Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-27
J|TNEyS NEED NOT
SECURE FRANCHISE
City Attorney Say Scent Buses
Are Unlike Other Pub
lie Utilities.
CITY HAS POWER TO TAX
Urges Prompt Regulation of Bus
mess to Protect Life and
Property.
CITY HAS POWER TO TAX

The business Of operating iitncy
buses. according to an opinion OF City
Attorney Pollard, transmitted las,
night TO the Board OF Aldermen, is not
like enterprise to the operating
Of street railways and other public
utilities using tho streets. and does
not, therefore. come under tho consti-
tuuonal and statutory restrictions on
the granting Of franchises for the use
OF streets. by cities and towns.
While the jitney bus owners. in Mr..
Pollard's opinion. cannot be required
to provide themselves with fran
chisc TO do business. the city. III the
exercise or it's police power. has the
right to impose n proper license tax
for each car operated in this business.
and 20 require an adequate bond on
each car TO guarantee the payment OF
damages to passengers who are in
jured by reason OF the negligence Of
jitney bus owners or drivers
Mr.. Pollard expresses the belief that
in the interest Of the public good. the
10 the end that life and property may
scribcd by him as urgent
- tSSESIS Slo.Otn BOND
FOR EACH JITNEY nus
Carrying out these views, Mr. Pol
lard accompanied his opinion with an
ordinance requiring the person or firm
operating single bus or automobile
10 execute "a bond Of $4,000 and TO
pay license tax of Sloc a year. For
cars operated by the same person
firm or corporation. bonds OF $4,000
each are required. and u license tax
Of S25 each.
Mr.. Po!lards opinion was sent to
the Board in compliance with a resolu
ton, introduced in the Board of Alder
men at Its last regular meeting by
Alderman Christian, OF Madison Ward
asking the CITY Attorney 10 report or
the ci;y's power 10 regulate the jitney
bus business
In common with practically every
other large city In the country Rich
mond has been invaded by the jitncy
which has already assumed formidable
proportions. In Western cities lik,
Los Angeles and Denver, the iitue,
bus has cut SO deeply into the revenue,
OF the street car companies that the
latter have in many cases adopted a
policy OF retrenchment in order to ac.
compc tition.
BELIEVED FIFTY CARS
NOW IN OPERATION
In Richmond the scent automobile
ca rrier is barely months old. From
"a shoe-string line Of less than ten
cars with which the enterprise started
the business has grown until now..- i;
is estimated. there are at least nifty
automobiles engaged during the day
in transporting passengers
The Virginia Railway and Pow er
Company has so far taken no Official
notice OF what is regarded by the com
Dany as "piratical competition
which. while possessing some elements
OF pcrmanency. is still in the "fad'
stage, and therefore. too unstable a
factor 10 take into serious account II
is estimated, however, that the jitneys
arc already cutting into the street car
company's revenue 10 the extent OF
$500 a day. with tho prospect that the
amount will increase rather than
diminish.
Alderman Grundy directed the atten-
tion OF the Board last night TO the
grave significance the situation held
for the city. Under the present fran
chises, the Virginia Railway and
Power Company pays TO the city tax
.en its gross receipts from traffic. This
tax averages about 10 per cent OF the
gross receipts. II appears. therefore
that If the jitneys are cutting into the
company's receipts TO the extent OF
$500 day. the citys daily loss is $50
or approximately $4,000 a year.
GRUNDY SAYS CTTY'S
LOSS is 800 A DAY
Alderman Grundy directed the at
tention of the Board last night TO the
gravity OF the situation. Ii was his
belief. he said. that the operation OF
jitney busscs is costing the city. in the
loss OF the tax on gross receipts which
the street ear company would pay
did it carry the passengers using the
new form of transportation. and In tho
wear and tear on the streets. at leas,
500 day. 1t was high time, he said
that the city give this matter atten.
ton.
The City Attorneys opinion and ac.
company ordinance were received
under n suspension of the rules. and
referred for report to the Committed
on Ordinances. A suspension Of the
rules was necessary to consider the
paper, because the Board had met for
the special purpose OF considering the
ordinance fixing the tax levy for 1915
and the resolution authorizing the
School Board TO exercise options on
certain property on Fulton Hill
ORDINANCE DOES NOT
APPLY TO TANICABS
The ordinance submitted by the City
Attorney is made to apply 10 all per
sons. firms or corporations. whether
principal or agent. engaged i'm the
transportation of passengers over and
along the streets of the city of Rich
mond by means OF automobile buses or
automobiles, at a Nat rate OF 10 cents
or less for each passenger transported
Failure to comply with the provisions
Of the ordinance is made punisha bic
by n fine OF not less than 500 or more
than $500 for each days viola ton, re-
coverablc before the Police Justice.
The provision, making the ordinance