The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-22
WILL PROVOKE BIG
FIGHT IN COUNCIL
Burglar Alarm Ordinance Will
Meet With Mucl, Opposition
Before Ii Passes.
THIS WEEK IN CITY HALL
Board OF Aldermen Will Have
Session Tonight Number OF
Committee Meetings.

Business of considerable Importance
bers of the City Council this week.
Meetings of committees are scheduled
for every day except Saturday, and the
Board of Aldermen will assemble to-
night to dispose of many matters laft
untouched at the session last week. Tho
schedule for this week is rs follows
Mondny-5 T.. VI. Grounds and
buildings; 1870 y. W., Water and
Eicctricity; S y. NJ, Hoard of Alder
men.
Tuesdays y. NJ, EIcctricityJ
several s,ibco innittecs.
Wcdncsdny-5 II. ~, Subcorlmit-
toe on Light.
Thursdays II. W., Committee ON
Water: S, L. NJ, Committee ON An
ncxed Territory.
Fridays y. NJ, Committee ON
st. Johns Burying- Ground.
An ordinance OF unusual interest and
Importance is scheduled to come up be-
fcro n subcommittee of the Council
Committee on Electricity on Tuesday
night 1t had been recommended to
the Council by the street Committee,
and was then referred to the Commit
tee on Electricity, and by it to sub
committee.
Important Matter.
The ordinance in question is COM
monty known as burglar alarm or
1t will be recalled that about two
years ago Mayor Mccarthy. in a
vigorous message vetoed similar or
dinance. The very same ordi-
nance was, in fact, reintroduced In
the present Council by Councilman 10.
Harvey Spence. The measure Is Of
fered at the instance of the Automatic
Burglar Alarm Protective Company, the
local representative of which. Mr..
Thomas McCaw, has been conducting it
through the devious committee course
which all such ordinances must fol-
low.
When the Street Committee got the
reintroduced and formerly vetoed ordi-
nance. it had prepared and reported a
substitute ordinance. and 1t is this
which is now before the subcommittee.
The ordinance is. in effect, provi-
sion for the sale of public franchise
of great value and Importance, ana
is wondering what or VINO
is behind it. It's title Is long and elab-
crate, but conveys some idea OF JUS
rnrposes thus: IAN ordinance to pro-
vide for the granting by the city OF
Richmond to person or corporation
to be ascertained in the
mode prescribed by law. the right to
use the streets and alleys of the city
for the purpose of placing therein or
poles, conduits tubes, sub
ways or fixtures to support electrical
conductors, in order to erect. main
tain and operate private burglar
alarm, night watch and manual fire.
alarm. automatic fire. alarm sprinkler,
alarm. waste water alarm,
or other signal service, and to regulate
the manner of using the streets or
alleys for such purpose.
The powers which it is proposed to
grant are broad.
Will Provoke Opposition.
1t is provided in the ordinance that
on Broad Street, from the west side
OF Adams to the cast side of Eleventh:
on Bank Street, from the west sido Of
Ninth to the east side OF Twelfth, from
the west side Of Seven III Street to the
east side of Fourteenth, ard on Sew
cnth, Eighth. Ninth, Tenth. Eleventh.
Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth
Streets, from the north side of Broad
TO the SOutu sue OIL AlfS, OF Wllnln
any territory. when ex:crded no pole
or overhead electrical conductor shall
be placed or maintained. except for
distribution purposes, and the Council
may, from time to time, require said
district to be extended
along or over other streets. Nothing
contained in this ordinance entities the
said company (person or corporation)
to the privilege Of conducting or OF
using or allowing the wires or other
apparatus to be used to conduct a tee-
phone business in the clty of Rich
mond.
The city is given tho privilege of
pacing it's own wires III the conduits
OF the prospective franchise 'der.
and Is given other Inducements to
granting the valuable rights embraced
IN the franchise. In his message Veto