The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-24
MORE ELECTRIC COMPANIES,
The Street Committee Recommended
Two Franchises Yesterday.
The HOLE And The SOUTHERN.
These the Corporations Empowered to DO
business in Richmoud--A 'ight for Tn
Gorground Wires--I he Tax Penalty
Ordinance Recommended


cd 10 The Council two ordinances grant
ing franchises 10 the Home ana the
soutl. crn Electrle Compaaics, to construct
plants and do d lighting and rower-iur-
nishins business in Gichmond, the ordi-
naucos being Identical WITH Tho onc-grtl--
ing d franchise ~ the Virginia Eisstic
Company. which las been printed in 'ull
in The Tines. with the exception Of
provision appended % the esd.nsnces
Granted yesterday. that bo.d # 5000
shall be deposited thirty days aitor their
passage. a. an eyidc 80 OK socl faith. the
same to be returned upon e completion
of .helr plants TO the satisfaction Of the
street Committee.
WIRES ~ CONDo:TS.
An earnest EFFORT was made by Mr. Pol
lock TO so amend the ordinances as 60
compcl tho companic5 20 put their wires
-, condlit3 within "a certain designated
tcrr.t ry upon the hrst construction vi the
lines. instead of after five years Tso
roprescntatigcs OF the corporations h4,g-
ever. declared that they would not ace
ccDt the franch..cs under such terms.
and 80 being pointed out that these con-
d.u0n5 had not been imposed upon the
Virginia Electric Company the proposition
fel through
There was also = long discussion over
tie question of forcing the companies TO
give bond. which Family resulted in the
adoption o. the provision above indicated.
In this connection Chairman Allen took
occasion TO say that Zoo the future h.
would insist Chat a good and sufficient
bond accompany every application for
franchise and he hoped that every mcm-
hor of the committee would do Likewise
fn order THAI tine city might ie freed
from the opportunities Of promoters who
secured franchises % hawk about ana
sel.
The committee met ot O'Clock. there
being prcscnf Ncssrs. allen (chairman).
Iawder. John N. King. Pollock Woody
Eahen. Ebel Carter. ANA Bloomb.rg
Tho committee first took up the ap-
iicaton of the Southern railway to ho
allowed t0 lay rails for q short distance
un Dock street. the purpose being 90
reach by spur tr1ok the wharyes OF
the old Dominion steamship Company
After hearing arguments ON either side
reprcsontaUvcs Of the Southern railway
and tho ola Dominion steamship Conn
nany being heard on the subject the COM
mittcc decided. ON motion OF Air. Law
that the petition hc granted. tine same 90
DE rcvocablo at the pleasure of the street
Committee.
ELECTRIC FRANCHISES
Ihe ordinances granting franchises 10
the Southern and the liomo Electric
Companies to do business boz Richmond
We're then taken up and Mr. Phil u.
sned, representing the Southern Liec-
trc Company, explained 10 The committee
tho difference between the ordinance un-
der consideration, which. with uumporl-
amt provisions. are precisely similar I'D
,nat adopted by tho Street Committee
granting franchise tO tna Virginia
Electric Company, OF Baltimore. which
has been fully printed in The Times
The ordinance was then taken up scrIa-
tim. and when the second section Wfs
reached requiring the CONT InN Wltll
five years 10 pa. au its wires l cone
duits within certain territory Mr. fo.-
lock moved tuat 900 lieu thereof tl. come
pauy bee required when the lime 5 hrat
1aid 90 put ihc wires iu cDniui,f ou
Broad street from the west side 0i Adams
20 east side ol Niuth. Oh Ninth and acF-
enth from Broad u Cary on Bank sfr'
from ninth 10 the east side oi Twelfth
and ou Main and Cary lr0m Seventh 10
the cast side 70. Fourteenth
In offering thls muuon Alr. Pollock
called attention ,o ,he peril of overhead
wires. and the great importance OF CONE
poulng ail incoming companies 90 put
their wires boo couduits.
Ar. John Shelton Williams. ono OF the
main promoters lt The southern Eiec-
trio Company. declared that that COM
pany could not accept au ordnance with
such provision as tnc one suggested hv
Mr. Pollock. ic called attention to the
large number of prominent c.uzous wlo
had signed "a petition asking that frame
Chisc be granted the Southern Company
and also asked the committee 90 rDmcm-
Der lhc manner n which lhe Richmond
Traction Company had lived mp 90 the
terms Of tho franchise granted 10. 1s
reason why d franchise should be granted
to the Southern Electric Company, as
asked.
Mr.. Bloombcrg said It WIS unjust 20
compel this home company to put IL
wires in conduits when an ordinance bad
already been passed hy the committee
granting % franchise 10 whut Doc believed
was o. fake company ana which he
thought would bo hawkeG about and
sold, in which nothing was said about
putting the wires in coudmts.
Mr King favored the motion OF aIr
Pollock. and the latter moved that The
city's electrician be summoned before tna
committee 20 give the body some insight
intc the dangers 0f overhead wires.
TIE MOTION LOST
This motion engendercd so much oppo-
siu0n mat Mr.. Pollock withdrew it a
vote was then taken on his substitute,
and il was lost, Mossrs. Bahen j. M
King Lawdcr and Pollock voting in the
Affirmative. The original section was then
adopted.
This was the only point ~ disagreement
I'm the ordinance. The other sections being
adouted without comment.
Mr.. j. NJ. King then moved that tho
company be required 10 deposit a bond
for $1,000 with the cts or Richmond as
am earnest that they ill construct a.
plant sufficiently large to furnish lieht
and power 10 the city. he m-ved that
this suggestion be embedded in O scpa-
rate section.
Air. Pollard moved as "a substitute that
the company be required 20 deposit
bond for $500 within thirty days after
the passage of the ordinance. ar guar
an'oe that they viii. construct "a plant
within one year, the said bond to De De-.
I, turned after the completion OF the plant.
Mr.. Pollock after discussion. however
withdrew his loudment in favor of one
c0ered by Mr. Bi01mncrg. providing sim-
ply hat the company deposit "a bond for
$500 thirty days after the passage 81 the
ordinance. the same to De- returned upon
the completion OF the plant 10 the salts