Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-16
TINE TO CONSIDER.
COMMITTEE POSTPONE CoNsIDERA-
TIoN OF ELECTRICAL FRANCHISE.
WANTS CHEAPER GAS FOR COOKING.
superintendent knowles Fnvors H.
hut No Action Is Taken-W"'cr
Committee and Non-Resident EN-
pIoyecs.
pIOyecs.

Committee and Non-hesideht E"-
pIoyecs.
The Council Committee on Streets
held regular session in Room NO. Oh
the CITY Hall at o'clock yesterday
afternoon. Present were Chairman Al
len and Messrs Bahen. Bioomperg'
Burton. Carter. Ebel, Foster, j. j. and
7. NJ. King. Pollock, Woody, and LAWYER
4 communication was read from
Chief-of~ Police Howard, in regard 10
the request OF the committee relative "
the abolition Of the nuisance OF boys
throwing stones Som the Flrst-stree'
vioauct. Major Howard said the only
way IN which the trouble could be avert
81 was by stationing a man upon inc
bridge. on motion Of Mr.. Pollock inc
matter was referred to the city Attor-
ney. as 10 what the powers OF the CRY
are I'm the premises. .ooo A..
The resolution appropriaunS SoV "
grade and repaVe Nineteenth street pc
tween Main and Cary. sent back from .iie
Council for information as TO the graues
prouosed to be followed was taken up
The City Engineer explained thdt onls
slight change in the grade OF the
street was contemplated. and the resolu-
tion' was returned to the Council ac
Commanded by the grades recommended
by the city Engineer. ..o,,+
RIus and pay-rolls Of the department.
were approved, and an ordinance, ol-
fcred by the Richmond Traction COM
many. and relieving il from the require
ment 10 concrete certain parts OF ltS
street-railway beds, was referred on
motion Of Mr.. Pollock to the spec,al
subcommittee appointed 10 look lh'o '.e
benefits and merits of concreting street.
railway beds. -,
tn committee recommended again
the appropriation of $3.50 to grade and
repave with granite spalls the road-oed
OF Marshall street from Seventh 10
Eighth. o,
allegations were issued for several
nieces of street-work, and some other
routine business wss transacted.
QUESTION or MECTRIC FRAN
- '.aIISES
The consolidation of the electrical
q a,nises was the next matter taken
yac and Mr. Pollock moved that, mas
,eTeh a. the City Attorney was not pre-
se,t and the investigation OF these
Questions would involve several hours
OF patient and careful work. the
whole matter be laid over untl
a special meeting, 10 be held on
,be al ernoon of the 25th. The PROPOSE
ton met with some opposition at the
hands of Messrs. Foster and Ebel Mr.
carter made the suggestion that the
two applications for electrical fran
chises. which had not been referred TO a
subcommittee should be referred 10
euch a subcommittee. and reports upon
ali these brought i'm at the proper time
After some further debate Mr.. Bloom
berg moved that the report OF the
snh-committee on the application Of the
VIRGINIA Electric Company be read. This
was adopted. and Sir. Ebel, as chairman
OF that body. stated that his sub-com-
mittee recommended that the franchise
drawn up by the City Attorney be recon-
rnlnded to the Council. The ordnance
was read granting the virginia Electric
Company. OF Baltimore. the right to use
The streets of the city for running poles
and wires In the conduct OF general
electrical business The material provi-
s,ons of the measure were given in the
pisnatfh on the morning after their APP
p~oval by the subcommittee. After the
reading of the ordinance. Mr. Meredith
explained briefly the salient features,
and there was then general discussion
upon the several important provisions
as 70 conduits, time of franchise, bonds
etc.
The measure. as drawn by Mr.. Mere
attn. grants to the company named the
right 10 erect poles. wires. &c. for the
purposes named through the streets and
alleys OF the city. under the condition:
thai the franchise shall exist for thirty
wears. subject to the general ordinances
as TO con6uits and poles, TO the deposit
ing OF a bond OF $4,000 two months be-
fore the streets Of the city are disturbed
and TO the readiness and ability Of The
company 20 furnish light and power e
citizens Of Richmond within two year,
from the date Of the approval OF the mea
sure by the Mayor.
ASK FOR PROMPT ACTION.
After Mr.. Meredith's detailed statement
of the Significance of the various clauses
OF the ordinance. Mr.. Carter renewed M
Pollocks motion 10 lay thermatter over
10 a special meeting to be held on th'
evening Of the 2sih-instant
AT this point Captain Charles u. VIII
Hams. representing the Virginia Electric
Company. addressed the committee, urg
ine pfompt Consideration OF the fran
chlsc He said the value of this enter
prise TO the city could not be calculated
IL Meant the development of vast anC
even unknown Interests here. and would
yield. ne said, 10000 20 the city. WHERE
IL would yield much less 10 the company
Captain Williams explained that capital
lists who were shout 70 invest their mean
IN large schemes Were not willing TO sub
init 20 long delays. asa could not affor'
10 keep their capital idle so long time
Mr.. Todd. the Baltimore representative
OF the company, had few words to sal
relative TO the injury that delay woul'
work 70 the cause OF the undertaking
Chairman Allen, however. stated that NJ
possible harm could result from rostpon
Ing action on the ordinance until tn
18th. IL could not possibly be passe'
upon sooner. except to the detriment
the movement.
M. csrters motion was then adopted