Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-03
franchises Of the Richmond City Railway

Company.
.. What steps, IL any, the city IS re-
CURED 10 give this company notice, be-
fore the expiration of it's franchise.
g. The terms upon which the city can
take back the franchise and upon what
terms the franchise may be let out to
any person in respect to the present own
ership Of the franchise.
T. Has the present Council the right TO
put out the franchise?
8. Any other matter that the City At
torney may think necessary to report
upon this question.
In reply TO your first inquiry. l have 10
say that the rights Of all the routes OF
the Richmond City Railway Company will
not expire at the same date. BY the
sixth section Of Chapter 46, Of the City
Ordinances Of 1885, all of it's routes in ex-
istence M the time said compilation or
city ordinances was adopted. and which
have not subsequently been surrendered,
expire on the 3lst day Of December. 1900.
All Of its routes granted since 1855 and
now in use expire on the 1st day Of jan
uary 1900. except the northern track on
Broad street. which the company ac-
CURED from the Richmond, Freierlcks-
burg and Potomac Railroad Company.
and which company uses with the power
in the Council to revoke at any time.
The routes which expire on the 3lst day
of December 1900 are as follows:
Main street from Rockets TO Reservoir
streets; Eighth and Ninth streets from
Main to Broad street; a single track on
Broad street TO Laurel, and on Laurel
street 10 Main street.
The franchises which expire January l,
1870. are on the following routes:
From Rockets and Main Streets down
Rockets TO Fulton; Main street. from
Reservoir to the corporate limits. and
the Hollywood extension from Laurel and
Main streets.
Your second. third. and fourth enqui-
ries can be answered by showing what
bearing the 18th section Of chapter -,
City Ordinances 1855, has upon said char
ter. The l4th section of chapter 10 reads
as follows:
II. The privileges herein granted shall
be subject 10 the conditions and prOvis-
ions Of chapter 10 OF the City Ordinances,
and of the amendments heretofore adopt
ed thereto
Until the compilation Of the ordinances
of 1885 that section was never attached
to the ordinance Of December II. 1855.
under which the company acquired IT'S
earlier routes. But section of the ordi-
nances Of December II, 1865. does embody
in substance and effect the same pro-
visions and reads as follows:
u. In all other resp-C-s the said com
pany shall be governed by the aforesaid
ordinances passed on the 18th day OF
March, 1850"
The ordinance Of December II. 1865. I'm
itself contained no provision as TO what
shall be done at the expiration Of the
franchise but I'm section y OF said OrGi-
nance of the 18th Of March, 1850 by the
provision Of which. as We have just seen,
the company shall be governed. provis-
ions are made as 10 what the city shall
do at the expiration Of the franchise.
As tbs 18th section Of chapter 81. city
Ordinances. 1853 is The same as the l2th
section Of the ordinance Of March -, 1880,
with a few changes irrelevant 20 the ques-
ton under discussion, / shall quote the
later ordinance as specifying what course
the city snail pursue at the expiration OF
the franchise.
Here he inserts the 18th section. chap
ter A.. City Ordinances 1851
NEED NOT GIVE NOTICE.
From a reading Of this section it will be
seen that me city is not required 10 give
any notice before the expiration Of said
franchise.
II is allowed one year from and after
said expiration TO give notice TO said
company as 10 what II desires TO be done.
During that year the Council may, at It's
option. extend said franchise for another
period or IL may refuse 20 make such
extension. II It shall determine 20 extend
them, il must specify for what length Of
time. and upon what terms. conditions
and restrictions it viii grant the privi-
Iege II upon these provisions ana
limitations the Council and the com
pany can agree, the extension can De
made by ordinance. II the Council shall
refuse an extension, or If the Council
and the company cannot agree upon
terms which are satisfactory the city
Council has obligated itself "to take me
railways and fixtures thereto lying with
I'm the city. and the lots and buildings
thereon and eppurtenances owned Dy
said company or corporations, etc, etc
Quoting the wording Of section IA OF CITY
Ordinances heretofore referred toi
II will be seen from the above section
thar the present Council has not power 10
dispose of said routes without the CON
sent of the said company so as 10 prevent
that Council which shall be elected III
1goS from granting 20 the said company
the routcs which should expire on the lst
dav Of January. 1900 nor 10 prevent that
Council which shall be elected IN july
1900 from rogranting 10 the said COM
pany the routes which shall expire on the
3lst day OF December, 1850.
OF course II the present Council ana
the company can come to terms IS 10
any extensions Of franchise, II can ne
done bv mutual consent. but only IN that
manner. -
In reply 10 the nth inquiry nave 10
saw that as the present Council can 90
nothing without the consent OF the ssiu
company. there is nothing that l would
suggest 10 be done az present. unless me
said company come forward ana ask LOT
a franchise.
Very truly. ,,.,,.,,
l.