Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-04

,, oi recommending that this nronos,-
~. pe adopted by the Council
~. Shlth had written that unop tho
49, P,"nVt OF this proposition bv the
- ne would come here with HE az.
oo ~ ana arrange for the turning over
or the franchise. ''''
"l. Seay asked that I'm discussing this
yIseesuon the Council should consider.
49, iis' integrity OF the men who
80. .nis proposition; second-that the
s GO, S,''ee eNacted by the city is a rea-
rowing resolutions:
RESOLVED by the Council Of tho c,,v
Oh petersburg. That the city Of Peters
LIB ac''ng through the Council. accent
to proposition OF De witt Smith. for
"'inaeh ana his associates. this day pre-
az 10 me Council. to purchase from
-, Nl'y the property and incomplete
WINS anu franchise Of the Virginia and
o,'ha railroad Company. now owned
~ 'ne city, provided the said De Witt
'"l'h ana his associates will enter into
VVhlract hereinafter provided for with
'' re sflq city for the purchase thereof.
O9"iNcu tufthcr That the City At
'oiliey Is hereby instructed to prepare
contract for sale and purchase of the
=. OpcI'y, incomplete works, and fran
chise Of said railroad company. to be
entered INTO by the said city, and the
sdlu lie witt Smith and his associates
Seu'ng forth in detail the agreement
vi "hlch said proposition is an outline.
ana submit the same TO the Council for
Us action at an adjourned meeting Of the
Council.
ON motion, Mr. Habliston and General
Negley were invited to address the
council Mr. Habliston said that for
several years he had been interested in
the project for the sale Of the Virginia
ana carolina railroad. He spoke of the
diihcuites that existed in getting capt.
tai interested in this project. Unless
ne thought that the road would be built,
ne would not have anything to do with
TINS proposition. He had the personal
assurance Of the other parties in this
proposition that the road would be built.
General Negley, of New York, said
that the condition under which this pro-
position was made would prevent
them from selling out to any corporation
which was the enemy of the city. He
said there was not the slightest faint
OF dishonesty about the proposition; that
they were ready to commence work at
once as soon as the proposition was ac-
cepted by the Council.
WAS SATISFIED.
Mr. Simon Seward, of the Chamber OF
Commerce, said that TO his mind this was
the best proposition and the most re-
sponsible the city had ever received TO
build this road. He had as much informa-
ton about the matter as any one in or
out of the Council and he believed these
gentlemen intend TO build this road.
The chairman of the Finance Committee
was asked if the committee were Informed
of the connections this road would make
II built. The answer was in the affirma-
tive, and that it was this knowledge that
induced the committee 10 recommend the
acceptance Of the proposition lhe com
mittee thought that action by the Council
should not be deferred too long. Requests
had already been received from two par
ties in Chicago asking 10 be allowed TO
examine plans of the road.
After further discussion ii being under
stood that the Finance Committee is in
possession of valuable information not
known to the public which induced them
to favor the acceptance Of the proposition,
the Council adjourned until Tuesday OF
next week to further consider the matter.
The President Of the Council In the
mean time is to appoint six councilmen,
one from each ward, to confer with the
committee.