The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-08
HENRY w. ANDERSON READS
HISTORY or THE RICHMOND
AND HENRICo COMPANY.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
ARGUMENTS CLOSE ON GRANTING
OF USE OF STREETS AND
ALLEYS FOR LIGHT AND
POWER coMPAN1.


Henry w. Anderson. in his panegyric
against the granting of any franchise
for the further use of the streets
and alleys OF the city,. read care
fully prepared history" of the origin
and rise of the Richmond ana Hen
rico railway company.
Up to this time the committee had
listened patiently to the remarks AMI
appeals of Judge George Christian,
c. V. Meredith and Henry w. An
derson, each representing different IN
terests.
Judge Christian had appealed to
the committee to accept the bid Of
fered for the franchise by Upper &
Co. bankers. of New York, who had
bid $1,000. He said that under the
construction of the ordinance, the
commit.ee must, unless there were
some good reason, accept the highest
bid. The bids OF Upper 4 Co wa,
made in good faith. and If accepted
would mean the coming TO Richmond
Of corporation which would place
much money here, and be another In
justry added to what the city al
ready has.
Christian Urges Franchise.
IF we turn down this proposition. -
said Judge Christian, we simply close
the gates Of the city to any foreign
industry which wishes to enter our
portals. We ask for the franchise In
good faith, and Il we are given it,
we intend to carry out the proposl-
ton to the fullest intent. The com
pany which l represent is fully capa-
BILE of complying with any contract
into which 1t may enter"
Mr.. Meredith had followed up the
argument which he had previously
made.
Messrs. Mills and Fuller. new MIN.
bers Of the committee, asked many
questions, and minated that they
were lily posted on the proposition.
The questions which they asked were
answered, and TO all intenls AND ,nnr-
poses they were properly informed as
to the status of the situation.
The dramatic climax referred TO
came, when. at the finish of his re-
marks In which he argued that there
was no earthly reason for another
sfgHt and power company In Rich-
monj. because the Virginia Railway
and Power company WAS giving the
people all they wanted. and all that
could be given at reasonable rates
and reasonable service
Reads ''History."
Then he produced a paper which
lne oHhoubceu was a history or the
Richmond and Henrico company.
The substance of this history U.s.
In, or about, the year 1900 an ap-
plication was pending for a franchise
by the interests then controlling tbs
Hichmond Railway and Electric com
pany. which fTarchise expired On
December 81, 1893. At thisstime. Ger
tain gentlement in Richmond. lnclud-
ing mr, Forbes and MIR. jenkins. OF
the Richmond and Henrico Railway
, company, applied for a franchise In
competition with the existing COM
pany. The interests applying for and
which subsequently obtained thu
| richmond Passenger and Power fran
chise agreed to pay these gentlemen
| s4e,e9e in money or securities to get
| out of the field, abandon their appl,-
~ation and aid in securing the fran
chtse OF the Richmond Passenger and
Power company. This was don. and
the consideration was paid. IL these
tacts are questioned we arr prepared
| 10 prove them to the committee
In 19o2, within two years arter
they had withdrawn from the deld
| Tor the consideration Of $4,000, sub
stantially the same gentlemen applied
| Tor and obtained q franchise In the
name Of the Citizens Rapid Transit
| company. which Is now the Rich
nond and Henrico Railway company.
This franchise was held without be-
| Ing exercised from 1902 to about
| 1910, was constantly renewed or ex-
tended. and during that period the
interests controlling the Virginia Rail-
way and Power company were, on a
number OF occasions approached
through various brokers and others
and solicited TO purchase this fran
chise. The suggestion was declined
because 1t was the view of the con-
trolling interests of this company,
guided by the experience OF the past,
that II they bought this franchise II
would only be a question OF a short
time when they would have TO buy
another.
Just prior to the beginning Of the
construction Of the Richmond and
Henrico line there were negotiations
between the president of the Rich
mond and Henrico Railway company
and the president OF this company
with regard to sale OF their prop
erty and franchise to this company.
The negotiations failed to result in
an agreement because Of our unwil-
nngness To pay profit. and In these
negotiations ! stated that my chief
objection to the trade was that IL we
bought the Richmond and Henrico
interests out at that time at a profit.
we would have to buy them out again
in the near future.
On Qctaher so, 1912 less. than ten
days ago. and while this hearing has
been in progress. the so-called Cana
dian interests. supposed to own the
controlling interest In the Richmond
and Henrico. have approached the in
terests controlling this company
through reputable brokers In New
York. and offered their interest for
sale, and the offer was declined
Mr.. Kelly Replies.
After this statement had been made
by Mr. Anderson, and the smoke in
the chamber had blown away to some
extent. Mr.. Kelley arose to the occa-
sion to reply to Mr.. Anderson.
He said that the present proposition
had nothing to do with any former
franchise or ordinance. According to
Mr. Kelley the original proposition
was before the people before he en-
tered into the company.
number Of conferences had been
thews. This association can, indeed.
xx.1