The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-18


An ordnance providing for the enforce
ment of the penalty on delinquent taxes,
which had been non-concnrrcd IN ny tnc
Board and sent 10 contcIchc" coihitt-
tee. was then taken up. but more than
two months having elapsed since IT'S re-
lection by the Board, the President nc
cided that under the rules II could nor
be considered. 1t was, herefore received
and filed. -,
The most important business or the
mocting-the ordinances granting IRAN.
chises to the Southern, the Home ana
the Virginia Electric companies-Was theh
taken up. on motion OF Mr.. Allen.
The ordinance referring to the South.rh
Electric Company was concutted III VIII
out comment on an aye and no vote
The President announced that had
recorded vote been takcnshe should have
put himself on record in the NEGATIVE.
IL Will not vote for thlrty-ycN, l'du- l'd
chise To be given any electrical com
The ordinance granting n franchlse TO
the Home Company was then taken W
and read. as its provisions are sushty
different from those embraced IN thT NJ
strument concerning the sou'hei" i@'0N-
trlc Company.
KILL THE GAS WORKS.
After the reading OF the ordinance Mr.
Turpin took the floor, Mr.. Cutchlhs IN 'ne
chair, and spoke against the franchises
ou.. md all lie took the position that
I'm tho period OF thirty years these COM
panics would be able TO produce hght so
cheap that they would Kill the gas works.
a valuable asset Of the city. lie was
I'm favor of the city owning all natural
monopolies. such as the gas ana 'uc
water works.
MIR. Turpin was willing. he said, 10
give these companies franchises 10 run
fifteen years, but he could not vote lor
measures which would preclude the pos
sibity OF the city erecting us own plant
for a gpneratlOn-thlrfV years.
Mr. Turpin then went on TO speak OF
the fact that whereas the other TWO
cOmDanies were required TO give bVhu ~
thirty davs the Virginia Company, OF
Baltimore. was given twenty-five months
la connection with Mr.. TurplnS assei-
ton that the electrical companies Moulu
furnish light more cheaply ana mus hl'i
the gas works, Mr. Cutchlns asked tno
very pertinent question whether Swine
the people cheaper light was not OF more
Importance than perpetudtinG the gus
works.
Nr Turpin did not answer this ques-
ton, except in a cursory manner ol nn'
went on with mis- speech. whieh ne CON
cluded by a motion 10 strike out the sec
ton granting the franchise for thltty
years and insert fifteen years.
FIFTEEN YEARS THE LIMIT.
In order that this amendment mlSht a,so
be made TO the franchise granted lhe
Southern. the vote by which tbat oIul,
nance was adopted was recOnsldered, anu
Mr. Turpn moved his amendment 10 this
ordinance. which was adopted py uhe
following vote. ~
HardWicke, King, Montgomery, MOORE
Noble. Smith Snead. Turpin-n
Noes-Messrs Allen, Burton, Cutchlns,
Vaughan, ZlmmcrmaIsn-5.
Mr.. John NJ. King then oiiered an
amendment providing that the Council
shall fix the rate TO be changed by d cViil-
pany for tie electricity furnished by IL.
Mr.. Turpn stoutly opposed thls amehu-
mont, as did MIR. Allen, both taking me
ground that such proposition "ould ei-
fectualiy Nil the bill.
No men outside Of a lunatic asylum
said Mr. Turpin would accept ffanchlse
burdened by such restriction.
Mr.. Carter took the position that the
city Council should have the right 10
regulate the companies applying for fran
Chises.
Mr.. Zimmerman was in favor Of grant
ing the franchises without further amend
ment to the ordinances in order that there
might be competition of which the citl-
Zens would reap the benefit.
A vote was then taken On Mr.. King $
| amendment and il was lost. The ordl-
nance as amended by Dir. IurpIn was
The Home Companys ordinance was
| then again taken up, amended by MT.
| Turpin 10 allow its duration to be hiteen
! years. and adopted.
| II
| The Board then took from the ldDie
| the ordinance concerning the virginia
! Electric Company, or Baltimore
Before any action was taken on the
| ordinance Mr.. III. J.. CdDell, representing
| the Chamber of Commerce, was given the
| floor. lie said that the franchise had the
| unoualihel approval Of the chamber.
| That body thought the enterprise prom
| !sed more 10 the city OF kichmond thah
! any in years-it promised cheap power.
/ He thought IL it were allowed 10 come
| n re that waste places in the city would
! sool be covered mp. Real estate needed
! a stimulus. and he thought this move
| ment would result IN its enhancement 10
| the extent Of p per cent. II this move
| ment was allowed ii would draw the az
| tention Of the whole world 10 the al
! vantages Of Richmond as manuiac-
! turing centre.
Mr. Caben was asked by Mr.. King
| whether he was aware Of the fact thdt
| the Virginia Company had but <iVOvO-
that they had spent that sum ana now
had no money at all
/ Mr. CabeU said he did not thlnk thefe
| was n million and a half dollars in the
| hands Of this company, but ne had me
! assurance that money would not be want
ing II the franchise were granted. Mt
Joseph Bryan, he said who was present
would be able 10 enlighten the board con-
cerning the financial standing or thls
company better than he could.
MIR. BRYAN'S SPEECH
Mr.. BRYAN said that he was present be-
cause he was deeply Interested IN th'
passage Of the ordinance on account ol
the Richmond Locomotive works, 10 es
tablish which he had toiled for years a.
no one but the Recording Angel knew.
II was now he said, question OF com
petition. But recently the works haC
lost a large contract TO furnish engines
for Japan because another DID was
| trlne lower. and now they were going t'
send a special agent to Russia TO atemp
70 secure a contract there, Which coul'
| only be gotten by the bid being iO"c
than those OF other competitors.
MIR. BRYAN then went on 10 show ina
the only thing that stood in the way
the Richmond Locomotive WORKS penn
able to compete with all the woriu Wa
offered by the Virginia Electric Company
In reaard 10 the financial standing o
the promoters of the enterprise MI
BRYAN said that, while he dld not know
them personally. he had taken occasion
TO enquire and had been toid Dy men .
undOubted integrity and hign Dusihes
standing that they were Responsible me
I'm whom every confidence might be re
posed. ...
Touching on the amendment propose
by Mr.. Turpin-to limit the frAncnise I
90 sboyt Thirty wears was not too lon
where men were going TO lnVsse MI
lion and a half dollars.
Mr. Bryan made most Interesting an
convincing speech and WAS leard VIII
close attention.
QUESTION OF RATES.
Mr. King then asked that Mr. Willlar
Todd the representative Of the company
be heard on the question Of rates.
Mr.. Todd. as on former occasions, sal