The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-03
Offers City Forest Hill Park
and Three Toll Via
ducts in Return.
PAPERS AREsR REFERRED
TO STREET COMMITTEE
President Peters Urges Council
men to Give Careful Consider
alton to Terms of Grant.
REVISE METHOD or TAXATION
Would Surrender Thirteen Independ-
ent Rights From Richmond, Man
chester and Counties.

.fs 81. & = L ~ VI f.. Il y
President r. Lee Peters. of the Com
mon Council. introduced In that body
last night, on behalf of the Virginia
Railway and Power Company. petit
tion for new blanket franchise to sup
plant the thirteen independent grants
from the municipality anu Chesterfield
and Henrico Counties and from the
former city OF Manchester. under which
the consolidated street railway. and
ss electric light and power lines owned by
1t In this city. are now operated.
: The petition was accompanied by an
ordinance prepared by the petitioner,
to be used by the appropriate coun-
y cilmanic bodies as the! basis of amend
ment and discussion. Upon the motion
4 OF Mr.. Peters the papers were referred
TO the Committee on Streets.
Rriefiy stated. the company offers to
. surrender to the city all Its present
franchises. to dedicate to 1.-THE l0O-
acre tract now occupied by Forest Hill
Park. the two toll bridges across
shockoe Valley and the Marshall Street
Viaduct, and to assign 20 the city all
( It's perpetual grants and rights of way
extending beyond thirty years. within
the, corporate limits as they will exist
after annexation on November 5.
EXPIRATION DATES VARY FROM
SEVEN YEARS TO PERPETuiTY-
The date of expiration OF the several
franchises now held by the compan1
ranges from seven years hence, t0
5 Decpetuity. In exchange for these sep
.aratc grapts and in consideration Of
The concessions which. according to the
petitioner, have u present value In ex-
cess OF 81 ,00G, 900. the company asks
: that the Council ava nd it "a 1eWs from
< ohtec expiring thirty years from tn9
date of Its lpromulgation.
The ordinance as suggested by the
power company contains a clause Civ
sing the city at the end OF the thirty.
= year period n first option on the pur-
chase OF the property ut n price to be
determined by arbitration, the ply
slcal property of the system alone to
be considered. This provision would
leave tho way clear for municipal own
ership should the city desire 1T the
expiration OF the franchise TO embarh.
upon such All enterprise.
Councilmen last night regarded the
application for n new th.rty-year fran
chise as the most Important matter that
has confronted the Council since the
annexation ordinance. It Will proba bly,
be the most important single piece OF
Legislature that the present Council will
pass upon. e
PRESIDENT PETERS ASKS FOR
SERIOUS CONSIDERATION
President Peters departed from the
usual practice in submitting paper
for reference to a committee. to en-
Dhasize the seriousness of the problem.
and make an appeal for its earnest
md careful consideration by the Coun-
ell. The time. he said, was particu-
larly opportune for such a piece OF
Legislation. new blanket franchise
which will properly safeguard the in
gtercsts Of the people. he thought. would
result in benefit both to the city and
Ito the street railway company.
II hope that this ordinance Will be
consideredhby the CouncilLand it's COM
mitlecs without the politicating and
logroiling which, ] am sorry to say.
S has frequently characterized the con-
stderation of similar, measures in the
past." said Mr.. Peters st Is OF far
reaching Importance. and 1t deserves
the careful study of every member OF
tbs body am confident that II Will
receive the consideration 1t deserves"
The petition to the Council Informs
that body that arrangements have been
perfected by the Virginia Railway ann
! Tower Company with the bondholders
8of the Richmcnd and Henrico Railway
Comps who, ics Is stated. will prob
ably purchase the property when 1t is
offered at auction Thursday, for the
control of all the bankrupt company's
holdings The petitioner. 1t is stated.
will be in position after the gale
ito; arrange for the% surrender to the
$city OF Richmond of all franchises
cal property. including the Marshall
Street Viaduct.
CONFLICTING PROVISIONS
OF VARIOUS FRANCHISES
The petition lists in detail the sew
eral franchises under which. the COM
pany at present operates. The vary
ing conditions OF these different grants
1T Is pointed out, are 50 conflicting as
to be a source of annoyance and diff
flculty both to the authorities of the
city OF Richmond in the exercise of the
clty's power, OF regulation, and to the