The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-23
Common Council Favors
Grant Despite Adverse
Report Of Committee.
STEAM-ROLLER
METHODS USED
Poll Showed Majority Pledged to
Lower Bidder. So Vote Was
Taken Without Debate-Alder-
men Reported About Evenly
/ Divided on Merits of
! Proposition.

Over the protest Of the Council! Com
nnittee On Streets. and despite .tne
abatement of the city attorney Una.
the ordinance was not IN proper "
the best form, or such as ne "ooTI
have drawn, the Common Council iast
night adopted an ordinance srant'hs
a light and power franchise TO the
Richmond and Henrico Railway Com
pany. The ordinance adopted was
drawn by Samuel l. Kelley. attorney
In, the Richmond and Henrico Com
many and was offered by Councilman
r. GRAY Haddon as a substitute io'
Oh. report OF the Committee on Streets
A preliminary poll showed ma'or'"'
Of the body pledged to vote Tor "ha'-
aver the Henrico Company asked. 30
the matter was submitted by both s,des
without debate. the roll cali s'aho'ns
II 10 5. as follows:
How They Voted
Axe.-Nessrs. Atkinson. Of Nadlsosi
mailer. Of Lee, Haddon. Of ClayB hunef'
~ clay, Jones, Of Madison; Luoseen'
AZ Je6er,op; Pollard, Of Lee3 Po"eii.
~ Lee, Ratcline. Of Lee; NogeS' Oh
Jefferson, sesten. Of Clay; suihsss' Q.
Jefferson, umlauf. Of Clay; "eisn' Oh
JeAersos-l%
No~.-Me.sr.. Fuller, of Madi""n'
Mills. Of jefferson; Pollock. Of Msdsson'
yonderiehr. Of Lee, and Peters, OF Sis'
10.
Mr. Moore was absent on account OF
a death In his family, but was unoe'-
stood to be in favor Of granting the
franchise to the Henrico Company.
q
10 be about evenly divided on the
proposition, SO far as the HleH'pei
hav. expressed themselves
Seumafsee wosld Reject Beth bsds'
Tn. specia, meeting Of the lower
branch, was called last might TO receive
n reper, from the Committee On streets
recommending that both bids for the
franchise be rejected on the erouho
that the franchise was not In proper
or the best form: that no sumcssnt
compensation In the way OF service
or rates was secured to the city 1or
go valuable q grant, including the use
Of the city streets for business bus-
poses, and that there was no guarantee
that the service would be rendered
in residential or in other taan tne
contested business sections II COM
petition in electric and power service
m.nd.d that the City Attorney pre-
pare a proper Franchise. Clearly speci-
fytng VIVA, streets OF what sections Of
,ba city were 10 be served. and SO
definite in its provisions. though no
more drastic than existing franchises.
tha, any one could come in any bid
with I definite knowk ledge Of what be
was buying. and Of the real worth OF
IN. grant So far as the two BIDS
subni,ted-.hat Of Arthur Upper q
Go Of New York, for $4,000, and eaat
of the Richmond and Henrico Company
for SIo-,he committee reported ootn
totally inadequate to the worth OF the
rights being granted
No rrs.ted Copies Distributed.
Although the report Of the Commit
Tee on streets with the accompanying
optnions o, the City Attorney had beer,
ordered printed and distributed among
members OF the Council. there was no
SUCH distribution. the printed papers
being laid on the desks OF members
las: night after the body met, giving
no opportunity for consideration OF the
report save a. IL was read by the clerk
A communication from the East End
Citizens Association. favortng gener-
ally the principal OF competition IN
public service franchises, and specth-
caliy the grant TO the Richmcnd ana
Henrico Railway Company, was read at
request Of Mr.. Sullivan
On behalf OF himself and Aessrs
Nielsen ard Gunst. composing the
minority on the Committee on Streets
Mr.. Haddon offered a substitute FOR the
vepo-, OF the committee. setting forth
ere views OF the dissenting members
and recommending adoption Of the or
Ainanee prepared by Attorney Kelley
making the grant Of the franchise to
she Richmond and Hen-ico Railway
Company a.: its bid OF Nc. The minor
CIV report took the ground that al
matters Of policy IN regard TO a com
v.,!nS franchise and as TO the legai:t:
and proper form OF the pending papc:
rad been settled by the former Cts
Council when the franchise was or.
A.red 70 be advertised for bids. Cnde:
Sf.s contention there was no question
before the body but the selection 81
which bid to accept, and as the Rich
mcnd and Henrico Railway COMPANY
~as already in the field with q consid.
cradle investment and q power house
enc minority was fcpinioa that -
could render better service than any
outside parties now entering the cleo.
0yir detd IN fslFHuvuu- s~sVtVN
Nor that reason the award 60 the eowe'
~ the Two bidders
xs DeSsss - 0sesssso.
There was no question a. 20 how the
tower branch stood on the matter, TN
Saiy question being as 20 the size o.
Sh- majority the advocates Of the Hen
Sscc road would pile NJ. The roll va
.lled In Silence. and the chair IA
ocunced that inc substitute ordinance
0r,ns,ng the franchise 20 the Rich
mons and Hen~ico Railway Comeea,
IA been adopted.
wcrkers for the Henrico Raslwa,
swsra6e 81 the Ccuncsl--shey object q
Sesnx called ioeby!sss--are bsssIy en-
aaeed in making . poll Of the stand
M Of the Board 81 Aldermen. ana ]
oSuFVA a Q safe majority, the sa@'
Rp@ rUlSer tactics IN forcing ~
naD 0sUu0A W1u - 1urvU~6