Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-28
STREET COMMITTEE
WANTS BETTER SERVICE
City Attorney Reports on Recent Pc.
lice Court and Subsequent
Prosecutions.
NOT LIVING UP TO FRANCHISE
Moro Cars Than Agreement Calls For
on Some Lines and Less Than
Enough to Maintain Schedule ON
Others.

| necessary
compel tho Virginia Railway and
Power Company to comply with its
franchise requirements in the operation
OF street cars on the various trolley
lines in Richmond will be taken by The
Administrative Board in the near
| future. and it is highly probable that
repeated prosecutions against the trac-
ton company will be instituted by the
City Attorneys office until the required
number Of cars are operated. II the
wishes OF the Council Committee on
Streets. as voiced at its meeting yes
terday afternoon. are carried out
Richmond's transportation problem,
which came up for discussion when
the committee considered a letter TO
the Council from Assistant City Attor.
ney George Wayne Anderson. outlin-
ing his recent investigation, received
considerable attention. While several
members OF the committee held diff
! ferent views as to the proper procedure
to be taken, they expressed the deter
inination to see that the best possible
service is provided by the company.
me report of the the Assistant CITY
Attorney showed that on the Main
street. Barton Heights. Highland Park.
company was operating iLore cars
IN order to meet traffic requirements
than were required under it's franchise
On the other hand, however, the Police
departments report showed that on
the Broad and Twenty-ffth street
broad and Main. Oakwood and Broad,
lakewood and MAN, Laurel. and Cl,v
Street lines many less cars .tb.n ~.
ira nchise required in order to maintain
the schedule were being operated.
FINES WE'RE IMPOSED
AND COMPANY APPEALED
AS result of this inquiry. tho v;r-
gina halfway and Power Companv ,r,,
summoned to the Police Court. wbcr.
haNitnum fines were imposed for its
ialiure TO maintain the proper sched
uie on the Laurel and Clay Street Iinns
Inc company appealed the two cases TO
the Hastings Court where thev Nv
now pending. The City Attornev,s ~
nee then found that the other lines on
winch the schedule was not being mar
tained were operated under IN. oIa
i.icnmond Traction Company's frsn-
chise' which required complaint n
come from the Council Committe. m
en inc administrative Board wa,
80 several years ago. however. n
inherited many OF the powers NJ ~
ola Street Committee. among then, ~
riEht to control the street rnji,.,r.
>iter the Police Court hearing the mat.
Ter was referred to the hoard hv ~.
10y attorney. and the Police Depart
men, was directed to make another in
vestisation into the operation of cara
Despite the fact that the su-rest,on
was made that the board make pronnt
ana formal complaint. nothing further
IN the matter was heard by the civ
attorney. and no further prosccution.
have been had.
Last March the City Attorney wa.
instructed by joint resolution or the
council to conduct an inquiry Unto the
operat ton of the cars Because of this
lact' ne has just reported back to the
council the proceedings in the investi-
Sa'ion. he concludes his letter with
the following statement:
III 1t be the desire of the Council
that this Office shall institute reneated
prosecutions against the Virginia Rail-
way and Power Company, they Will be
promptly instituted IL the Council pives
instructions to that effect"
WANT COMPANY COMPELLED
TO LIVE UP TO FRANCHISE
In the genera. discussion that fol-
lowed, Alderman Powers. of Jefferson
ward. was inclined to believe that ~
the company should be required to on
crate cars on the lines on which the
the more fortunate routes would suffer
by the removal OF equipment Council
man sullivan. however, said that the
same condition now existed, and that
there could be little worse service in
certain sections and communities.
Saying that the Virginia Railway
and Power Company should be forced
20 carry out Its franchise requirements
and that 1t could easily purchase new
equipment II such action was ncces-
sary, Councilman English offered a mo-
ton requesting the Administrative
Board to report what steps 1t had
taken to force the company to live up
to It's agreements. Mr.. English de-
clared that II was evident that the
hoard had Laid down on the Job and
that II 1t was not going to take the
proper action. the Council would"
The substitute resolution, offered by
Mr.. Powers referring the letter from
the Assistant City Attorney to the Adj
mlnistrative Board for such action as
1t deemed necessary. and to report to
the City Attorneys Office. was adopted
The vote was as follows: Ayes-Moore,
Nelson. Powers. Noes-English, Sulli-
van.
The committees resolution will be
reported at the regular September
referred to the Administrative Board
by that body.
| The committee yesterday recommends
ed to the Council for adoption reso-
luton providing for the opening OF
Taylor Street from an alley cast Of
Sheppard Street to the Boulevard, the
petition of the Retreat for the Sick to
close an alley in the block bounded
by Davis and Grove Avenues, Mulberry
and Robinson Streets. The petition Of
The Imperial Coffee Company for per-
mission to erect platform at It's build
ing was rejected. and several other
matters were referred 20 the City EnEi-
neer for report and Recommendation.
/ r1 al