The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-26

LII ~ l.lsli ilio - lJlkCll hLNO1
factories arc to-day advertising every
where for hundreds OF foperatives. II
any manufacturer will come here we
VIII meet the power rates requireda
the ater power ran to waste for Ger
turtles until we developed II. Cheap
power In Itself will notEnake ftlanus
featuring community. e,
+, This franchise gives no assurancsE
that can make them do anything as to-
rates. We ask that the provision az
to use Of our poles and wires be eliHi-
mated as Unfair. We have carried the
burden for years unprofitab1y. We
want amendments to require them to
spegin N SIX months or have the fran
chise declared null and void. We want
them to be required to serve patrons
IN the outlying districts as we'll as in
the mil district. and to meet COM
petition on equal terms. We want the
franchise f.l1 so that 1t will not be trans
TERED or assigned II they want COM
petition on that basis we will let them
nave ~. One or the other must 70
down. but the city will learn sone-
thing.
They should give assurances of
power at east az low as wo are now,
supplying land you should give us a.
reasonable and adequate protection to-
me me ca pital invested, and which Is giv-i
ing good and adequate service,
MT. Northrop exhibited maps show
Ing routes and territory far outside the
city limits supplied, and In answer to-
Major Martins question as to rates,
retorted that they were the same as
| Wnen Major Martin had been an attor-
ney for the company.
Petitions From Business Men.
w. II. Owens presented the petition
% the south Side Business Mems AS
sociation. approving the franchise, as.
sertlng that II was the opinion OF the
members that 1t was to the advantage
Of the citizens and would Increase the
| number OF manufacturing plants. In
answer to Mr.. Anderson, Major Martin
ADMITTED having written the paper, but
SAID that 1t was not his. but the ac-3
ton Of the southside business men.
business Manager Dabney. OF the
4 Ghamper OF Commerce, presented
\ more conservative paper. which he sad :
4 ,H !tted mad been redrafted by Mr. Carr
l,.inston from that submitted by Major
important to manufacturing interests
i 70 obtain power at the most favorable
/ Terms. and Endorsing the general prop.
/ osltion. with the proviso that due con :
slderation and encoura cement should
ne given TO any enterprise having as
1 its object the furnishing OF power for.
| manufacturing PURPOSES"
Major Martin replied briefly ito Mr..
/ Afnderson's argument. The franchise
asked ..l. ne asserted, was essentially
4 mat OF the present company, most Of
4 the clauses objected to being IN that
i franchise The right had always been
reserved by the city to REQUIRE one
company to use the poles OF another.
he reviewed the old fight OF the 5Trac-
tion Company to gain admission to
/ Main Street for the Broad s.no Main
line. In which he had been counsel for
the opposition company, the old Rich
mond Passenger and Power Company,
and had lost. In answer to the state
/ ment that rates had been reduced.
4 Major Martin asserted that the pub
y iished rates We're the same as when
/ he had been counsel for the company,
| ana that II there was any reduction It
must be in special and secret I'm
stances He challenged the statement
that noTone had ever been turned
away from Richmond by the cost Of
power, and referred to the fact that
the richmond Forgings Corporation
| found 1t cheaper to install their own
! electric generating plants
Says People Want Competition.
They are charging you all the traf- !
! fic will bear" asserted Major Martin.
The people want competition. They
I believe with a fair and free competi-
ton the price will be lower and the
whole people will be benefited. we
a sig for equal ri gifts Tor all and special
6 privileges for none. FiveYyears ago Mr..
anderson was on theEotier side of the
I question. ~ e II -.
4 When the question of establishing
/ a municipal electric plant here that
would sell power and so keep down
D dat ties was up, Mr.. Anderson said to a
4 sSou ncil committee that he had no OBJ
Il 1ection to franchise to any other
q private corpora ton. such as the CIT
] izens' Rs pid Transit Company. now the
/ Richmond and Henrico Railway Com
4 pany. but that he opposed "a nuntcipal
1 plant as not affordinE fair competition
with private plant Z, q. Al !
We learned something since then,
said Mr.. Anderson. THE Citizens,
Rapid Transit matter taught me a les
son about franchises"
You have changed 'front.' asserted
Major Martin, who read from reports
i OF hearings five years go. gu then
i We're fighting municipal OWNERSHIP.
II sASAA3 w 10 welcome
icompetitive franchise. !"
Il stand where did them replied
1 Mr.. Anderson. This is not the time
for such a franchise. It has not been
shown that our rates are excessive
or that we have failed to cover the
field. Only then is there ground for
competition i 5s sg
Discusses Amendments.
Major Martin resumed his argument.
A aking5u each of the amendments or
fered by the Virginia Railway and
i Power Company. That as to Joint use
i of poles and wires, he said, was the
uniform Gust tom Of the city. AS to the
option Of the citysto buy the plant ne
was willing to accept any amend ment
\ which would protect the city. AS = 10
the ans endment recurring completion
4 OF the. plant and 8 lines In eighteen
months, and in case of.failure to8for-
L felt the franchise. he claimed Ia y thJoa