The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-28
NO DECISION REACHED
Senators Glass and Flood Have Their.
Forces Marshalled.
FURTHER DISCUSSION TODAY.
Many Amendments Made to the Orig
inai Bill, But the Bone Of Con-
,cn,ion is the Question Of Allow
ing the City Councils TO Pro-
tcct Their Cities From
ICncroachmcnts.

A great part of yesterday was con-
surned by the Senate in discussing the
proposed charter for the Virginia Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company. The
sides We're marshalled by Senators Flood
and Glass, the former friendly to the
measure and the latter antagonistic.
The forces were pretty we'll massed.
but indication pointed to the prooaple
fact that The opponents 10 the measure
were slightly stronger than the adSo-
Gates. No conclusion was reached when
the senate adjourned last night, and both
sides seemed not disinclined to take a
rest for the resumption of a continued
engagement this morning.
AS the hour appointed for the DIS
cussion of the special order, to lncorpo-
rate the Virginia Telephone and Iele-
graph Company, approached the crowd OIL
interested spectators in the open space
on the floor grew denser. so that When
The alour did arrive there was scarcely
room for another auditor. and much IN
terest was manifested.
When the measure providing for the
extension Oh tIlt poNtlS VI tiiS SOit-AA'At
sicner of Agriculture was called up on
its passage there were nut four negative
votes-Messrs. Barksda!e. Eeezell. Lup-
ton, and Walker.
The bill 10 incorporate the Agricultural
Fair Association of Northern Virginia
was placed on its passage alter an
amendment proposed by Mr. Lonohoe
had. been accepted, and vas passed
The amendment offered by Air. l'o"o-
hoe was TO the effect .!:a. nothing in the
bill should be construed 20 affect the
operations of the existing anti-ganbi.rs
Jaws. and as passed iha bill does not psi
init the making of books. coinmcrl:F
known as betting on horse races.
THE TELEPHoNl1 BILL.
When the special order came up the
chamber was crowl.d The bill 10 ia
corporate the Virginia Telephone and
Telegraph Company, as reported from
the Committee on General Laws, bore a
number of amendments, which tended 10
modify the power Of the measure One
of the amendments did away with the
perpetual features of the bill.
Mir Glass proposed a substitute to an
amendment offered by the committee,
placing the power of restricting the
operations of the proposed franchise in
the hands of city and town councils The
proposed company should proceed under
bond in It's work in any city or town, at
its own risk, and if no agreement could
be reached between the company and
the city authorities as to rights. etc, the
courts could be appealed 10, with the
right OF finally going 10 the Supreme
Court. whose decision shall be final.
There was considerable delay at this
stage of the proceedings, caused by a
,I.-. ,tn-
of the bill and those who opposed the
measure as TO the status of the amend
1nent and the substitute, and in order
that the two sides might get together
consideration of the matter was laid aside
for fifteen minutes
While the proposed amendments to the
telephone bill We're being looked over
and adjusted, other matters of business
were transacted.
s bill TO prevent fire insurance COM
panics from entering into combination
In reference to the payment of agents
was considered.
Senator Barisdalc was vehement in his
support of the measure and the little
opposition that developed was wiped
away in the overwhelming vote for the
bill.
A great amount of confusion developed
in the chamber at this time, occasioned
by the subdued conversations going on
IN various parts of the room and Mr.. Nun
rordt entered Il protest that he could not
hear what was going on.
AGAINST RAILROADING BILLS.
Order was secured, finally, and Mr..
Maynard asked that House bill No 663,
IN reference to Insurance companies. re-
ferred to above be taken up and passed.
Mr. Munford declared that he knew
a1 no n nd In
phatically opposed TO the passage of bills
of whatever nature without some knowl-
cdge of the same. and he did not believe
in rushing measures through.
At this point the senators who had been
comforting in reference TO The amend
ments to the telephone measure arose,
and the amendment. with some slight
changes, as offered by Mr. Glass was ac-
cepted by the committee.
The amendment provides that the COM
pany may not. pending litigation in the
courts, commence the construction Of
their line, in any city or town.
Mr.. Morris then spoke 10 the question
and said that he had either deserted his
friends OF been deserted by them, in that
UP 10 this time they had been fighting
for the rights of the city councils, but
that now everything was placed in the
hands of the courts. If the amendment
Is adopted. he said, the company gets
all it has asked for.
Mr.. Munford said ne had deserted no
one, but when the city attorneys of the
various cities had agreed that the amend
ment was a good one. he felt that it
must be.
Mr.. Glass followed in practically the
same line. and the amendment was
adopted. a number of other amend
,nents. proposed by the committee were
adopted.
An amendment to section of the pro-
posed charter was offered by Mr.. Glass,
providing that at least one phone should
be In use in each mas,sterial district IN
each county in the State, upon applica-
tion from fifty citizens of the said dis
frict Any disregard Of this section would
+ inralidate the charter.
Mr. Flood agreed 10 this amendment be-.
fore he realized its effect and not until
fhe amendment had been ADOPTED did he