Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-17
CODE REVISION IS
ARGUED IN SENATE
Grade Crossing Provision May
Prove Serious to Cities Of
Commonwealth.
RECALL AMENDMENT OFFERED
Bowers Proposes Constitutional
Change for General Initiative
and Referendum.
RECALL AMENDMENT OFFERED

Ni-dn* arguments Oh tho Code re-
Visal in the Senate. the passage OF
! thirt!-"iSht uncontestcd local bills in
/ the House and Governor Davis.s veto
or the Senate bill authorizing the Blu
rcau Of Insurance TO employ private
/ in the Genera! Assembly. Resolutions
/ to institute the initiative. referendum
nnd recall. TO put Virginia on record
as being opposed to any Federal action
preventing state taxation CT railroads
ana 10 authorize payment Of pensions
to all Confederate veterans. irrcspcc-
tive Of their property holdings. were in
troduced during the day.
Argument on the proposed grade
crossing" amendment 10 tho Code as
revised by the revising commission
"as in progress in the Senate when
recess was taken for dinner. At
o'clock the matter was again taken
up and continued wel! into the even
ing. Adoption OF the amendment would
mean that many cities in the Com
monweaith would have TO pay large
sums for railway improvements at
crossings. Eichmond has d casc pend.
I ing. Involving several hundred thou
sand dollars. with the Richmond. Fred
cricksburs ana Potomac Railroad.
which. IL would lose IL the amendment
was adopted. II is feared.
AcRE: TO VOTE on
CODE On WEDNESDAY
After an entire dag Of debate on the
, subject. the senate virtually reached
an agreement 10 The effect that the
present law snail be in effect as 70
crossings existing in 1924. when the
policy OF the state was changed TO
. favor overhead Or underground cross
inss. and that an amendment by SEN
ator Allen TO submit he question to the
state Corporation Commission should be
II: effect as TO crossings bui!t since 1894
in the teeth o" the law. 50 20 speak and
also as 10 all future crossings The
! Senate then adjourned TO allow the
amendment agreed 10 to be drawn as
suggested by Senator TrinkIe and con-
CURED in by senator Allen. making the
proposed Code a special order for We'd
nesday at 1850. az which time doubt
! less 4 vote VIII assure the adoption
4 the yoluninous bill.
senator Walker offered the redraft
I by the Code revisers. which was ac-
ocpted b" tho Committee on Courts OF
Justice an amen inent. and spent
some time in explaining the futility OF
attempting any course except the adop-
( ton of the Code.
. KEDRAFr DOES NOT
RESTORE EXISTING LAW
senator Allen then offered a subst!-
trie 10 the revisers' redTaft OF :hc see
ston in question, and argued that tine
redraf; did not. as claimed by The
railroad attorneys before the commit
tee, restore the existing law as re-
elapsed since 1904 when the state
changed It's policy favor!ns surface
crossings 10 one favorinG overhead Or
underground crossings where practical
. bic. tle stated tina, during that time
NJ least half the crossings IN The state
lad beca built, most OF them at surface
! III the teeth of The statute. and that
, II would be unfair TO set the arbitrary
fifty-frty basis cauiy in every case
| n which the city or town might de-
nand an Improvement
Senator Wcndenburc in support OF
| the Allen amendment and without ref
erencc {" the crossing OF Monument
Avenue by til: Belt Line Railroad. said
that the insd;ous logic of the railroad
lobbyists had found lodsmcnt IN the
minds OF many Senator'S. but tina, the
IohtTat! was inc Iact, anu the redraft
did not restore the present law, leaving
the towns and cities III tho mcrcilcss
hands or the railroads, who could
bankrupt county or town by forcing
them TO bear half tho expense OF i'm
proving crossing even where inc
railroad had so increased it's tracks as
{" constitute tho menace it was desired
10 remove.
! Senator Trinhic said Senator Alien Was
(rontinueG on Tenth PaEeJ