Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-11
PRESENT FARES
TO Be RETAINED,
SAYS ANDERSON
Vice-President of v. r. & P.
Co. Defends Franchise
Application.
CORPORATION HAS FIXED
UPON NO Definite PLAN
Asks for Advice of People in
Framing Equitable and
Fair Ordinance.
wENDENBuRG ATTACKS GRANT
Calls Petition and Suggested Fran
chise BOLD and Outrageous
Proposition"


Company has no more idea OF suggest
'nE to the Council the withdrawal of
the school and labor tickets than 1t
has of making the street car fare in
this city ST." declared ce-President
and General Counsel Henry w. Ander-
son. of that company. addressing a
mass-meeting of East End citizens on
the franchise application at the Chin
borazo Public School last night. "I
will give you q written communica-
tion to that effect IL you want 1t.
1T appears that the company's po-
sition has been entirely misunderstood
The ordinance of the city required 1t
In submitting petition for a new
franchise to accompany such petition
with at least tentative draft of the
franchise ordinance that is desired. We
would have preferred to submit no or
dinance at all The ordinance we sug-
gested contains many things which
we would prefer not to have i'm 1t, and
omits things we should like to have
in 1t.
COMPANY HAS
NO DEFINITE PLAN
"This altogether tentative ordinance
has been represented as n plan which
we will not permit to be modified. On
that assumption the company has been
attacked and Its motives questioned. I
say to you that the company has no
definite plan. If you don't like the
tentative plan we have suggested.
change It. Get together and say what
you want. The company desires to
render good service. and II needs you
to help II determine what service will
best answer your needs.
I'VE can't arrive at this understand
Ing by throwing bricks at ono another.
IT you have any suggestions to offer
come with us before the Street Com
mittee. which has4the matter under
consideration, and let us all discuss II
together. You can't solve the problem
in meetings of this kind. and you can't
settle 1t by adopting resolutions.
NO DESIRE no RUN
CONTRARY TO PUBLIC SENTIMENT
The company has no desire to run
contrary to public sentiment. 1t has
been the aim of every man connected
with this company, as far as know,
to meet every reasonable demand We
want to keep in step with public SEN
timent What we ask is a dispassion-
ate consideration of the question, and
that Will be accomplished only by get
ting together, and not by throwing
bricks"
Mr.. Anderson spoke for forty min
utes, heading quartet of speakers
on the franchise application. 1t was
the first public expression of the Vir-
ginia Railway and Power Company
bearing directly upon it's pending ap-
plication to >the Council, and it was
delivered. TO all appearances. in the
enemy's country
After Mr. Anderson, spoke Attorney
Louis o. Wendenburg, who denounced
the Virginia Railway and Power Com
pany's petition and suggested fran
chise as n bold and outrageous propo-
sition" fraught with danger to citizens
present and yet unborn. Following
him came Joseph w. Stewart, a mem
ber OF the board of directors of the
Church Hill Bank, who announced his
intention to fight the company's appli-
cation to the bitter end, unless 1t We're
modified to fit the wishes OF Church
HIM. Next came James y. Dlckerson
prominent in Church Hill politics, who
denounced the company's proposition
in language still a shade more Wig
orous.
LARGE AUDIENCE
HEARS SPEECHES
Through the whole hostile proceeding
In front seat on the platform sat
Vice President Fritz SItterding, of the
Virginia Railway and Power Com
pany. In nearby seats were Alder
men Nelson and Councilman Sullivan.
of Jefferson Ward. and a prominent ar
ray of East-End citizens. The audi
torium held a crowd of $50.
Mr.. Dickerson, the last speaker on
the program. wound up his address
with n spirited appeal to the assem-
blage to adopt unanimously the reso-
lutions submitted to the mass-meeting
at the beginning of the evening In
an amplified form, the resolutions re-
peated the demands enumerated in the
resolutions adopted recently by the
three East-End organizations. under
whose joint auspices last nights meet
ing was held
L. H. Wakefield, of the East End
Progressive Association. presiding over
the mass-meeting. read n brief state
ment to the effect that the meeting
had now heard argument pro and con,
and that it was in order to vote on the
resolutions. He called upon all those
who favored the adoption of the reso-
lutions to arise and hold up their right
hands. The mass arose.
FORMER MAYOR GALLAGHER
IN LONESOME MINORITY
Upon Mr.. Wax call for the
noes a single observation-disclosures Mayor
Barney ~, Gallagher, Of Fairmount-
the desk with gravel poised while
cries of "sit down and put him out"
came from different parts of the hall.
that have been offered, because l do
not think that this Is the proper time
or place to adopt them" said Mr.. Gal
wisely, in my opinion, IL 1t will con-
tinue the committee which drew up
these resolutions, and instruct 1t to
confer with the company's representa-
tives and the Council authorities. AZ
ter that 1t could draw up resolutions
and place them before us for consid-
eration."
Cries calling upon the speaker to sit
down or shut up" became more In
sistent, but Mr.. Gallagher faced the
audience and continued:
THE traction situation in this city Is
not peculiar. Practically every city Of
importance In this country has made
sweeping nnneXntions in the Ia VI ten n r