The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-28
Long Drawn Out and Stormy Session
Was Held.
EVERY INCH WAS CONTESTED.
Counsel for Both Strcc,-Car Compa-
mics Presented Strong arguments.
and Matters Looked Serious for
Awhile, When Mercdidth
and GuIson Locked
Horns-The Session.

The Traction Compnny's cars will be al
lowed TO run on Main Street. The Council
so decided after prolonged and stormy
session last night. The vote was % to ..
Allen, CARRIER, Glenn. Gunst, Hooson, Nc
Carthy, Miner, Peters, Stein. Tanner. Tee
fey, Waglerstein, West, Williams, Win
ston and Ebel Total-20.
Noes: Banks, Curtis, Gibson, Grimes.
Mills, Pollock, shen, Whaien and Woody.
Total-9
Not voting, absent-Cottrell-
Never before in the history of the city,
perhaps. was as much interest. manifested
in any question TO be decided by the City
Council. Soon after O'Clock people began
To gather about the City Hall. They first
came Singiy, tilen In twos, next in flockS
Of half dozen, and finally there was a
steady stream Of citizens pouring into the
building
Sergennt-at-Arms RuskeE. assisted by
Two policemen, kept the crowd back Of the
railing behind the seats Of the members
of the Council. This space was quickly
filed.
There were many prominent business
men in the gathering. The crowd was so
dense the people We're almost suffocated,
but they manifested their intense Interest
in the matter to be discussed by standing
u2 for hours when they did not have
room enough in which to turn around.
The windows We're filled with men. Out
SIDE In the lobby there was a great crowd.
Some Of the comnlittee-rooms were crowd
ed These men could not hear what was
going on in the Council chamber. and they
discussed the matter among themselves.
Many remained down on the ground floor,
while tfere was a large sprinking Of peo-
pie in the street. The neigllboring bar
rooms did a thriving business. In one of
them the people Were almost as thick as
bees in a. hive from O'Clock until the
Council adjourned.
Nessrs Bemiss, Waddey and Meredith
sat at q table to the right OF President
Ehel and Mcssrs Martin, Ainslie and
Guigon were seated TO the left of the pre-
siding officer. President Patton, of the
Passenger and Power Company, was in
the cioak-roon,.
. Both companies had its enthusiastic
advocates among the spectators. but it
was apparent early in the evening that
the majority of the crowd was with the
Traction Company.
The speeches received close attention
and the remarks were occasonly ap-
iolauSied. Sometimes tftre was a little
disorder on account of the people on the
outside trying 10 press in UPON those who
had standing room inside the doors, but
The officers quickly restored order.
IN TIE RING.
President Esoel called the Council to or
der at SOS O'Clock and the following mem
bers answered 10 the roll call:
Messrs. Adams, Blanks. Bloomberg,
Camp. Castle. Curtis Allen. CARRIER, Glib
son. Glenn. Crimes, GlI.lst. Hebson, Nc
caTthy. Mills. Minef. Peters. Pollock. Shea,
Stein. Tanner. Teefev. Wfallerstein. West.
Whalen. Williams Winston. Woody. and
pros6ent Ebei.
The reading OF the minutes Of the previ-
Gus meeting was dispensed with. but the
clerk read the request for the call and the
call for the meeting. setting forth its object
to DE the considera tion of street car mat
tets acted upon by the Committee on
Streets Monday night, November 18th.
The clerk had hardly concluded the read
ing of these papers when Mr.. William Glib
son, Jr., a member of the Council from
Monroe Ward, arose to 4 question OF per-
soma! privilege and submitted q signed
statement in reply to an article printed
several days ago in the columns of the
Richmond News. in which he was attack
ed for an alleged connection with the cir
culation Of :, petition in the interest OF the
Richmond Passenger and Power Company.
The following Is the text Of Mr.. Gibson's
statement
MR. GIBsoN'S PAPER,
An afternoon newspaper Of this city
having called attention TO what it terms
curious actlon on my part, / desire
TO state the following facts:
As IS well known, I am a member of
the Committee on Streets, which commit
tee recommended itle rejection of the Pc
5iGons of the Passenger and Power Com
pany 10 eiectrIy their mule car tracks on
BROAD Street, and the Traction Company
10 be allowed to go on Main Street.
Learning tisat petition was being cir
cu,nted by the Passenger and Power Com
pany in line Nth the report of the COM
mi,tee. and thk name of the daughter of
one Of my personal as we'll as political
friends being mentioned TO circulate the
same in tf,s locality in which she lived.
felt that it would be improper for her to
circulate a petition without the knowledge
ana consent of her parents.
y therefore visited the father Of the
young lEdy on the evening of November
~ l9oa asked him his opinion of the re-
port of the committees in regard to the
street car question, and Vas informed bsT
him that he WAS In accord with the COM
snfttee. and that he thought the 'Wh!ttet
resolution was a solution of the question
of better street car facilities.
II brought tae matter of circulating the
petition TO his attention. BE stated thai
he SAW no objection and that he would
hand the petition to his daughter with. a
View to having hex secure signatures.
This is my entire connection with the
matter. and any other statements or sus-
gestions are incorrect and misleading.
iSsgnedb 'WiJlSiAaf GIBSON. JR. -
THE FTayO REPORTS.
The majority report of the Committee on
Street. relative to the eizctridcation OF the
Broad Street tracks of the Richmond Pas
seneer and Power Company and the use of
the Main Street tracks OF that company by
the Traction Company. was presented by
Mr. Pollock. and the minority report dis
seufing theresrom in respect to the Main
,uas andad In fsa,.t,cii.