Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-13
CLEARING THE DECKS
ANOTHER PRELIMINARY sKIRMIsa
FOR THE RAILWAY FRANCHISES.
TRACTION COMPANY HAS A HEARING.
Mr. Dcmiss and Mr.. Martin, Repre-
scntipg Rival Interests. Make In
pany Fayors the Syndicate.

pnny Favors the Syndicate.
The meeting OF the Committee on
! Streets last night FOR the consideration
! OF the petitions for street railway fran
| chiscs developed another preliminary
sldrmsh
The petition OF the Traction Company.
! submitted to the Board Of Aldermen last
/ Tuesday, and published in the Dispatch.
was taken up, and served TO Introduce
MIR. Bemiss president Of the company,
! who made an interesting statement I'm
regard 60 the intentions Of his company
/ IL IL was awarded the Main-street fran
I Chise. he demonstrated on the black
| board the connections that would be
/ made between the Broad-strcet and Main
/ street lines. He dealt at some length
/ with the application OF the Boyd-NeWton
: syndicate. and while enumerauug the
advantages he thought would accrue Co
thc city h. the Traction Company's petit
ton were granted. il was the opinion
of several committeeman that he gave "a
Very attractive cnunciation Of the doc
tuuc OF trusts a
MIR. Martin followed and after reply
ing 90 Mr.. Bcmiss he stated the posi-
ton OF the Boyd-Ncwton syndicate. and
argued 10 show what benefits the city
would derive ~ the old lines OF Richmond
Railway and Electric Company passed
into the hands Of the new syndicate.
Neither Mr. Bcmiss nor Mr.. Martin was
/ very explicit I'm dealing with the ques-
/ ton whether or not the companies they
represented respectively. would adopt
the underground system.
CONDUIT COMPANY WON'T APPLY.
Captain Pizzini was asked 30 address
/ the committee. and spoke strongly In
| favor OF the Boyd-Newton syndicate's
/ petition The Richmond Conduit Com
/ pany ne said. would ask Tor no fran
+ chisc but would ask that clause should
/ Doe inserted in any ordinance that the
/ city might ia ne, requiring the use OF the
jenkins underground system in the thick
,y populated parts Of the city.
The committee is disposed TO push the
matter through with all possible speed.
and il IS quite probable that after cap
/ tain Pizziui gives the committee some in
formation to-day I'm regard TO the con-
struction and operation of underground
/ railways the ordinance Of the Boyd
/ Newton syndicate will be taken NJ
The following members Of the commit
/ Pollock. King. Peters. Whittet. NBahen,
/ Gibson. Lawder, and Woody.
TRACTION COMPANY's PLANS.
| The petition Of the Richmond Traction
! Company, presented to the Board Of
/ Aldermen. and referred TO The committee,
/ was submitted and read.
/ Mr.. Bcmiss. president Of the company
] was given the privilege of the nOOr. lie
/ alluded TO the action of the committee
/ at IFS last meeting, and said his company
| now asked for franchise over the sys-
/ tenn now operated by the Richmond Guy
/ Railway Company. They proposed. ne
/ said TO operate the lines in connection
/ with the Traction Company in such a
/ manner as would be TO the best interest
/ of the city and the citizens. Inc TWO
branches could be brought together I'm =
most advantageous way. and a system OF
/ transfers introduced that would DE very
desirable. The Traction Company was
prepared to spend large sum OF money
ON the rehabilitation OF the Main-street
! line.
MIR Bomiss said the Traction Company
was not tied zap. by conGluonS or trans
actions with other parties. 1t was an
/ active concern. ready 10 operate the fran
chise from the day II came into their
posse ssiOu. II would I've upwards or
year before the material could be dellv-
cred TO put the lines I'm order therefore
De argued Il was of importance That the
company obtaining the franchise should
Doe iu q position to start % work at once.
The Boyd-NcwtOn syndicate. he maintain
cd was not iu such posi- non. The SCI
cord poiut he made was that the Trac-
ti0n Company was composed Of men VINO
had q practical knowledge of street-rail-
way matters
Finally. he said. there We're great ad-
arranged as TO connect with the Main
forests together. and he argued 10 snow
that &c would be Of more Naluc 10 me
citizens 20 travel over the WnQle lensi n
of the city without necessity for trans
ftrs The granting OF the franchise 10
the Traction Company would mean
much better schedule, paIucuiaiI! ue
tween Laurel and sixteenth street. lnht
could only Dc accomplished, ne thouSht.
ly placing the franchise I'm the hands OF
the company operating the Brood-street
lines
EFFECT on CLAY-STREET LINE.
Mr. Pollock asked Mr.. Bemiss what
would be the possible result TO the cay
street line If the Main-street line became
part of the Traction Companys system
Nr Bemiss said the granting OF the IRAN
ehisc Of the Main-street line TO any otner
company than the one operating cay
street would certainly AFFECT the latter
road, but he could not say to what eN-
Replvine TO Mr.. Ebel Mr.. .Bemiss said
/ fr. lGmuanv would ask q double track
Or Ninth street between Main ana Broad
/ they would also ask for connecting INK
ora Lombardy street, and loop round, SlN-
/ zenith street by the new depot. Ihey
would ike TO have the Hollywood line 50
managed as 10 connect with the Main
street line. ,,oa,.-
Mr. Bemiss illustrated on the black
board i'm chalk the way In which the
Traction Company proposes 10 operate
the Nain-street line, If II should secure
the franchise. and the connections that
viii Doe made. -
The object Of the company would be 70
have the thickly-settled parts of the city
divided into sections of quick schedules.
Mr. Pollock outlined the Clay-street Inc
ON the blackboard and asked Mr.. Bemlss
whether he thought that line could exist
being parallcled, as IL would be, by the
Traction Company.
Mr. Bemiss replied that he understood
the company that now owned the ROAD
wished TO abandon part OF the present
route If. however. II were good ROAD
h. would sustain itself A road that was
not paying was a road that the pubic
did not want.
NIr. King argued that If the Clay-street
line were stripped of its feeders IT would
/ be vaueless. II was question or poncy
| for the city, and he thought the city would
| be- better served by accepting the ouer
| of the syndicate that was prepared 10
/ take over and rehabilitdte the entlre
ALI InPga