Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-27
sTREET-CaR FRANCHISES.

The Mayor OF Atlanta has vetoed an
ordinance passed by the Council Of that
city in favor Of the Consolidated Street
Railway Company, and we notice that
many OF the questions that have come
up there are such as are.sure to arise here
when the charter of our old company ex-
pires.
Without referring particularly TO the
questions under discussion at Atlanta
! we would say that our Council would do
well TO mature its plans very carefully
so that when the time comes for letting
| out the new Broad and Maip-street
franchise. bidders may know precisely
what to expect, and the city may set the
best possible terms
| 1t is, OF course, important that Rich
mond should receive as much revenue
| from the new franchise as possible. but
| it is also Of much consequence that a
| system of passenger transfers should be
provided for. As things now etand here.
it is not to be expected that the rival COM
panies will agree upon terms for trans
ferring passengers TO and from enc an
| others lines. But in making our rev
contract that point may be satisfactorily
guarded
Legislation is also needed TO compel the
companies 20 keep their tracks and cars
in proper order. No creaking, rafting
ear-piercing car should be allowed uTon
our streets. When cars are in pad order
they should be kept off the streets. The
rate Of speed of cars. too, should be much
better regulated than IL is now. True,
wa have an ordinance bearing upon this
subject but ii is not always respected by
either company. The trouble, we suspect,
is that it is not the business of any par
ticular person to keep watch upon the
street-car companies This leads US to
enquire If we shall ever be. able TO con.
troll our street-car lines as they cr,ht TO
be controlled. unless we appoint an Off
GER charged with that special duty.
That officer. whatever his title. ought to
see to it that the tracks are maintained
in proper condition; that the cars are
kept in good order; that the schedules
are reasonable and are faithfully ad-
hered to, and that the speed of the cars
is such as may be prescribed by law.
Considering the furious speed at which
cars are often run by both lines, it is
amazing that so few accidents have oc-
CURED; but we cannot hope for a con-
tinued exemption from accidents. They
will come sooner or later and the conse-
quences may be fearful.
While our community has many causes
Of complaint i'm connection with street
railway traffic here, none is of such vital
importance as this yet so long as shock
ing accidents do not take place COM
paratively few protests are heard.
Considering what the condition Of our
street-car lines was ten years ago and
what it is now our people have cause TO
be very thankful for the change The
very sight of mule-car is obnoxious TO
us now, but a decade ago-5efore the |
New York capitalists came among US
we had nothing else here but mule cars! |
However. our appetite has now been ed |
ucated and whetted, and our people wish |
none but first-class electric cars.
Indeed, we may as well look ahead and |
prepare for the time when there will be |
violent opposition to cars propelled by |
overhead trolleys. The underground troll |
ley is an assured success in some other
cities, and the time will come when our
people will ask. Why should not that |
system be put into operation here?
There are few cities that are so badly
disfgured with wires of all sorts as Rich
mond is. If it were not for The pending
litigation about the right of the Bell
company TO use our streets, whether we
will or no. the Dispatch would favor a
crusade to have all wires put under
ground OF course, we would not insist
that all the work should be Zone forth
with. No; that would be unreasonable.
and would probably intertece with ex-
listing agreements. but we ought to make
a beginning as soon as possible.
In short we should do all we can TO
hasten the day when all electric wires
are run underground and when cur
phone and street-car systems conform 10
those in other cities of our size end i'm
1t is true we have not yet found any
city that is thoroughly satisfied with its
street-car or phone lines, but though
perfection is not attainable, We can 60
ourselves no harm by aiming 10 get as
lear TO IL as possible