The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-18
A Charter Granted to the Virginia Eltc-
trio Company
AFTER LONG HOURS OF HOT DEBATE.
The Home and the southern Also Given
the Right to Construct Piants--A De-
termined Effort to Defeat Them
Many Eloquent Pleas.

in Richmond at an expense Of a million
and a half dollars; an enterprise which.
unless all indications lie, will work a
mighty revolution in the business world
Of the city, send over miles Of wire the
electric current at prices in the reach Of
all. and fill the air with the welcome hum
Of machinery. New life will be Infused
into the dropping enterprises, and in the
arteries OF trade the rich warm blood o.
new endeavor will beat with vigor un-
known for years.
For nearly two hours last night the
Council Chamber was a scene of almost
continuous debate Under the leadership
Of Mr. Turpn, the opposing minority re-
sorted 10 every tactic 10 defeat ali the
franchises before the body but the ma
ioritv of the members had made up their
minds, and no verbal assaults could
shake them.
Eloquent speeches in behalf OF the
measure were made by Mr.. ii. H. Caoell'
representing the Chamber OF commerce,
Mr.. Joseph Bryan, Captain Charles u.
williams and Mr.. William Todd. These
gentlemen spoke with an earnestness
born Of conviction and their words were
given due weight.
In Justice 10 Mr.. Carter who is record
ed as voting in the negative. it must be
said that he favored the measure as
whole but was unwilling to grant 1t
franchise Of thirty years duration mas
much as the franchises of the Home and
the Southern Electric Companies, which
were also adopted by the Board, were
amended so as to only run for fifteen
years.
The Board was called TO order at $40
o'clock by President Turpin, there being
present Messrs. Allen. Bahen. Brock.
| Burton. Carter. Cutchins, Hardwicke,
King, Montgomery Noble, Smith. Snead,
Zimmerman, Vaughan, Moore.
| COMMITTEE on ELECTRICITY.
The Board, on motion Of Mr.. Brock.
took from the table the ordinance form
! ing Committee on Electricity, which
has been passed by the Common Council.
! This ordinance was first introduced by
| Mr.. Marx Gunst. and its provisions have
been fully printed heretofore IN The
| Times.
After the reading Of the ordinance, Mr..
! Hardwicke moved 20 refer the ordinance
| to the Board Of Fire Commissioners for
a report.
Messrs. Brock and Vaughan opposed
the motion. saying that the matter had
! been thoroughly sifted. and that the Fire
! Commissioners and superintendent of
! Fire Alarm were cognizant OF its proyis-
tons.
Messrs. zimmerman and Cutchins,
| however. desired more light on the ques-
ton. and Mr.. Hardwicke's motion was
| adopted.
on motion Of Mr.. Cutchins. the resolu-
tion providing for the compensation of
the five men discharged from the Street.
| Cleaning Department for the time that
they had lost before their reinstatement,
which was passed by at the last meeting
Of the Board. was considered, and Mr.
/ Cutchins offered a substitute providing
that the five men. Messrs Johnson. Ford.
Branch. Kennedy and Cole, receive the
following sums:
Johnson. s6295: Branch. S5G; Ford. S57;
Kennedy. $3.50; cole, 81, making a total
Of s27345.
This substitute was offered by Major
Cutchins in view Of the fact that several
Of the men had secured work during the
time they were not in the service Of the
city. and he thought ii but just that the
sums made by them during that time
should be deducted from the. amounts
paid them by the city.
Mr.. Snead thought that action was un-
just. and moved twhat the men be paid in
full for the time that they were not in The
city's service.
Mr.. Cutchins said that the men should
not be paid twice. They had no lega
claim upon the city. but he thought an in
Justice had been done them. and was
willing as n matter Of equity TO vote e
give them the sums indicated in his reso
luton
THE AMENDMENT ADOPTED.
Mr. Snead's amendment was lost. and a
recorded vote being taken the substitute
OF Mr. Cutchlns was adopted, only Messrs
Snead and Carter voting against Il.
4 resolution was offered by Alderman
Moore providing that 300 loads Of coke o
twenty-five bushels each be donated fol
the use of the colored poor OF the city
He asked that the rules be suspended
and the resolution passed at once. His
request was unanimously granted.
\ resolution was offered by Mr.. Noble
10 the fleet that the Board Of .Aldermer
fully endorses the efforts OF Mr. +.
FOlkes. representative Of the city in tn
Legislature to secure vestlbules on n
street cars for the protection OF the mo-
torman and the travelling public.
Mr.. Allen said that before voting 10
this resolution he would like 10 kno'
whether the motormen wanted such vesti
bules. He had asked one of them. b
said. who had the windows OF his vesti
bule open, why he did not close IL 10
the glass was so dingy that he could no
see to properly manage his car. Mr.. ALE
said further that. SO far as he knew
vestibules were not IN use in climate
more severe than that Of Richmond.
Mr.. Cutchins fully agreed with Mr. a
len. He said. moreover that IL the resc
/ luton was 10 be passed IL should be S
framed as to endorse, not the efforts Z
I Mr. Fokes but the measure which h
had presented. If II was meritorious.
Mr. Carter agreed with Mr. Cutchin
that the bill should be endorsed, and nc
the efforts Of its patron, but he was d,
cidedy OF the opinion that the motorme
should be protected from the chillin
blasts Of winter
Mr. Noble did not object TO the amend
ment OF the resolution so that II wa
| adopted finally.
for the resolution II the motormen de
sired IT.. II might be that they did No
want to be hedged in in that manne
| Their wishes should first be ascertained
Mr.. Allen moved TO lay the resolutio
! on the table until the next meeting
| ascertain the desires OF the mototmel
His motion was adopted.
CONCERNING JAMES RIVER.
Mr. Vaughan offered an ordinance pre-
viding that the Committee on jaime
, | River Improvement shall have power
, | dx lines along the harbor within whic
| riparlan owners may erect wnarves ar
r | other fixtures for commercial and mani
| featuring purposes, and shall have n
: thority 10 cause the removal OF any whar
, dock wreck. or other obstruction TO nav
gafion and may cause the shoaling OF n
. | harbor. its branches and tributaries,
| the expense OF the owners or the par'
causing the obsts tsdction.
THE ordinance further provided thi
u,hen any dredging Is 10 be done the con
.~.i,,aa chau have mower TO designate n