The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-22
bate. There was some lively cIoss s
firing between him and the cot'nsei -, ~
the company Mr. Pollard spoke as 1oi-

firing between him and the counsel Tor
the company. Mr.. Pollard spoke as Ao'-
lows:
hardly know how to say all tnat =
desire tc say in the little time now SZ Se
manning. I will, however, get along az
fast as can and as far as can. lne
friends OF the bill have themselves al ad
frnitted defects or recognized the 1oree
OF the objections urged to the bill by
inttfc,ntiug their Willingness to nave IL
amended in the following particulars:
% BY agreeing to strike out the last
clause of section j, which Is In tue ioi-
lowing language: Provided. that Whers
in this act any. provision rs coneiiieu In
relation to the same subject matter as IS
covered by any general statute, the pro-
visions of this act shall be applicable 10
and shall govern the rights and duties
nf the company hereby created, inseeao
of the provisions of the general statute
Mr.. Frank W. Christian: we dld hoe
agree to that, sir.
Mr.. Pollard: Yes you did, MI. iuntols
distinctly said in his speech that ne was
willing for that amendment to be made.
Now. I find that there are eight amend,
:nteuts which. the friends of the oiit
agreed should be made, and they h'tSe
only brought five here to give TO the cotn-
nrsttee. They have not brought the
amendment I have just quoted l dee1il
it very important that this alneha1tiehl
should be made.
bill as authorizes the occupancy OF the
public works and parks of the cities
might be stricken out. They nave pre-
sented an amendment to that effect.
G0 1t was agreed especsaliy-and /
should say it was asserted-by the fr1enos
| of the bill that before any entry was
made into 4 city regulations upon 'whicf, w
| ff.S hal
WOULD NOT AGREE.
Mr.. Christian: No. sir; we did nos
agree to that: we never would agree 10
| that. because if the city did rot want
| us to enter they would refuse to even
| offer any terms, and then we cout'Sh
[ enter But we 90 agree that before any
entry is made into any city by the com
! panv an effort shall be made to agree
! mon the terms of operation. We very
| gladly and willingly agree TO that. sar.
Mr.. Pollard: Very we'll: you agree TO
| that Now let me understand you. You
! agree that before any entry IS made into
any city of the State by your company
| that an effort to agree upon terms OF
| operation shall be made. Then let Lhe
committee insert that. Eut l tell you
| that the evident intention Of the bill
| was not that. and 1 say evident because
| I have newspaper CLIPPINGS containing
| the statements OF the Memorable cnalr-
| man of this committee, MIR. Sands, ana
| the second gentleman on the committee
| Mr. Flood, that we-ah the Dill meant was
| that after the company Was III the catS
| then the city could impose reasonable
| regulations upon the company. 1.iat 5
/ what the two members OF this cCmmas-
| tee-one the patron of the bill and the
! other one of the Ellis most earnest advo-
| cateS-Say was meant. Now, gentlemen
| the other side have agreed before you
| this morning that before tile company
| shall enter the city there shall be made
| an effort to agree upon the terms upon
| which the company is TO operate. am
| glad that the gentlemen of the opposi-
| ton are lust enough to concede even tlaat
| much to the cities of the State. Now.
| here's another amendment that you
| agreed to- as follows: That the maxi
| mum rate of charges may be fixed by
the Legislature. You haven't presented
! an amendment to cover that. You nave
! however agreed that notice shall be
| given Of the opening of the books for
,subscrtr,tion to the stock of the company,
Il ana also that the charter shall conform
/ to section 1870 of the Code. wffich re-
| serves to the General Assembly the right
to repeal. alter. or modify. and you have
| agreed that all questions arising between
cities and the company shall be deter
| minable in the State courts.
OTHER OBJECTIONS.
MI, Pollard next addressed himself
to the provisions in the bill which he
claimed would result in almost endless
litisations in the courts. Having dis
posed of this point he said:
! And, again, the bill makes it possible
for the company to occupy the streets OF
| the cities, without any compensation TO
the cities for such occupancy-the bill
itself prescribed and confines the power
of regulation by the city to location and
! maintenance. Ricnmond has passed a
| general ordinance, and it has been in eX-
| istence since 1855, under which any te!e-
phone company can come into ,he city OF
| Richmond and occuo- the streets and
] alleys Of that city. Why doesn't this
company avail itself of that ordinance?
| It cannot be blocked our, because there
] is the ordinance which allows any cam
| pany to come in. or any company using
electricity. etc. Others are operating un-
| der that general electrical ordinance; then
! say why does not this company do the
same thing? Why should they not be
| willing for all to have equal rights, but
desire that they should be granted this
. | l--