The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-15

necessary, X is believed, 10 decloe the
contest
the locale for such celebration OF
the Shakespeare tercentenary as Is
planned here, be selected much of the
support OF Richmond College may be
withdrawn.
The report of Colonel Taylor was
as follows:
Based upon the estimated attend
ance of rs. 900 or more persons per
day, an stated in ynurs- OF the 18th in
slant, / believe that, in order to sue
cessfuliy carry out an entertainment
OF this magnitude. II should be held
at a place where the general public
could reach 1t with ease, convenience,
minimum cost and saving of time, OF
course, these features would not be
considered obstacles in the way of
those having their own automobiles
or who can afford TO hire them. Such
transportation, In my opinion, would
provide for q maximum OF 5000 peo-
Pile.
An Almost Perfect Setting.
while l think the Richmond Col
lega grounds at Westhampton afford
an almost perfect setting for a
accessible to the large attendance
mentioned In your letter and which,
as ! understand it, Is necessary to
make 1t a popular and successful
movement.
II have a letter from the general
manager OF the Virginia Railway and
Power Company stating that they
have only IL single track line to West
hampton and the location of their
turn-outs on that line will not permit
a closer schedule than fifteen min
tfaA with st,Hh Grh ad1tia hA states
that his company could handle, APP,
proximately. 500 passengers per hour,
one way. 3 a.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
advise that the freight traff1c over
their James River Division is so con-
gested that they could not hope to
maintain satisfactory schedules, to say
nothing of the delay to the freight
movements. In addition TO this, they
state that they have no facilities at
Westham or in the college grounds
necessary for safely loading and un-
loading passengers, and, for these rea-
sons. regret that they cannot give the
matter favorable consideration.
Even II the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway could operate excursion
trains the distance from Main Street
Station TO Westhampton is eight miles,
and the majority of people using the
train service would be going con-
siderable distance In the opposite d.
rection to the point of destination be-
fore making a real start for that des-
tination. paying street car fare TO
Main Street Station, plus whatever
rate the railway would charge, and
transferring from street cars to rail-
way The same is true returning from
Main-Street Station to their homes.
II the c. & o. could provide this SER
vice, they could hardly handle more
than 800 persons per hour at the very
best for the reasons stated by them.
II have had some experience in
the operation of steam trains between
Elba Station and the Fair Grounds.
which train service we instituted as
q help-out and we found that IL was
poorly patronfzed. because a large
number OF persons had to pay street
car fare to reach the train and had
to conform TO certain fixed scheduled.
not 80 frequent, OF course, as the street
car service. which involves no trans
fer. We charged a ten-cent fare each
way and later reduced II to five cents,
but our receipts were less than the
expenses.
IL am, therefore, firmly Convinced
that entertainments drawing from TO-
900 to $4,000 or more persons a day
should be held at places not only
within reasonable walking distance,
but where the transportation facilities
are provided by street cars with
double tracks and ample and fire.
duent service. A single-track for a
long distance Is inadequate to accom-
plish the desired results.
Fifty Thousand Daily tn Fair Grounds.
The general manager of the vir-
ginia Railway g.. Power Company
states that they are able to handle
at loest 1900 passengers per hour to
the Fair Grounds or William Byrd
Park-more than twelve times as
many as TO Westhampton The street
car company have demonstrated their
ability to handle large crowds when
on RichmoEi Days at the State Fair |
they transported over $4,000 persons
in one day.
1T Will thus be seen that distance, !
time. cost, convenience and other es-
senttal features must be weighed and
carefully considered, against beautiful I
and natural sites out OF reach, except
to a limited number.
"Of course. II the pageant Is to be /.
much more restricted than indicated I
by you ard confined to tho selection ,
OF Westhampton then the attendance
and financial results will be gauged
by the ability OF the street car COM /
pany and other coHveyances TO handle
the limited number above stated
ut viii be necessary for me TO have |
the exact dates of the pageant in /
order TO apply 10 the railroads In Vir- /
einia and North Carolina for reduced
rates."