The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-17

question which arises, he said. Consoh-
oation is the rule to-day. The ordinance
20 prevent the consolidation Is ineffective.
II Is not question OF whether you want
a consolidation. but whether It Is COM
ing-anyway-and how best TO meet the
inevitable.
lie showed that the tendency in Rich
mond has been toward consolidation; the
competing lines had gradually succumbed
10 the tendency which manlfests Itself
in all business. IL there must be cons0l-
ldauon, be asked, shah the city reap the
benefits or the consolidation?
What is the best way TO get railroad IA
cilities for the city? The question is can
you get better facilities Dom company
that makes a little money than from one
that does not pay? Can the city get bet
ter facilities by reducing the earnings?
Mr.. Meredith said the Traction COM
pany had given the best facilities TO the
city.
ORAL STATEMENTS.
You are asked 20 give the Boyd-Newton
syndicate an absolute franchise. The oral
statements are like air i'm law. You must
stand on the petition. The syndicate, IL
it secured the franchise. would De I'm a
position 10 parallel the Richmond Raii~ay
and Electric Companys lines and demand
such terms as il might choose.
The Boyd-Newton syndicate comes to
you. said Mr.. Meredith. and asks for
franchise. They claim 90 have an option
on the Richmond Railway and Electric
Company. Have they ever said they were
prepared 10 accept IT.? Suppose they ex-
anime into the subject and find it would
not pay? Where would the city be? Its
franchise would get "a black eye.
DEMAND PROOF
You have a right 10 demand that they
shall prove that they are prepared TO
build.
Mr. Meredith said his Company was
prepared To- prove that the properties of
the old company cannot be put I'm good
condition with $4,000. which il had been
stated would be spent. and asked that
subcommittee De appointed 10 inves-
tigate the matter. Appoint your commit
tee and we viii show that they will not
accept the franchise, he said. Mr. Mere
dith reiterated the statement that what
he had Just said could Doe proven.
The Boyd-Newton syndicate. he claim
ed was acting I'm the dark.
"We want 10 come on Main street. said
Mr. Meredith. put us there and you VIII
have a reasonable proposition made TO you
on the expiration of the old company
franchise
In conclusion Mr.. MEREDITH said no bus
4ness man would turn down "a cash offer
for ore of persons who asked for time 80
investigate whether what was asked would
pay
MR.. MARTIN REPLIES.
NIr NJ. NJ Martin. repro cnting the
Bovd-Newton syndicate said he would
stand on the merits Of his own case and
not ALLEGED weakness Of his adversary. He
had admitted when the ordinance was pre-
scented that 81 coatoiEed errors. He had
said before that the ordinance must ie
amended 500 as 20 be conditioned ON secur-
ing the Richmond Railway and Electric
Company stock
The consolidation of these lines. said
Mr.. Martin. would bring about a condition
which had been desired for a long time.
The Traction Company asked permission
to build a line down Main street to place
them I'M ID position TO dictate terms 10 the
Richmond Railway and Electric Company.
You wiz then have one railroad system
circulated through the thicky settled
parts OF the community and another
through the unthickly settled portions
The impracticabillty OF q transfer system
to meet the condition was manifest 10 Mr.
Martin.
The Traction Company need not .ie
awake al nights about our not being able
TO take care of the old cOmpanv's lines,
said Mr. Martin
THEIR AGREEMENT
As To AN expenditure of 500 60 Nr. Mar
tin said that his people would agree 10 put
the lines I'm frst-class condition without
REGARD 10 the cost.
The ordinance submitted. he said would
provide for transfer systems and the Joint
use OF tracks when necessary.
"We ask a charter under which we can
use the tracks Of the Richmond Railway
and Electric Company. and not an op-
ton" said Mr. Martin He regretted that
his company had not enlisted the brain of
Mr.. Meredith and asked for the privilege
of runring more tracks. "Then We would
have had Mr. Fisher on split stick.
(Conffnued ON second payaN