The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-22

The proposed franchise to grant
eAe Richmond and Hsnrico railway
company 70 furnish light and power
n RioAnond. Aftaf hAing reoenmend-
u q 4 oassaon of the street commit
eee " 8 vots of fwelve 20 threA, went
through tho common council In spa.
cial session lAxt night like = streak
Of lightn1ng. Tho vote favoring tha
franchise wns twenty-nine against
seven opposed TO 1t. Four members
w6ee absent
Vote was taken after a stormy
bession.
The council chamber was crowded
with spectators The spectators evil
IDENTIFY favored tho granting Of the
franchise. They attempted to cheer
every speaker favoring tho franchise
until r. II. Pollard. Jr.. OF Clay ward.
acting for President II. l.. Peters. OF
Henry. who In out of the city. told
them that any effort at applause
would result In their election and an
executive session stopped the cheer
ing.
Councilman Morgan n. Mills and
Gilbert X. Pollock were the floor
leaders IN opposition to the granting
OF the franchise.
George NJ. Cease. OF Monroe; r.
Gray Haddon, OF Clay. and Jacob Um-
Slnuf. OF Clay. were the live pe~xci-
pants who wanted immediate action.
MIR. Cease Explains.
The first sensation OF the evening
came Immediately after Acting Prcsi-
dent Pollard had called the council
10 order.
George NJ. Cease. real estate
dealer. arose TO a question OF per-
sonal privilege. He stated that GER
tain newspapers had printed stories
to the effect that the Richmond and
Heurico railway company was trying
20 sell out to tho Virginia Railway
and Power company. In explanation
OF these stories, he said that he was
In .shS office OF ,Thnnaa8. r.. Bryan
an attorney. identified with the law
firm OF Mcclure. Riley n Bryan. about
nix weel<s ago. That he asked Mr..
Bryan why the Richmond Railway
and Power company did not buy out
tho Richmond and Henrioo railway
company and thus stop the possi-
biIity Of competition through the pro-
posed franchise. That Mr.. Bryan
stated the old company would buy
the competing company Il the psics
was right.
Councilman Cease declared that he
did not represent the new company.
but seeing an opportunity to make .
profit. he approached the stockholders
ana asked them to name . price. That
they declined TO do 20. stating that
they aid not desire to sell
He satd that when he mentioned
the matter 20 Mr.. Bryan he did not
know whether he could AFFECT = trade
or not, not having any authority what
soever 70 start any negotiations In be-
half OF the Richmond Railway and
Power company.
Captain Guison Replies
Immediately after the session Of
the common council. Captain A. b.
0uigOn, attorney for the Richmond
Railway ana Power company, gave
out ths following statemen:
ssTh~ statement In the bulletin pub.
Hshed this afternoon referred to Mr.
CoAss and was naade on the author
~ e ~. Thomas =. Bryan. About
NJ that Mr.. Cease had como 20 him,
Ne being IN attorney for the vir-
HlAln Railway and Power company.
ana had stated that hes Cease. either
O66{fG6fo6 o. could Obtain control
Of the entire capital stock Of the
RichmOnd and Henrico company and
asked Il ~ would buy them out. Mr..
Dryan repeated the statement - me
this morning ana Nas present 1t ~
So1ace whAn dictated my statement
and y4riAed the sssne. Mr.. Bryan q,
Iund6f1tand. out Of the city ton1xht
q A. not mean 70 imply any moral
tuypatuds upon the part of Nj Cease.
but ~ deem these farts n pertinent
ytoe peopio o1eoxnA 70 sAll and their
olsosta 80 ceHs1sco ~ ceuncil they
Aad ~ 6onA ~ N. Cea1a statSd n
80 W. n3tGEmo TIT NJ noGitto0