upon the
streets of this city and developing its
interests. had done SO, and were doing
so. upon the faith of a practically exclu-
siVe franchise on Broad street lie
did not think Il fair TO force his COM
pany to allow the cars of the City
railway TO run upon its splendid tracks.
BY such a plan the city would never
rid itself of the old company on Broad
street.
PROVIDED FOR IN THE ORDINANCE
Mr.. Smith was followed by forcible
argument upon the subject by Captain
\. Il. Guigon, representing the Rich
lnond Railway and Electric Company.
lie said the old company had submitted
TO the traction company two very gene
rOus propositions for the use of its
tracks One was TO give the traction
company transfers at every point where
the tracks of the Richmond Railway
and Electric Company intersect. and
the other was to allow the cars OF the
new company TO run over the tracks of
tho old company Captain Gufgon re-
ferrsd to the seventh section of the or
dinance of the traction company. which.
smong other things. says: 1.-THE privi-
,eges herein granted are given upon
the further express condition that the
said company shall permit any other COM
pany or companies, when authorized
By the Council. 10 use, I'm whole or
In part the above-described routes or
lines. upon such fair and reasonable
terms as may be agreed upon by the
said company. and each entering COM
pany," etc. Captain Gugon said the
City Railway Company based It's willing
ness 10 20 upon the tracks OF the trac-
ton company upon what he deemed very
liberal terms The traction had come
in as an opposition concern, and now
was Inconsistent enough 70 want to DO
away with all competition. so far as the
streets upon which IL was to operate
were concerned lie declared that the
men who had put their money into the
traction company knew what they were
doing. and had read over every provi-
sion OF its ordinance before they let 81
OF their money 20.
Captain Guieon presented another or
dinance approved December IS. 1885,, di-
recting the City railway TO shift its tracks
so as 10 make room in the middle
of the street for those Of the trac-
ton company. and explained that the
same power could compel the arbitra-
ton Of this question
A MASS-MEETING
Mr. Philip B. Shield. counsel for the
traction company. made the closing ar
gument for that side, and the represen-
fatiyes OF the companies retired. The
committee then held short. informal
discussion. and agreed TO call mass
meeting OF the merchants and property
owners on Broad street. TO be held In the
Hustings-Court-room on Monday after
noon, the hour 10 be fixed hereafter
What the Old Company Proposes.
After che conference yesterday, the fol-
lowing letter. which explains Itself, was