The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-23
nhise. as drawn M. II declares to be

chise. as drawn up, II declares to be
the most stringent Of any thai has
ever been granted by the city, and
attention Is called to the alleged fact
that the purchaser of this franchise
will have to operate In competition
with company owning a franchise
which has practically no restrictions.
The minority believe that the fran
chise is legal and that the interests u
the city are fully protected. In reply
TO the fact that the local company
Is the lowest bidder. the report sfatea
that the signers believe that the local
company. which has already spent an
enormous sum OF money in Rich
mond. is better fitted than any other
concern to furnish light to the citi-
zens OF Richmond
Substitute Report
The substitute report Of the mi
nority follows:
To the Honorable Council Of the City
of Richmond, Va.
Gentiemen,---We. the undersigned
members Of the street committee, TO
which was referred an ordinance en-
titled. An ordinance to provide for
the granting by the city OF Richmond
to a person or corporation hereafter
to be ascertainei. in the mode pre-
streets and alleys Of the city Of
Richmond for the purpose of placing
therein or hereunder poles. condu!ts.
tubes, suhways and fixtures to support
electrical conductors and string wires.
and of furnishing light and power
by electricity" approved July 10.
1912. together with two certain bids
Herewith submitted. to-wit, one from
Arthur Upper g. Co. in the sum Of
five thousand dollars. and one from
the Richmond and Henrico railway
company In the sum Of ten dollars.
with the accompanying papers. find
themselves constrained to withhold
their signatures from the majority re-
port OF the members OF said commit
tee. or to concur with them In the
conclusions arrived at therein, for the
reason that the report treats almost
entirely OF matters which to all in
tents and purposes were settled when
the ordinance was approved on July
10. 1912. and does not at all throw
any light on the matter as to which
Of the two bids should be accepted
by this body.
We understood at the time the ordi-
nance and bids were referred to the
street committee. and SO understand
now. that the primary purpose for
which they were SO referred to said
COMMITTEES was, not to again 70 into
the question OF the legality or illegal
ity of the ordinance. but simply to
investigate and report back to this
body which Of the two bids should be
accepted for franchise which had
already been passed by an over
wheln,ing majority in both branches
Of the city council. and approved by
Mayor Richardson after giving a full
hearing to the counsel for the Rich
mond and Henrico railway company
and the Virginia Railway and Power
company en- the question OF IT.
legality. and receiving from the city
attorney an exhaustive opinion that
the franchise was legal and valid In
every particular, which opinion, we
respectfully submit. Is a complete an
swer to every question Of any ini-
portance raised by the majority re-
| port OF the street committee.
| And even though It may be ad-
mitted that the duty was devolved.
upon the committees 70 again 70 into
the merit or dement's. legality or
| Illegally. Of the franchise which
l