The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-02-25
FRANCHISE REARING
Col. sug~yn Presents Claims Of Rspp shsnnocs
Company.

The Joint COMMITTEES OF Ordinance
Messrs Howard. Embrey and Green. and
Finance, hessrs. Lane. Melville and
BRADLEY, with City Attorney ST. Geo. 4
f1tzhugh. resumed their hearing Monday
evening In the Council Chamber as TO the
prop, ssd electric light, heat and power
franchise aud also the franchises for
building a hume across Princess Anne
down Factory st. and across Main TO
the river.
Col Z. Z. + Burgwyn, president OF the
Rappahannock Electric Highland Power
Co., appeared In the interest Of bis CON-
pany.
He stated that under the present con-
ditions OF the proposed franchise, his
company could not become bidder.
He then read q list Of objections, among
which was: The successful bidder
binds itself To construct plant within
the city OF Fredericksburg. This Is
special legislation for the exclusive bene-
fit OF the fredericksburg Power Co., and
utterly cuts the Rappahshnock Electric
Light and Power Co. and its allied In
terests from bidding on the franchise"
Mr.. Bradley said to Col. Burgwyn:
That feature specially commeuds itself
to the members OF the committee. IL the
Power Co. puts up u S125,000 power
house within the city limits. II becomes
a taxable asset to the city on basis OF
sol, 900, which at present rate Of taxa
ton amounts to 800 a year, and all the
people OF the city reap it's benefits
Col Burgwyn thought this was not
the right view TO take OF il.
He said. as a second objection, that
when a city grants a corporation a H.
cense and said corporation acting In
good faith, pursues lite business for many
('n this case 25) years, such corporation
acquires a moral right for its existence.
Therefore. the burden is on the city to
protect the property Of such corpora
ton. This was practically done by the
city oil fredericksburg Ia the Bell Tele-
phone Co and should be done here.
tie soid the counsel Of the Rappahan-
mock Co., Messrs. &. V. Meredlth and A.
l.. Holiday, OF Richmond, owing to pre-
vious engagements. were not able to be
present and the work " presenting It's
claims devolved on him. He said he did
not claim any rights other than the H.
cense rights which had been granted by
the city from time to time he reiter-
ated that his company .anted to be a
bidder Tor the franchise, and presented a
franchise In the interest of the Rappaha -
mock Co, which be rad and t.-ked the
COMMITTEES to consider
Mr.. Fttzhu b said: Colonel. your com
psny could not conform To the r.quir.-
ments OF the Franchise Where would
you get the water power? You could
only do IL by STAN power aud that can
not compile with water power Col
burgw, MS reply was, The Rap pAhan-
mock Co will fulfill any contract IL
makes" he made an appeal to the com
uittee to 80 frame the franchise that his
company would be protected Col. q
then spoke OF the water power OF the
Rappshennock.
Mr.. Fitzhugh asked him what he con-
sidered the available power His reply
was. that depends upon conditions. Ii
might be 5000 horse power and it might
be less -
Mr.. FltEhugb-"Mr. Whittier states IL
can be made SO 600 horse power and
think Mr.. Won Schon puts It at 30 600
horse power, but | viii know exactly In
plain English in "a few days what Mr..
Won Sehon's estimate IL j."
Col. Burgwyn-"It depends on how
high thsy 20 mp the river and the height
OF the dams how much power is created.
Mr. Whitner IL a most reliable engineer
and what estimate be makes r. worthy
oil great confederation" He closed with
an earnest appeal for protect IN.
There was a large number Of interested
spectators In the Council Chamber.
% motion Of Mr.. Embrey the commit
tee y ent into executive session