The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-14
Test Vote is Winner.


Common council upon what Is con-
sidered test vote. which may be
counted upon when the ordinance is
presented for passage. hast night
adopted resolution authorizing the
NtrHtnsa Railway and Power COM
pany 70 advertise In Two newspapers
the fact that II would ask council to
give Il the right to increase its street
car FARES.
The vote was taken after consider
able debate as to whether the COM
pany was entitled to relief, and il So
the extent OF such relief.
Debate was engaged in mainly by
ts0uncffmen Eng'ffxh. who appeared
,ns. o. caafss1s1uM fnr sssa ssSsEa1snssy II and
who opposed both C0uncfffnakfs Mills
and Councilman UmlAuf. In their con-
tentions that IN the enc Instance the
company should he bound to a re-
Quirement providing for expert ex-
animation Of their books. and in the
other that the period Of relief should
not he limited to six instead OF twelve
months.
MAY EXAMINE BOOKS,
Mr.. English offered an amendment
to the report OF the COMMITTEES. In
which he sought to inject "a clause
giving the comptroller OF the city the
right to examine the books of tho
npm pany at any time. In order to get
u the real business of the company.
MIR. Powell and Mr.. Mills objected
to such an amendment AZ being un-
necessary. as. they pointed out. the
comptroller already held such power.
1t WAS shown by the patron OF the
amendment that his paper gave the
comptroller larger powers and that he
could at any time inquire into tho
real workings OF the company.
The amendment was adopted by
the vote of - to I, as follows:
Ayes--Atkinson. Butler, English,
Grimes. Haddon. Jefer. Jones Ladd,
Moore. Morton. Powers, Seaton, Um-
lauf--13.
Noes-Batkins. Mills. Powell, Ro-
den, Rose, Sullivan, Peters,.
These two votes practically settles
the fate OF the ordinance II ID con.
coded that after due publication. and
when the paper comes mp for flnal ac-
tion.a It will be adopted by practically
the same vote a. that which carried
tho resolution through last night
MUCH ORATORY.
Before the nnal vote was reached,
shortly after eleven o'clock. spirited
speeches were dslfvsrNN bY Council.
mon English. Umlauf. Haddon, Nor
ton. Mills, Seaton and Powell.
Mr.. Haddon made frontal attack
upon the report Of the committee,
stating that he had Investigated the
entire matter. and had reached the
conclusion that the company was re-
ceiving q fair return for itA invest
ment, and that in it, light and power
departments. II wAs resolving more
than a fair return.
III" said Mr. Haddon, 'the company
feels that lii the last few months II
has not received q fair return on III
street car Investment. but has received
more than . fair return on Its other
holdings why should II not reduce the
prices In those departments, At the time
Il asks for increases In the street cal
Department.
Mr.. Haddon showed that he had gone
fully into the matter. and indicated
disclosed the fact that the company
was In no danger Of 9oing into the
hands OF . receiver; that its net In.
come As Of last June was equal to thai
OF the year 1914. prior to the war,
that even last summer. whom it wanted
70 dispose OF bonds for certain I'm.
lprovements on tn fine between Nor.
folk ana Suffolk. both the virgins
Trust company and the First NationaI
bank. had Issued = statement endors-
ling the proposition and vouching for
the stability OF the otfer.
COULDN'T aEE n.
1T - UP to the company TO show that
II Il not receiving = fair return on
IN investment" sal6 Mr. HAddon. u
have not been Ah}e 10 SEQ II. II they
Iaras on the verge Of bankruptcy. u
aunse say. the little that Ne can hair
vstii Az No rood an6 Is you'd "a beet
ssfcE sAs sssse esss an fate sh I A ID 4