Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-05
FRANCHISE ISSUE COMES
TO FRONT THIS WEEK
First Hearing Before Street Commit
tee Set for Thursday
Night.
T SOME OPPOSITION DEVELOPS
Objections Arc Mainly to Proposed
Changes in Routes, Rather Than TO
Main Issue OF Consolidating Exist
ing Grants Into Blanket Franchise.

| The Council Committee on Streets
| will meet at 8 o'clock Thursday night
to hold an initial hearing on the APP
plicatton Of the Virginia Railway and
! Power Company for :, new blanket
franchise to take the place Of the sew
eral grants under which ii Is now on
Grating its street car and light and
power lines in this city. The petition
Tor the franchise has been pending
before the Council since November.
| 1914.
From now on the franchise matter
promises to hold the center OF tho
Councilmanic stage, or at least to
: share IT with the special joint commit
lee investigating police conditions
far-reaching questions affecting tho
form or taxation and the working out
OF an extensive rcrouting In the di-
rection OF eliminating uncconornic mar
alicl tracks. will come before the street
ana Finance Committee ror settlement.
VARIOUS OLD GRANTS
MAKE UI' LARGE VOLUME
The Street Committee was supplied
several weeks ago by the Virrini,
hallway and Power Company with an
soo-paEe rolumn containing reprints OF
inc separate franchises under which
II. .ne company Is now doing business.
Inc members have 10y this time had
an opportunity TO familarize themselves
with the principal provisions OF IN.
present franchises and will 1t IL prc
sumed. be ready Thursday night to
pcSY consideration OF the company,
The company asks for now mir
tS-year franchise which is to cnbr,c. al,
us public utilities in this city. In re-
urn Tor THIS grant II offers amonr
| othcr concessions, TO ccde to the city
zee simple the First. Fifth and Mar.
ni'"ii street Niaducts. and Forest uill
iark, tract OF about 100 acres ,r,
| obtain this franchise /, viii ,ha,an,
also. certain perpetual rights az wa,.
winch II owns in the northern suburhs
'tcchiiS annexed. ana In Semmcs Ava
| nue.. South Richmond
A'houfh the Introduction OF tho
conpanE's petition in the Counri, w.
I followed in short time h,. -;
meetings OF quasi political orpnniy,
IONS in the East End. at which rnsor,,
| .iohs were adopted opposing many rc.,
lures III The suggested new frnnchIs.
o,"inahce' opposition has for the past
mohth or two been less apnarcut A,
a meeting In Barton Heights LAST yyooi,
however, resolutions were adonted pro
resting against the rcroutinr or mo
FIRST street line. suggested in tho corn
pany's application
me most violent opposition has come
from The Workingmcn's protcc,ivo A..
sociation. which has declared I'm No
piaihcst terms for a policy OF rnun,cjna,
| ownership of the street railway system
ms recommended also the acquisition
D! me city OF all the light ana nowcr
! "''hties owned by the Virginia Rail
way and Power Company. TO M.
snu ,hc organization has recently
| brought TO this city prominent speoI,crs
from Washington and elsewhere Who
nave addressed small gatherings on Tho
tHuhlclDal ownership idea
hAr
nave been slow to express their opinin,,
, %, me pending franchise application
mere IL strong element in the coun-
Drawn on the right lines and nrnncrl,.
| safeguarding the citys Interests tn.
SINE sentiment may b. said to be true
me committee 1t is generally real
| .heo mat the franchise is inseparahle
from the corporate operation OF utIli
tics or this character, ana the really
us question before the committee is
not franchise or no franchise, but the
most equitable form Of franchise