The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-06-14
WATER COMPANY nov
WOULD OUT BUSINESS
Mtavista Corp6ration Files Pctition to
Be Permitted to Wind Up
In Affairs.
T. 4 w. SELLS LOCOMOTIVES


ration commission by the Altavista
Water and Sewerage company. OF AL
tavista. va. which serves the Camp.
bell countA town. brought to the front
the seriouE aspects which would pre-
sent themselves II public service cor
porations. without notice to their pa
IRONS, or the consent of the state cor
porAtion commission, could terminate
their businesses at VIII by the vote OF
two-thirds Of their stockholders. At
this time there are several dissolutions
pending or contemplated. and = tight
y being made by the Tidewater and
Western railroad. one Of accompanies
seeking dissolution. to uphold It's con.
tention that the Virginia law gives the
right Tor any corporation to dissolve
with two-thirdsmaj ority vote Of ito
stockholders. and without regard as to
their responsibilities as public ser
vice corporation.
In the matter of the Aitavista Wa
ter ana Sewerage company, immedl-
Ately the application for dissolution
was made. Chairman c. B. Garrett. Of
the corporation commission. instituted
ivesti8ations as to how and by whom
the service rendered by this company
TO Altavista would be continued. II
Is not known whether arrangements
have been made whereby the town
will be supplied with water and sew
erage facilities but II such is not the
case and the company can dissolve
- claimed by attorneys pf the Tide
water and Westernf railroad, the town
Of AitAvista will betleft without water
or sewerage. and the public interest
aai - - H.
vice corporation would be proven. II
is said. not 10 exist
Would Make Special Session Necessary
30 serious situation would this
present. 1t was declared yesterday by
persons interested In public affairs.
that nothing short of a special ses-
sion of the Virginia general assembly
would serve to protect the people of
the state. 1t would be the special
duty OF this Legislature to define the
powers OF the state corporation COM
mission over public service corpora
tons. and make clear the law reiat-
ing to the discontinuance OF opera
tons by such corporations when they
had on their own voiitton assumed the
responsibility of pubiir service, and
made dependant on them a large
number of people for their commnni-
cation and necessities.
Recently a majority opinion of the
state corporation commission refused
the Tidewater and Western railroad
the right to dissolve the company. the
road having notified the commission
that II was not a paying proposition.
end .lhas two-thirds of the stock
holders in meeting had voted that the
business OF the company be termi-
rated. This was done without first
appIyi-g to the corporation commits
so <,,. k.Se frr
and the only notification given the
public was a short time before the
aasc set for the discnntinuance- Of the
transportation service ~
1t is commended by the commission
that public service corporations may
not cease operations merely by the
vote. OF stockholders, hut that the
Question rvfJist first ash placed before
the commission and the matter In
vesfiga.ed II IL is then found that
there are sufficient reasons 20 permit
the abandonment Of the duties as
s,smed by the company. the commits
Nm would grant the dissolution. 1t
is commended that II is manifestly I'M
fair TO the patrons of such corpora
ton TO have service denied them in
the twinkling OF an eye, without some
provision having previously been
made that would assure to the pa
irons that their interests would be
regarded.
Dissolutious Pending.
AT this time there are several pro-
posed dissolntions pending. Attorneys
Tor the Ttdewater and Western rail-
road arc preparing to appeal to the
supreme court of appeals from the
decision Of the state crporatin COM
nainsion denying them the right OF dis
solsataesa The AltasistA Water and
Sewerage company yesterday filed
their petition for dissolution, and It
II understood that tina Virginia Navi-
Eatton company ut meeting Of the
stockholders Of the line to be held in
July will vote for similar action. II
n also understood short railroad in
the western part Of the state Is con-
templating dissolution proceedings.
Private and commercial life III vir-
xinia would b crippled II there would
be allowed an indiscriminatef cessa-
ton OF public service a. 10 now fndi-
Gated. The extent Of the suffering
ana threatened ruin which has fol-
lowed the stoppage Of service hy the
Underwater and Western railroad. and
during the time that no service was
rendered by the Virginia Navigation
company, IL saids to have been enor-
nous To have similar conditions
caused In sections all over the. state
because Of the failure Of public SER
Vice corporations to recognize their
tfuty-to the people BY withdrawing
their service would cause untold suf-
fefing. . condition desired mt nb time.
but doubly at this time when the exi-
Kences Of war will bring troubles Of
their own.
II wGs pointed out that many cor
porAtions md that they can turn their
fAcilities into war eervice At an adj
vance over their regular receipts for
service. In the matter OF transport
tation companies. vessels and equip
ment can be sold or rented IT hRure
that u considerable Increase over
their actual value. Under the Law. In
the latter cases this equipment can be
turned to companxs ut the increase
rate. and this new company can ad-
vance ~ rate1 ana make Such other
initial regulations and charges II de-
eires. wtping out all previous rules -
~ rates and operation which had been
made BY the corporation COMMUNION.
II 10 plain that such procedure would
seriously AFFECT the patrons Of such
49, 49, n a. ~1