The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-26
ORDINANCES AND.
PETITIONS HEARD
Street Committee Referred Va.
rious Matters to the City
Engineer.

At the special meeting Of the Street
Committee last night the first matter
that came up was the consideration or
the franchise asked for by the Rich
monG. Telephone Company. The franchise
asks for 1. thirty-year lease Of life, and
upon this point the City Engineer said
that he did not approve of a franchise for
so long q time. He thought fifteen years
was long enough for any franchise LII
reference to the request of the company
for an extension Of ten years in which to
put it's wires underground, he suggested
that the company be required 10 get ull-
derground in a reasonable length of time
| upon a basis similar to that required OF
the old company, say one or two years.
Tho city should reserve the right to &C
o,iire the conduits whenever 1t should
so desire The right had not been re-
served heretofore, but he thought l.
should be done now. The City Attorney
conquered in the points made by the CITY
Engineer.
Upon suspension Of the rules, Mr.. u.
| IT. D. Myers, Jr., was heard on peti-
tion to remove the Seventeen th-su ecu
| Bridge over the dock and to fill In the
spacc for a solid roadway. The bridge
| was foncrly used as q draw, but is no
| LONGER so used The matter was re1erred
! to the Ward COMMITTEES, the City In
| gineer and City Attorney.
| Mr. King presented a petition for iav-
| ing Z cast-iron pipe from the dock 10
| the factory at Twenty-thlrd and Gary
Streets. to be used as a precautionary
n,eoe,re in case of fires This was also
| referred for report on the 18th instant.
| Joh,, c.. Robertson addressed the COM
mittee on the proposed telephone fran
| chise He said that the FRANCHISE was
the same as that recF.tly given the Bel
Co1npany, and that iifteen-year BONDS
would be difficult to dispose OF: lie salo
| thar the poles now in use We're compare
| tiyclv new and strong, and compelling
| the Immediate removal OF them "ouio
! he confiscation as the company coulu
not do it.
Mr.. Allen was willing to give the new
| comD,ny the same extension Of Time as
| the old.
1Ir. Robertson said it was the purpose
| of his company to begin putting the
wires under ground immediately, and not
| To wait until the time limit had expired.
I His company had spent large amount
| of money in an up-to-date service. ne"
| ,nbones were already in hand, and a
| switch board as good as any was now be-
! ing constructed in the new quarters on
| Seventh Street.
17non motion of Mr. King. the question
of investigating tho condition Of the poles
and wires; and the placing of the wires
/ Of this company in the condults OF the
| Virginia Electrical Railway and DeVei-
| opment Company, and the cost OIL .iie
! same Within the conduit district, in con
! duit, TO be owned by the company, and
! other information along the same line
| was referred to the City Engineers office.
.rhis disposed of this matter until the
! report comes back from the CITY I'm
! ginecr.
Tire ordinance proposed by the Passen-
| ger and Power Company for the placlns
/ OF its wires under ground was mex
I brought up, and was explained pS Sap.'
A. 3. Gugon. He stated that ms com
| nar,-S wac anxious to have the committee
J act promptly. The proposed ordinance
| grants the company the right to construct
corduits and place wires under the streets
/ and alleys of the city, for the purpose ol
! furnishing light and power oy eioctilclty
IInon motion of Mr.. Pollock. the ordi-
| lance was referred to the. City Engineer
/ and City Attorney for report
The proposed ordinance aiio"'ts tne
/ w e. bradley Construction Company the
rioh+ ~ construct wires and poles for
! the transmission of electricity across the
| liver naraIlel with the free bridge, aho
| !, erect a power house at or near the
foot of Ninth Street, was read by the
| clerk.
Mr.. King moved that it be laid on the
/ table and the company required 10 Iui
rish a bond of $1,000 before the application
/ be considered
Mr.. Pollock said he thought the pc.
tition should be heard, for he believed
/ that anv citizen should be heard on cues
items of the kind.
Mr.. Kings motion prevailed, and the
/ petition was laid on the table
Mr.. Peters moved that the City Attor-
rev be requested to inquire into the rights
CT the Passenger and Power Company
| 10 furnish lights. Carried.
Those present were: Chairman Allen
Messrs. Burton. Curtis. Mosby. Bahen
Peters. Glenn King, Gibson, Whittet and
Pollock.
The Finance Committee heard from
/ Colonel George Wayne Anderson and
! Councilman Adams in reference to ap-
preparations for tie armories and mar
iets. For the Seventeen Regiment. ST.
so; for the markets, $50 additional, to be
spent on gas pipes. Petitions for relief
OF taxation were also presented.