The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-29


III. Mitchell. e. B. Loops, w. ]. Grass
berger, @. II, Tompl<ins, J. g. Ken
nedy. ]. G. Shepherd. @. w. Ferner.
G. r. Harvey, C. s. Tate. Robert Win
gate, Frank SUBMITS. Mayo Auto SUP
| ply Company, j. b. Schaeffer. Morris
weinstein, National Oil Company, U.
M. Whitehurst. j. s. Goode. Talman
Auto Company, r.. l. Mayo. z. Il
Elmore, H. B. Atkinson. Stanley John
son and NJ. II. Wood.
Trolley Company's Fight.
Their petition declares that jitney
buses have been of great convenience
to the public. furnishing the quickest.
safest, best and cheapest transporta-
ton TO the people of this community.
The petition recites how the Vir-
ginia Railway and Power Company.
! failing to procure an Injunction
against jitney bus owners In the Law
and Equity Court and in the Supreme
Court of Appeals, Organized sub
destroying" the business of the indie
pendent jitney.
Failing in this, the petition states.
the Virginia Railway and Power Com
pany concentrated its energies upon
the City Council and brought about
| the passage of the ordinance now
being attacked.
Since the city has isued licenses TO
the jitneys authorizing them to con-
| duct their lawful business until jan
uary 81. 1915, II cannot now revoke
any OF their rights, the bill declares.
| and IL the city should deprive the jit-
! ney owners of their rights, the Four
| teenth Amendment of the Constitu-
1 ton of the United States would be
! violated.
| The petition further points out that
! the ordinance Is discriminatory. since
/ II places a harsh and prohibitive bur-
/ den upon one class of vehicles and
| bmpdses no stfch restrictions upon
| similar business; that the burden Is
| placed upon the jitney because IL
! charges five cents. but Is not placed
| upon the taxicab, hacks and automo-
biles for hire. because they charge
more than five cents. The petition
asks IL the city could place heavier
! tax upon five-cent store because Ii
sells goods cheaper than they can be
| had elsewhere.
Attention is called to the fact that
certain routes are laid down In the
ordinance, and that the jitneys will not
be allowed to deviate from these
routes unless they charge more than
! FIVE cents.
| Unreasonable and Conascntory.
The petition recites the fact that
! Jitneys will not be allowed TO carry
! passengers upon the running board,
! while street cars and taxfcabs and
other automobiles are not prohibited
/ from so carrying passengers: that lit
/ ney drivers must pass an examination
/ before the Chief OF Police. which ex-
/ animation is not required of any other
chauffeurs In the city.
! While bonds are demanded OF jit-
! ney owners. the petition shows, no
bonds are required OF other automo-
1 bile owners. nor are they required OF
the Virginia Railway and Power Com
I pany The requirement OF the bond In
/ characterized as "a fragrant discrimi-
nation. unreasonable and copfiscatory,
destructive to their business and Ia
| deliberate attempt't to destroy their
business; that the requirement Is mot
a protection to the public. and could
/ only have been added for the purpose
Of driving the complainants out of
business"
Two Fined as Each.
| In Police Court yesterday mornin z
two jitney operators. who drove their
cars Tuesday and submitted to arrest
I in order TO test the constitutfonality of
the ordinance were fined Ave dollars
each. They are G. w Farmer. so4
North Boulevard. and w, II. Davis, s22
South Lombardy Street. NJ j, Fulton,
/ of oFlaherty. Fulton a Byrd. ap-
pealed their cases to the Hustin gs
Court, where they will be heard at the
October term, Bond in the sum OF 500
/ each was furnished by @. H. Tomp-
/ kins
Five arrests were made yesterday for
] violation of the ordinance, four of the
cars OF the Motors Transit Corpora :
ton. licensed under the ordinance to
continue business. having carried pas
sepgers on their running boards The
chaufenrs arrested are C. NJ. Gram
mar. ]. +. Landrum, J. H Starke and
! ]. H. Lane. The manager of the COM
psny. c, r. clinely, was directed to
appear In Police Court today with the
I four drivers. to answer to the charge.
/ The report was filed with the police by
Policeman KerEey.