The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-03-10
.C0NDUITS ARE
THE SUBJECT.
A Subcommittee to Look Into the
Matter.
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP ARGUED.
The City Engineer and Members of
the Committee Prefer 20 Wait for
More Light on the Subject
Before Acting.
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP ARGUED.

\ subcommittee OF the Committee on
Stects ne.d a. meeting last night 10 com
sider the application OIL Richmond caoi-
tahsts, 10 be allowed TO bulId cOnuuits
IN tms Guy 10 contain the electric wires,
which Iaper was MED in the Council
some time ago, and sent 10 the Street
Committee for consideration and report
A number of interested parties were
present al the meeting last night. among
them Mr. Phil. i. Shield. Captain 4. h.
Guigon. Mr.. w. r. Reddy. and Others.
The Subcommittee met at o'clock.
The petition Of Mr.. T.. j. Willis and
others, asking for a franchise, and
resolution from the Council, requiring
facts and figures with a view 10 munich
pal ownership, were submitted. The city
Engineer sLu that no one doubted that
the time had come for coudults The
question OF ownership. however. was
very large one. Baltimore had been con-
siderng the matter for some time. and
had not yet decided 10. whether the city
should undertake the work. which would
entail a very considerable expense. The
wires would only be put down 90 certain
localities. the extreme end OF Church
Hill and Clay Ward. and the north side
would be excluded. No company coming
now could undertake to do more than
this, nor could the city even if 30 had
the money
WAIT FOR INFORMATION.
lie suggested that Richmond should
have the benefit Of the experience OF
other cities. lie did not think the COM
mittee was prepa ed to- discuss The mat
ter at present or 10 go into the question
Of city ownership. He suggested the ape
pointment of d subcommittee 10 gather
narta1afFNf val If 70
Mr.. Pollock made a motion 10 ibis effect
and suggested committee Of three.
Mr.. Boomberg advocated municipal
ownership. He thought il would oDv.ate
disagreements between the different COM
panies that would have 90 enter the
c0nduits.
Mr. John King spoke along the same
line
Mr.. Ebel suggested that tho city At
torney should confer with this suo-com-
mittee. II was an important point. he
thought. 10 ascertain whether The city
could compel companies Go go into the
conduits II they We're owned by She mu-
niciDality.
The motion was carried. and Messrs.
Bloomberg, Pollock and Ebel were named
as the subcommittee, the last named az
the request Of Mr. Pollock.
AN CID CUES IDN.
Colonel Cufshaw stated TO the COM
mittee that six years ago the conduit
question was raised ON application for
franchise by Colonel McCluer. who then
renresented the Bell Telephone Company
The necessity Of these condults has been
emphasized by the passage OF au orci-
rance September TO- 1895. stil the enei-
neer now deems IL necessary 10 obtain
further Information ON this subject
a seems 90 be the coEcensus of opinion
among the members of the committee
and the citizens generally, that the
conduit system IS an urgent necessity,
whether fl is put down by the municipal
ftv or private corporation. and there
is no room 20 doubt that definite action
will soon be taken by this committee.
HEALTH COMMITTEE.
The Committee on Health met last ~ 1t
and received interesting reports relative
no vaccination. Several men were re-
norted TO the committee for refusing 10
worl, ON SUNDAY. February 18th under
the extraordinary circumstances then
ovietine. The men were severely criu-
cised and the sanitary officers were in-
structed to notify the men that coenl-
2ancc had been taken Of their action.
The action of the sanitary officers in sns-
pendinr William Malone. was sustained.
An ordinance requiring the registration
OF births was recommended for adoption.