The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-20
Five Hours Spent in. Fiery Debate as
to Rights Of the Two Roads.
MEREDITH AND MARTIN SPEAK
They Argue the Matter Before a Large
Assembly of Citizens Who Ap-
peared irs Beha!f Of the Appli-
cation for DON'T Usc OF
Tracks-Bcttcr Schedule
Is Demanded.

The Council Committee on Streets has
spoken as to the car matter. 1t did so last
night in the presence Of $50 to 800 citizens
from various parts of the city, who
thronged the Council chamber when the
session was held.
The committee sent the Traction Com
pany's petition and ordinance to the Coun-
ell with the suggestion that it be rejected,
and adopted a resolution directing the
Richmond Passenger and Power Company
to put a better schedule in operation on
Main Street and Fulton.
Those present We're: Chairman Alien
and Messrs. Bahen, Burton, Gibson, King,
Mills, Lawder, Peters. Pollock, Whittet,
and Woody The chair announced that
the citizens present might come within
the railing, but that no applause or any
other sort Of demonstration would be
allowed during the proceedings. Mr.. Allen
also announced that the committee would
at once hear the report of the sub-com-
mittee to which the street railway con-
troyersy had been referred.
Mr. Chairman, inasmuch as the two
companies are interested and involved
in the proposed underground trolley ques-
ton said Mr. Iawder, 'I think the COM
niltee should pass upon that matter first,
and make a motion to that effect.
This motion was adopted, and Mr.. Whit
tet, as chairman Of the Subcommittee
which considered tie underground trolley
subject presented the rsport.reconmendinS
the adoption of an underground system. MI
Whittet explained that his Subcommittee
had not seen fit to go into the merits or
the various underground trolley systems.
but only passed upon the question of
whether or not the underground system
should be established on Main Street.
Mr. King stated that he was absent
from the city when the subcommittee met,
and would, therefore, ike to hear from the
City Attorney as 70 whether the city could
require both the Traction and Passenger
Companies to use the same underground
system.
II do not see any use to hear from the
City Attorney on this point said Mr..
Pollock. This is an engineering and not
legal question, and the City Engineer
can give US the information We want at
this time I, therefore, move that the pc
tition be referred to the City Engineer for
his considera ton, d report TO be submitted
at the next meeting OF the committee, No
vember 2Sth.'
After some further debate the motion
was agreed to and the committee lost no
time in getting down to business on the
report of the subcommittee on the sub
iect of joint use of tracks. Clerk j. Tay-
lor Stratton had the report of the sub
committee, recommending that the peti-
ton of the Richmond Passenger and Power
Company to electrify the 'nule-car line
on Broad Street be rejected and recon-
mendil1g that the application of the Rich
mond Traction Company for the right to
use the racks Of the Passenger and Power
Company on Main Street also receive the
stamp of disapprov2;
THE MINORITY REPORT.
Councilman Peters handed in a minority
report as to the petition of the Traction
Company TO run cars on the Main Street
tracks of the Passenger and Power Com
pany. assigning the following reasons:
'.When the City Council passed the
ordinance of the Richmond Traction Com
pany, in 1852 it looked forward to the
time when there would be only two tracks
on that street. It expected that would
happen in 1900. when the Broad Street
franchise Of the old company would eX-
pire.
while it determined that after 1900 there
should be only two tracks, at the same
time it did not desire that the right to
use these two tracks should be confined
only to the Traction Company. It had the
ordinance so drawn that the Council re-
served the right to allow other companies
to use its tracks,
The ordinance is quoted here on this