The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-01

b BE- IN answer TO statement issued yes
terday by James L. O'Kcefe and others,
as a committee from the Clay Ward
Annex League. in opposition to the
proposed new routing and schedule Of
the Westhalnpton cars, President Kirk
of the Country Club of Virginia, yes
to-day defended the proposed plan.
pointing out that 1t gave overwhelm-
ing advantages to the greater number.
and that the supposed ha rdship on u
few citizens living on Floyd Avenue
between Robinson Street and the city
limits, distance of only seven
blocks, had been greatly exaggerated
Members Arc Citizens.
'rhe Country Club of Virginia" said
President Kirk has 500 male mem
bers. practically all of whom are citi-
zens and tax payers of tho city OF
Richmond. Several members of tho
Council are members of the club, and
its membership Will be found 10 en-
brace the leaders in almost all lines
of civic activity. Besides the male
membership. the club has an auxiliary
membership of 500 women from the
best homes of Richmond. We believe
that the new schedule. giving a through
car from Ninth and Main Streets, via
Broad and Robinson Streets, through
to Westhampton, without change Of
cars, will be of great advantage to
them and to the citizens, both of
iklCnmOnu ana 11Cnr1CO county living
along the line
The opposition appears to us TO be
extremely selfish when the situation
is viewed in all is phases. 1t should
be bourne in mind that the erection OF
the club at Westhampton enhanced the
value of property all along the line,
and turned attention of the investing
public in that direction.
Not Dependent on Ono Line.
n I'm
loudly are not dependent on the West
hampton line. As matter of actual
fact a large number of them walk to
Robinson Street rather, than walt for
the half hour car, and then have TO
stand in the cold and wet waiting for
Il transfer car. have myself seen
many of those who are protesting
walking down 10 the Broad and Main
line. on which they get all transfer
and ticket privileges. rather than walt
for tho Westhampton car. The dis
lance is only seven blocks at the cx-
trcmc. and to many of the citizens it
is only two or three blocks.
AS to School Children.
"Much stress Is laid in the state
'inent of MIR. O'Keefe on the hardship
TO school children of withdrawing the
school tickets, under tho new arrange
ment. The city Will soon open the new
Hanover Avenue public school, to which
children of this whole districI will
naturally go, and since the proposed
line up Hanover Avenue was not built,
there Is no car line that would take
children to that school. Children on
Floyd Avenue Will not board the West
hampton car to ride three or four
blocks, and then walk the rest of tho
way to school AS for the high school
pupils. the plan proposed give a direct
car TO Eighth and Broad, the nearest
point The school ticket is abolished,
making full ; cent fare, but the
hardship is partly relieved by the fact
that the cars run every fifteen minutes
and go through without change, The
conditions of health and safety are
better, and there is no discomfort of
standing and waiting a t the point of
change in all kinds OF weather. AS a
matter of fact the car records show
that there were hut an average of ten
school children daily, getting on the
Westhampton line cars, within the dis
trIct which protests so loudly. On the
whole line to Westhampton, l am told,
thore are but forty-four children who
have books OF school tickets, and some
OF those ride outward, toward n SCHOOL
at Wcsthampton. for which the club
bought the ground.
IA, Labor Tickets.
similar protest has been made that
under the new plan the half rate tick
cts before 2 ~. NJ. known ms labor
tickets," will be abolished. have not
.theAfgurcs to show the number ma king
use OF the so-called labor tickets. nut
there are but two cars reaching Rich
lmond before Il 4. NJ. daily, SO that the
number travelling on tina reduced rate
must Of necessity be less than two