Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-11
.ONE-MAN STREET CARS
WILL Be OPERATED HERE
City Officials Examine Company's
,ie Right TO Change System Under
akf3e Franchise.
USE SINGLE orER TIVE
Have Seating Capacity OF Thirty
Two Pcoplc-Typc of Conveyance
Small and Light-Said. to Give
Rapid Service With Little Noise.

City officials, in anticipation of the
Virginia Railway and Power Company
putting one-man cars in operation III
Richmond. have been examining the
various street railway franchises here
in the last few days TO see ii these
charter provisions require that street
cars be operated by two men.
Seven onc-man cars have arrived in
Richmond. and IL is stated that they
will be placed in operation within the
next few days.
Officials of the city who have been
looking into the matter expect that
q fight will be made on the operation
OF the nav cars. But SO far have been
unable to hnd any sNecinc franchise
provision which provides that street
cars must be operated by two men.
opinion that the ordinary franchise
provisions requiring efficient service"
would have an Important bearing on
chises apparently makes no mention
Of a motorman, but requires that each
ear shall have conductor. who shall Il
have "a plentiful supply of tickets" and
who shall attend 10 the comfort and
convenience of the passengers
Henrico One-Man Line.
There are those who express the
opinion that this provision would
necessita,e the employment Of two
was also acting as motorman could
not attend 10 the comfort and con-
venience of the passengers
II 1t is said that the franchise for the
small line popularity known as the
Hcnrco line, specifically provides that
the cars may be operated by one en-
ployee. This would at least Give the
company the opportunity to try out the
ears and sive the public an idea OF
their opera ton.
Wayne Anderson was, unwilling 10 ex
nreSs an opinion on the legality of the
operation of one-man cars until such
time AS he might be able to make a
thorough examination of the franchise
provisions in regard to the subject.
tla declared that Richmond was unfor-
tunate in that il had no general fran
ciuse for the operations of the street
railway lines. The present company
is operating under various franchises.
granted at different times, which APP
ply To different lines,
Franchise Worth sI,0OO,OOo.
Discussing the matter generally.
colonel Anderson said that a general
franchise to operate street cars in
Richmond would be easily worth ST.
100000 ON the New York market. and
distant when the city would realize on
this asset. OF the TWO main franchises
under which the present company
operates, one expires in 1875 and the
other in 1880.
Thomas $. wheelwrisht. president of
the Virginia Railway and Power Com
pdnE, stated dllcIloon lutI
no definite plans had been made for
The operation of the onc-man cars. lie
said that he did not even know on
what line or lines they would he used
and that the whole matter was in the
hands Of the company's operating de
partment.
Provide for Rapid Transit.
The Virginia Railway and Power
Company recently started the opera
ton Of one man cars in Norfolk, bu,
the city Threatened TO forfeit the com
pany's franchise IL the use of the cars
Vas continued. officials declaring that
such cars were prohibited by the terms
/. OF the Norfolk franchise. The Norfolk
city Council finally granted permission
for the use of some OF the cars on one
OF the lines an experiment.
The new cars. which are now in Rich
mond. arc OF much different type
from the older cars. Each car seats
thirty-two people. and is operated by
one man. who serves in front both as
motorman and conductor. che ears
are small and light, and il is claimed
that they can be operated faster and
with less noise than the cars now in