The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-13

E 5 s2s,sz =sA7s'' fezI IL ]
question. beg that you will not tnink
that this is only a local tfgft. Il you
see no opponent here but repress iede1N.s
OF the city of Richmond, 1t IS because
tney are the onlyi.ones who know that
this measure comes UP this morning
...I'his is question of private Interests
against public interests. I don't under
stand why it is that any member OF this
committee can object to Postponing the
hearing of fohis bill. in order to give rep
resentatives of the various cities and
towns of the Cor1n1onw eaith an oppor-
runity to appear against It. You know,
gentlemen. THAT there are many ways to
got bills through without letting every
body know about it.
q know about that clause reasonable
regulations and Pennsylvania statute
had that very clause in it, arE the SUI
preme court held THAT it wasn't a1eqrate;
and that very decision of the Supreme
Court was hurled in our faces by oppCs-
Ing counsel in the Bell Telephone case;
bur, fortunately, our statute uldn't have
any such provision In it. Those words
aren't worth a cent towards protecting
the rights Of the municipalities OF tho
State.
NOT CONNECTED WITH THE BELL
Senator Flood then spoke. He said: Il
do not know who constitutes the citizens
of Richmond The two gentlemen who
have spoken must be the 'citizenS OF
Richmond if the citizens of5Rfchmond are
opposed to this bill, because they are the
only citizens of Richmond who are OPP
posed to it, far as know. The bill
-i,,fr ,,-=a Tor frnyv H..
mond: four of the proposed incorporators
are citizens of Richmond; certainly two
members of the Legislature from Rich
mond knew of the bill Then. 1 ask, why
should the gentlemen cry out that the
citizens of Richmond are opposed to it?
The bill was discussed in the Senate COM
mittee: it was discussed in the Senate;
representatives of Richmond We're pres
ent; why did they not then oDposeait?
The bill has been talked about ever since
the first part of December. This COM
pany has nothing to do with the Bell
Telephone Company.
There is only one provision in this
lbll that IS different from the statute on the
subject, and that is this: The company
is given the right to enter upon the
streets and alleys of*any city or town OF
the Commonwealth. Now, I say that this
is nothing more than just-to enter upon
the streets of any city or town OF the
Commonwealth without the consent OF
the Council thereof. This is intended
merely to keep cities and towns from de-
barring this Company. After the company
is there. they are subject to reasonable
regulations. 1t only takes away from the
cities and towns the right to block out
good company. just because they think
that they prefer another company. Now
everybody who is opposed to this bill has
had time enough to get ready and fSnI
no wlv should ucC
| proceed with the hearing at once. The
bill was sent from the Senate over 10
+! the House and came UP before the COM
! mittee on General Laws several times,
but the committee was so occupied win
! other things that they didn't have time
| then to consider it. at last one gentle
| man from RichmSnd (NIr. Anderson) de-
| c!ded, after long considera ton OF the
| bill that he was opposed to it and wahtea
| time in which to get the incorporatotS TO
| accept one or two amendments winch ne
! wanted to the bill. The bill mas Deeh
| here long enough; it was set spec aa;.
| FOR this morning, and I hunbiy sloinit
| that you should go on with 1t. as you
] have already lost as much time over II
/ as you can afford
After continued discussion the hearing
| was postponed until "Wednesday aver
| noon at o'clock.
SUBSTITUTE IN SENATE.
soon after the Senate met senator
! Sands offered bill to provide 1os tue
deposit of a forfeit by the Virginia lele-
! phone and Telegraph Co. before us cnar- .
/ ter becomes effective.
@ The bill reads as follows:
/. 1.zBe it enacted by the General As.
! sen.biy of Virginia, that the charter CT
the Virginia Telephoe and Telesraph
/! Company shall not become effective I'M
/ less the said company shalt WITHIN ~
/ days from the passage of this act, oeposls
/ with the treasurer of nhe STATE o. -
ginia, s1O0 coo Gone hundred thousand ~. ~
l lars) of the bonds of the State on go u u.
i GINA isued under the act OF -o9i- y ~ ur
i acts amendatory thereof, commonly Ss al
/ ed century bonds, which are to 'De 1ol- :
i fsited to the State Of Virginia II the sala
I company shall not, at the expiration o.
4 three years from the pasasse OF t nls az.
establish, either by its own lines, OF NY
i arrangement with other lines, eeie-
phone system which shall anotd COUNTY,.
MICA ton between every county IL ~
State Of Virginia. :.
= me interest on said bonds to be
3 collected by the said company untli, anu
unless said forfeiture occurs
35rhe said bonds to De returned bl,
4 ane said treasurer to said company
when such communication Is estaot.sn-
\ ed between every county.
( This act shall be in force ro ON g 5
4 passage Z, : "a;
MIR. SANDS, REMARK
Il Mr. Sands stated that he had :ntrocu-
ced the bill at the request OF some otsshe
4 smost influential and leading citizens OF
4 the city.who were the EincorpoSE,so IN
Il said charter, believing that would be
beneficial to all the SIS citt !.sI:s5ss g.
the Commonwealth. and that the ez Tal
{ ton Of the poles of said conf ny iw ere
sun1cient Ito regulat lions OF each tss5c OF
3 town IN which the line was aiiossvesl ..o
& enter, That that 1tEm-
her OF the. others Of the city deemed zee
Il prov.s,ons of the char too. brea ~ he
4 row onered the nrooosed oil. HV nc.
4 provided forst hesde Isl: by said comfaly
OF $4,000 Of State bonds, ma f:,r ss.t-
q ed II said scompany did notsconns0Es WI
Il slerys telephone int BE-