Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-27
JITNEYS NEED NOT
SECURE FRANCHISE
(Continued from First Pngel

CONTINUED from FIRST PaSe.)
taxicabs and freo-lnnce AUTOMOBILES
charging the usual trip or sightseeing
> rates. These and the Jitney buses at
present pay only the nominal automo-
bile license tax, which goes entirely
to the State.
POLLARD SUBMITS
OPINION on JITNEY
In his opinion. accompanying the or
dinance. City Attorney Pollard holds:
That persons operating jitney
buses. or. automobiles upon the streets
OF the city Of Richmond for the trans
portation Of passengers do not come
under the restrictions provided by the
Constitution and statutes OF the State
on the granting of franchises by the
cities and towns for the right TO use
the streets OF the city, tho business Of
the operation of jitney buses on the
streets not being expressly named In
4. the Constitution or statutes referred
,:to, nor are they, In my opinion, conduct
ing a like enterprise to the businesses
(which are named-strcet railway, gas
4 water. steam or electric heating, cleo
-tric light and power. cold storage com
/ pressed air, viaduct, conduit, telephone
ror bridge companies.
4 ct Is to be observed that all OF the
enterprises named, In order to conduct
their business. must, OF necessity, in
i some measure disturb the street along
which they propose to operate, by
placing permanently in the street some
Hi essential part OF their construction
necessary for the operation of their
ltbusiness. Not so with the business con-
/ Quoted by the owners OF jitney buses
II Hence the holding that the operation
! Of Jitney buses Is not like enter
gfprise,' and therefore is not controlled
tlby the constitutional provision and
n statutes referred to-
III RELIEVES BUSINESS
III SHOULD HE REGULATED
n ut Is nevertheless true that the pub
HIic good. in my judment. requires that
n the business should be regulated to the
N end that life and property may be safe
NJ guarded, and 1t is further true that
III their continued and frequent operation
III over the streets of the city will neces-
/ state greater expenditures to preserve
Y tho streets from wear and tear. This
|Hbeing true, the city of Richmond may
II exercise It's police power to regulate
II the business, and it's taxing power to
|Nimpose tax that will remunerate the
city for the wear and tear which the
III business Will occasion to streets.
III with this end In view have taken
n tho liberty OF preparing an ordinance
n to accomplish this end, copy of which
|siI inclose, and another copy Of which
Il will transmit to the Committee on
|EFinance at their next meeting, together
|Mwlth a copy of this communication. SO
|Llthat there may be no delay in meeting
lila situation. which, in my opinion, is
|Aurgent-
"In connection with the foregoing I
IJbcg to say that my conclusion on this
/. mater was not reached until tho cues
ttion had been fully argued IN. writing
|gby Henry. w. Anderson, vice-president
Hand general counsel OF tho Virginia
| hallway and Power Company. who
that tho business of op-
'erating jitney buses was like enter
|t'prisc' to street railways and other
Public utilities using the streets. which.
|iunder the Constitution and statutes OF
1.-The state, were obliged to be sold to
1.-THE highest bidder"