Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-04-07


day fair and colder; light southerly wind
becoming brisk westerly.
SEPARATE CAR LEGIsLATIoN.-Som
confusion seems to have grown out Of
the several measures introduced in the
General Assembly of Virginia with ref
erence to separate Car legislation, and
to correct any false impression that
may have been made by the inaccurate
reports of the newspapers the following
history of the measures introduced
and OF the legislation upon the same ia
given:
The second day after the legislature
convened In December, Mr.. Cation, Of
Alexandra, introduced bill requiring
al companies or corporations, person
or persons. operating electric railroads
or railways to provide separate cars for
white and colored passengers travelling
upon their respective lines of railroad
or railway. This bill was referred to
the comm ttee on roads and internal
navigation OF the House. The various
electric railway companies OF the State
appeared by counsel, 10 many instan-
ces, and through their superior officers,
10 others, and asked for hearing, and
there being insufficient time to con-
slider the matter before the recess at
Christmas, the committee fixed tue
hearing for the Goth day Of February,
at which time the hearing was begun
and lasted for ten days or two weeks.
At the conclusion of the hearing the
committee voted TO report adversely
on t1e bill requiring separate care, but
agreed TO report bill requiring oil
companies or corporation s. person or
uersons, operating electric railroads or
railways, to provide for the sepsra'
ton OF the white and COL
ored passengers travelling upon their
lines. by setting apart and design sting
q pars Of each Car or coach, or certsio
ssats therein, to be occupied by white
passengers. and a portion thereof, or
certain seats therein, to De occupied by
colored passengers. This bill made
this duty obligatory upon the railroad
Companies aud It's employees, and i'm
posed penalties upon both for falling
10 carry out the provisions OF the act,
as also penalty upon the passengers,
iu the shape OF q fne, for falling to
OCCUPY the portion of the Car or the
sest designated by the conductor. This
bill was known as House Bill No 23S,
and was reported to the House, few
DAYS later. On the motion Of Mr..
Green, q member of the committee, II
was re.commitsd by the House to the
committee on roads for q further
hearing, and at 8 subsequent meeting
of the CON mittee it was reported back
TO the House that it do not pass, with
the recommendation with q subst tute
recommended by the committee, at
the request of Mr.. Cation, in the form
of bill 10 require all companies or
corporations persons or persons,
operating electric railroads or railways
10 the city of Alexandria, and from the
city OF Alexandra to any poiut IN the
county of Alexandra, and from the
city Alexandria to any point 10 the
county of Fairfax, To provide separsta
CARS for white aud colored passenger.
The last mentioned substitute or bill
was. on the motion OF Mr.. Lee OF Fair
fax. amended by striking out oil
provisions therein relating to the
county OF Fairfax, and as thus
amended it passed the House unani-
mously. and was then sent to the
Senate. This bill made 1t obligatory
upon the companies TO furnish separate
cars. or Compartments, for the races,
and imposed penalties upon the COM
many aud the conductor for failing to
carry out the provisions OF TIE law, as
also upon the passengers for refusing TO
occupy the coach, or compartment,
desIgnst I'D by the conductor of any
train. In feet. the bill was almost on
all fours with the law requiring the
separation of the races on steam roads.
Some week or ten days sfter the Dill
had passed the House 1t was returned
from the Senate with q substitute.
The Senate substitute does not impose
any obligation upon the railway COM
panies, or its officers, to separate the
races, but leaves it entirely optional
with the railway companies, or its en-
plovees. to do 80, but clothes the rail-
way employees with police powers TO
enforce such regulations whenever they
may deem it proper to do 80, and gives
them power to eject passengers from
the train, and to have imposed upon
passengers q fue for failing to obey the
directions OF the conductor. The latter
substitute was passed by the House
lust q few days before the adjournment
although Mr.. Cation entered vigorous
protest against the Senate substitute
The Superintendent of the Mount Yer
non railway assured Senator Donohoe
that his company would carry out the
spirit of the law II this substitute was
introduced and passed, instead OF the
House bill requiring separate cars, OF
commandments.