The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-03
PEOPLES FORUM
BELIEVES COMPANY WILL
CHARGE FIVE CENTS

Editor Of The yirginian.
sir--dn his letter to you in your issue of
the LIST instant MIR. William Northrop, presi-
dent of the Virginia Railway and Power Com
pany, denies positively and emphaticaly that
nus company has any purpose intention to
eau Tor I'VE cent straight fare over the
entire city, and attributng statements made to
tn's erect by committee representing the
oltlxens OF the western portion OF the city as
pased upon vague and unfounded assertions"
While the accuracy Of our statement has
peen questioned and we have been practical
~ denounced as retailers OF mere rumors with
out basis In fact. yet it is with extreme reluc-
lance that we appear before the public in this
matter Nevertheless, respectfully.
but none the less positively. contend that we
have every reason to believe that the local
company is seeking have the fares on all
It's lines increased to five cents straight In
proof that we in this. IL rfnit III,
70 quote from pamphlet signed Virginia
Haiiway and Power Company, by VIM. North
rop. President" and presented to the subcom-
inlttee on streets only q comparatively short
time ago, as follows
Even casual consideration OF the facts
presented from the records must convince any
one that il the system is not adopted and
the present method Of charging for street rail-
way service is followed, straight five cent fare
rs the least amount under existing conditions
which Will enable the company to continue to
render an efficient service. etc, etc
We repeat therefore, that feel justified
IN SAYING that -the proposed ordinance allow
ins the Westhampton car line to operate on
broad street with five cent fare Is but the
frst step in we'll devised plan to gradually
place all lines of the city on the same basis
We further believe that it il the intention
OF the company to concentrate all it's SUBJ
urban lines at Seventh and Broad and operate
them with the same fare and under the same
conditions as the Northampton line. II it is
right to charge five cents straight fare to
Westhanpton and intermediate points, al
though many of these points may be within the
city limits why should not the rules and
regulations apply to other lineso
AS an illustration OF how this company NAV
set out to do one thing and then take an entire
~ different course. permit US to call attention to
the Ashland car line which we believe Is prac-
tcally owned by the same parties. and which
Ia now seeking to raise its rates. A few years
ago this line received valuable privileges from
the city of Richmond upon the supposition tina
II would be extended to Tappahannock And
yet they have never made this extension but
instead, changed their route to Washington
II. {. We believe therefore, from this exam
pie that while Mr.. Northrop may have made
his statement in entire good faith yet il they
are once empowered to charge FIVE cents
straight on any one line, 1t will be a question
OF comparatively short time when the same
privilege Will be asked for all other lines.
With all due respect to Mr.. Northrop. we
must believe that when he penned his letter
10 your esteemed paper, he had bad case OF
Amnesia and overlooked the fact that he him
self is on record not only asking for "a
straight five cent fare" but also intimatng
that this was the least amount" which would
enable the company 10 render efficient service
which We think, tustifes the opinion that un-
DER certain circumstances he would barge our
citizens ten cents. In fact. under this new
ordinance in many instances our citizens will
the same service TOR which they are now pay
ing five cents
Yours most respectfully.
JAMES l.. O'KEEFFE
NJ. Fl. OMoHUNDRo
Committee.
Richmond Islly 4