The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-20

EllJ.tlA ely CSdn zoe tdtSlOnOreQgaSsa thtChie&
as man can. and that is what these
Gentlemen (meaning representatives of the
Richmond Passenger and Power Compa n.y.
sesm to be asking at your hands, Gap
Hlause3.
STREET CAR HISTORY.
Ilfs speaker went back to 1883, by the
records, and declared that in that year
the old Richmond Railway and Electric
Compa NY was given the right to electrify
Broad Street and wouldn't do it. The
scheme they thought wouldn't pay as
serted Mr.. Meredith, 'tand they ignored
the request OF the Council and the ordi-
nance passed by that body at that time.
alr. Meredith averred that the man who
had outraged this city for many years
was now standing before this public and
asking that the city should be further out
ragged by the breaking of its solemn
promise
A1r. Meredith gave a review Of the street
car history of Richmond, and told of the
various pieces of street car legislation that
have been enacted in the last fifteen y7:ars.
He dwelt at some lsngth on the fight
Waged before the committee and the Coun-
Gil at the time thu ordinance of the Fich-
mond Passenger and Power Company was
being. considered and then he lighted into
that corporation again. He said its rep
resentatives admitted that the Council
had the right to put the Traction Com
pany on tfls Main Street tracks of h.
Passenger and Power Company but held
the Council by the coat tail and begged it
not to put it there. "17hsy say" continued
Mr.. Meredith, I'VE want to do what is
tight, and ask you to do the dirty thing.
M. Meredith declared also that tbs
Richmond Passenger and Power Company
mad a facile way OF being the old Rich
mond Railway and Electric Company
When 1t wanted and the new Passenger
and. Power Company when it wanted TO.
1T Is the old story OF DR.. Jskyl and Mr..
Hyde-nosrtly MIR. HYDE asserted the
lawyer amid laughter
Gcing into some further dstail Of the
street car problem, Mr.. Meredith paid HIS
respects to the various pamph:zts and
other publications issued by the two COM
panies. and he pointed to what he termed
some fallaciouS statements issued by the
Passenger and Power Company, and de-
3clared. Every honorable man in the hear
ing Of my voice, except these gentlemen
from the Passenger and Power Company,
asks You not to violate this promise. |
am asking you only to live up to your own
sense OF honor. at the same time having
due regard for the rights of the public.
MIR. MARTINS ARGUMENT.
After recess of five minutes the COM
mittee heard Mr.. Miles NJ. Martin, of
counsel for the Passenger and Power Com
pany. who spoke for about an hour, max
ing favorable arguments against the grant
ing of the concession asked by the Trac-
ton Company.
1 am here to tell YOU this case as 1 see
1t. said Mr.. Martin, land as hope and
believe YOU will seat. The City Attorney
has laid down to you Il construction of the
law bearing upon the question at hand
That ends the legal -ph&sa of this matter
SO far as you gentlemen of the committee
are concerned. We lay our case before
You and ask for justice We have no
e2.thets to hurl al. you, even if you do not
agree with us
Mr.. Martin then said hat Mr.. Meredith
WIS more familiar with the ordinances
passed by the Council years ago than he
was, as Mr.. Meredith was for many years
the City Attorney. while he (Mart:u) had
not been citizen of Richmond long, and
the Richmond Passenger and Power Com
puny was comparatively stranger to
him. Major Patton and the Board OF
Directors of the Richmond Passenger and
Power Company" continued Mr.. Martin,
ARE comparatively new in the street rail
way business, but they may become suf
ficiently verse;i in the business to manage
the affairs of their company in a Compe-
tent manner. Why, gentlemen, we are
told of the great strides in the railroad
world that one of the gentlemen pronl-
nently connected with the Richmond Trac-
ton Company made. He stretches out
his hands ana touches with his great
Southern Railway system Nls Gulf of
Mexico Gnd the Atlantic Ocean at the
same time am informed and | belisve
it to be true. that that gentleman IS the
foremost. ablest railroad masnate i'll this
country
The speaker dsnied the allegations of
Mr.. Meredith that his client had failed TO
fulfil its obligations to the ely
THE very first thing the Richmond Pas
senger and Power Company did after It
received its franchise, said Mr.. Martin,
was to surrender all the old franchises
of the Richmond Railway and Electric
Company. which it had purchased Ihat
was what my client had agreed to do.
What they Uhe Traction people, ara ask
ing of you is that they be given the right
TO cut into the very cream of the bust
ness Of our company.
NO MORAL OBLIGATION.
'They want to take one bite and devour
the whole piece Gaughtsr.> All this talk
about the violation of a moral Obligation
is absurd Your City Attorney has stated
the law to- you plainly. He says when
you authorize The Richmond Traction
Company to use tils tracks of the Rich
mond Passenger ana Power Company on
Main Street. we must concede that rsh:
to that company. What does that mean?
When you do his you simply destroy the
Richmond Passenger and Power Company
and give to the Richmond Traction Com
pany vastly more than is given to the
Passenger and Power Company. Gsntle-
men, l believe the mule cars now on
Broad Street are doing more business than
would BE-: done by the placing of additional
electric cars on that thoroushfare.
Mr.. Martin continued by saying that all
,hese people did not come forward through
love for the Richmond Traction Company,
bu. because ttsy wanted, as one OF their
number had frankly said more cars on
Main Street.
Why, gentlemen said Mr.. Martin, the
matter Of The number OF cars or the sched-
ules for Main Street line is absolutely in
your hands. or the hands Of the Council.
We IRE giving on our Main Stre$t line,
by your direction, five minute schedule. |
II that is rot sufficient you can make US |
give a three minute schedule, or Il two
minute schedule or a one minute shedule. !
/ defy any man TO show that we are not,
and have not, been complying with your |
demand for a five minute schedule.
Here Mr.. Martin read from slip Of !