Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-19
ACTION IS DEFERRED
ON STREET-CAR FARES
Wants Moro Light on
Company Earnings and
Expenses.
MAY. ORDER BOOKS EXAMINED
Company Willing to Have Probe
MHae by City Accountant, Will
liaWs Tells Street Committee.
LdHhr Unions Oppose Increase.

i'cSdane tho consideration of certain
ac,aisga information which was filed
with .fncmhors OF the committee sew
cral dsys ago, the Council Committee
on S'tsccts. after thrcc and one -half
hours&pf argument. postponed last
mtg vSh,il it's January meeting further
cons Migration OF :hc petition of tho
Sirs ifssa Railway and Power Company
for asfdraisht 5-ccut fare and tho abo-
lition5d all tickets. Strong opposition
10 thssSae Ees;ions of tho traction COM
pany Mpr relief was offered by repre-
sentattscs OF various labor orEaniza-
Speakers for tho opposition generally
rnquGEr a thorough investigation into
tho Matter. suggesting that the City
Nccoa1ia he instructed to examine
the rRiway company's books TO obtain
infor sfation which they believed would
he otssgrcat value TO the committee in
actinhEaipon the rate petition. Because
OF ths9vital Importance OF the matter
tho SPEAKERS urged the utmost thought
and Consideration of every detail
Members Of the Council committee
favored an investigation, and voted to
postpone further con sheraton of the
petitton until figures are furnished
showing tho number OF passengers
hauled by tho company during the
years-ef 1918. 1915. 1915 and 1917. ana
the cost Of each. together with the
operating revenues and expenses OF the
traction company. This Information
had been requested last week. but was
not flcd by officers of the company in
time Cor consideration before the meet
ing last night
MAY DIRECT EXAMINATION
OF C0MPANE'S ROCKS
These figures will be studied. and
at the January meeting the committee
will undoubtedly, in view OF the cN-
pressed opinions of members last night
instruct City Accountant Cofer 10 eX-
aminc-the company's books Tor addl
tionar information that might De OF
valuc-in considering the rate increase
4 Al thu. opening OF the meeting. T. Fan
dolph..-, Williams. vice president ana
counsel for the power company "h'-
lined -,hls former argument, quoting
0rures showing tho revenues derived
from --paSScnGcrs. ana tnc COSY VI
Handling each individual.
4 Mr--Nilliams also called attention
10 the 'uucontrollcd and unreSulateo
( compGT,tion by tn" jitneNS. VINO Ec'
5ihc cream OF the companY'S business.
and vet pay almost nothing into the
lie submitted that the
Increased fare would be no burden on
any e1te nd declared that the : =
cent fare was insufficient. INC scrNic"
was worth more, he contcndcd, ana
through tho increased tarc. when
would-"tc fol; in the main by those
who travel on the cars when the sr"-
8cial rate did not operate the burden
would he rlaccd on every ono ana
terhd throughout TIC year.
T. - Mayo declared that everything
4,vas imcrcnsiuc in cost nowadays. ana
IL seemed ia him that il vas Simply
( inntt..r-or Justice that IN" COMPANY he
granted u .-ccnt fare. Harvey u. vii .
son ul;ts the next speaker. and urged
the Committee 10 rrati2c that tho Nir-
s cinia-~EuiIway and Power COMPANY
! was not simply a mass OF poles. wiring
land greet cars. and hcarilcsS and
g.so,illo-ss corporation. There were hun
drcdscf people in the city who had
invcscrh in the ccmpanys stock and
ysccuritIcs aud arc dcpcndcnt upor IL.
AIn a!so told Of great abuses Of the
4transfCr rriyilocc. citing many cases
in which this right was nasrantly Nio-
lated:
Others supporting tho companys pc
titionlwho declared they had attend
!, cd tho meeting without intention OF
speaking but believed they saw the
fairness OF the traction compcny's
rcquest. were Henry l., Cahcll. Herbert
4 w. Jackson and Judge l.. l.. Lewis
Z LABOR UNIONS ARE
OPPOSED no INCREASE
4 Howard r. Colyin. OF the Contra!
Y Trade and Labor Council. lea the
fight of tho opposition and wanted a
& postppnencnt until the rnnttcr could
be Thoroughly investigated 1T IS a