The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-21

Bill 81 RIDDLE Il II
BY Mr. MANSON.
ForcefuI Address Against the TyIe-
phone Measure.
Mr.. HUNToN's f \! SPEECH.
lie Ably Advocated a Favorable re-
port ON the N'ensnrc-Thc City
Engineer States His OBJ
.jcctions to the Act.
Mr.. HUNToN's FINE SPEECH.

LAWS. utdEu luElHei IL SuiHe!iL OIL the
bill ITO incorporate the Virginia Telephone
and Telegraph Company yesterday
morning.
Mr.. Eppa Hunton, Jr., closed his adj
dress in behalf of the measure, and City
Attorney Manson, of Lynchburs; City
Attorney Byars, of Bristol. and City
Engineer Cutshaw, of Richmond, OPP
posed the bill The matter will be fur
Their discussed this morning.
The committee met in one of the rooms
on the upper floor of the Capitol Build
ing.
Hon. Dppa Hunton. Jr., continued his
address begun Monday afternoon. He.
briefly mentioned some OF. the points
he had already made in favor OF the bill!
and taking up the thread of his argu-
ment, made q very earnest and torceful
appeal to the committee to make IA
vorable report on the bill. With refer
ellce to the fixing of rates, Mr. Hunton
said his company was not wiling for the
General Assembly to designate the
maximum charges for this company
alone but the corporators were perfectly
willing that there be enacted statute
that will apply to all such companies.
regulating and fixing the rates.
The objection having been made to the
bill on the ground that city would
he held liable for any accident or injury
ito person or property resulting from
any carelessness or neglect on the par'3
of this. company, Nj. Hunton addressed
himself to this point. He said the COM
pany was perfectly willing TO execute
a bond with each city in which it should
operate to save 1t harmless for damages
resulting from any act OF the company.
In closing 'ilis address. Mr.. Hunton
answered the objection to the bill that
cases arising would be carried into the
Federal courts. He contended that this
point had been reasonably and carefully
guarded in the bill. Mr.. Hunton made
az. eloquent appeal to the committee to.
keep step with the march of progress
and grant this charter. that will prove
a blessing to all people of Virginia.
THE CITY ENGINEER.
City Engineer W. Z. Cutshaw, of Rich
mond. was introduced and addressed
himself to the objections to the bill as
viewed ficm the engineering standpoint
He said there were eight systems or
lines of electric wires in the city at che
present time There is not a day in the
year when some question does not arise.
that has to be settled on the spot This.
could not be done under this bill. when
the Question of reasonable regulations
would have to be passed upon by the
courts. He said he did not believe the
members of the committee or the cor
porators fully appreciated what the Ell
feet the passage OF this act would De
upon the cities and towns of this Com
nonwealth. He believed if the bill
should be passed. the people of the State
would soon regret the day that it be-
came law.
MR.. MANsoN's PLEA.
CITY Attorney n C. Manson, of Lynch
burg followed Colonel Cutshaw in q
powerful appeal to the committee to
make an adverse report upon the Dill
Replying to what MY. CHRISTIAN mao
said, to the effect that the COMPANY pro.
posed to be incorporated would be OF
more service to the cities than to the
counties, Mr.. Manson stated that the
cities ought to know what was best tor
them. The Council of the city of Lynch
burg had, with remarkable uninlmlty'
asked him to oppose the bill. 1t was
not for the opponents of the bill to sug-
eest amendments to make the bill more,
satisfactory to the cities. Shouio
the act be 50 changed as TO remove
some of the objectionable features, X
might be that the provisions left would
be SO used as to burden the people II
the corporators named should be the peo-
pie who would control> the company, Mr..
Manson did not believe there would be
anything to fear from them. But they
made no secret of the fact that they
would not control the operations OF the
company. Even If most OF the obJec-
tionable features in the act should be re-
moved, Mr. Manson did not think the
people of Virginia would be willing to
allow the Bell Company or the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company TO
have the charter.
He denied the statement made by MIR.
Hunton that the cities wanted to bulid
Chinese walls around their corporate
limits, and to withhold from the country
people the means of communications. rms
was far from being true. The cities only
asked the right Of local self-Sovernment
which they have already enjoyed.
AN UNUSUAL BILL.
Mr.. Manson went into the details of
some Of the provisions of the act, and,
summing up his objections declared the
! bill to be an unusual one and one frauSht
with great danger to the people 0: this
Commonwealth. He ridiculcd the idea
that the jurisdiction Of Federal courts
could be taken away by an agreement
! which should be made a provision OF the
| measure. He ventured the prediction that
this company would not accept as reason
able any ordinance making regulations
! unless it be drawn by an attorney for
the company.
Mr.. Manson said the battle in this case
was really based upon the provision, in
the bill which repealed the section OF the
Code which gave to the cities the ex-
elusive control over their streets. The
company was willing to yield as to every
point except this one. The Legislature
| was asked to strike down statute that
| had been on the books for fifty years.
/ 1t was asked to leave the responsibility
upon the cities, and to take away from
them the power Of control Of streets. 1t
was unjust and undamocratic. The case
! Of the counties and the cities was as diff
| ferent as the Atlantic ocean is broad
| The counties exercise only a govern
| mental function, and the cities both gov
| ernmental and ministerial functions. a
county cannot be held responsible 1os
damage to person or property by reason
| OF the unsafe condition Of public hlsn-
ways. But great privileges are conferred
upon cities, and they are held responsive
for damage to person and property that
result from the unsafe condition of the
streets. Therefore, the cities should be
neft free to exercise control OF such
% A GREAT MONOPOLY.
! Mr.. Manson did not believe the
counties would be SO seriously affected
NV pile massage of this act as the cities,
mt thew would suffer.