Minutes 08/22/1922 - Laserfiche WebLink

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is, however, willing ~o accept as permanent base sche~les, until modified by it, the base schedules proposed by you ms initial and tentative sDhe~les in your letter of Aug~Gst Sth. (c) With reference to ~he payment by Your Company, for ~the coat of pm~ing po?tAchs of streets occupied by your tracks, for Which you are required to pay under existing ~r~nohises or to which it is proposed to extend the provisions of these franchises, the Council is willing to extend the limit of six months given in its resolution of July 15, 1922, to one yea~. No other changes in this item will be Cons~idered. The Council is of the opinion that this paving of track.s does not fall up.on you~ Cmmpany but is a just, indLreot tax on the users of the street railways, many of whom pay no ~hex tax. tt is interesting to note that even were all the streets on which you operate paved, assuming a passenger traffic of 1~,000,000 annually, the tax would amount to less than per trip. Such a traffic would mean that each inhabitant averaged approximately ~20 trips per yea~, or at a total cost per oaplta to the community of less than 50~,- a small and in- signific~nt t~x when it is remembered that the owner of an aurorae.bile pays appromimately $Z5.00 p~r year for the privilege of operating his private c~r over the streets of the City. (d) In reference to the r~gulation of jitneys, no modification will be made in the attitude o~ propositions o~ the Council as set forth in its resolution of July lSth, 1922, already referred to, mnd this point will not be fu'rther discussed. ~. It may be remarked that should the Council grant the concessions asked ~y you in your letter~ of August 8th, there would seem nothing vital left ~o regulate mhd no need would exist for £urther modification of existing franchises, new franchises or cent=act. 5- So lam as the various ~ther minor exceptions made by you are concerned, the Council is of the opinion that if you accept the four essential propositions ~s to regulation o~ jit- neys, share in the expense of paving streets on whish your tracks are located, fares, and schedules, it will no~ ce difficult to adjust the remaining differences. 6. The ~ounoil partioul~ly desires me to emphasize to you that its attitude ~n jitney regulations, paymen~ for pavements, fares, and schedules, as expressed in its resolution of July lSth, 1~22, a~d ~e~s~£irmed and elucidated in p~ragr~phs 2 and 3 of this letter, are final, unalterable, and ~not subject to further discussion. ~. It is, therefore, requested that you c~tegorically and definitely either accept or reject these four propositions as now submitted ~o you without further argument or discussion on or before 12 o'clock noon, August 31st, 1922. Very truly yours, .J.P. Jervey~ City ~nager." The lette~ having been read, Mr. Smith moved ~o amend the section relative to 5' f~ve so as zo read as fdllows: "That the Council will agree to a 6~ fare for twelve months after ~he contemplated improvements are completed, and that at ~h~.~mxpir~tion of twelve months after the completion of the improvements the Va. Ry. & Power Co. will put into effect the 5~ fare, provided the Council believes the s~me is ins%tilted by the economic conditions, as shown by reports submitted by the Va. Ry. & Power Co. to the City Council." ~r. B~ooks raised the point that Mr. Smith's motion was ou~ of order. The Chair ruled the point not well taken. Mr. Esleeck appealed from the decision of the Chair and the Chadr was sustained by the following vote: For decision of the Chair-- Hutchins, 0ast, Smith, White, Stewart, 5- . /A~a%nst de~i~on of the ~h~ir-- Brooks, Esleeok, 2. And then Mr. Smith's amend- ~_~a~e~s~e /~ll~ing vote. Ayes-- Huto~ins, Oas~, Smith, Stewart, White, 5. Then Mr. ~rooks moved that section (b) of An 0rdin~nce Re-routing, Regulating and Re- stricting the Operation of Vehidles Propelled by Gasoline or Other Internal Combustion Engines or Drawn by Animals and Used in the Transportation of Passengers on the Streets of the City of Portsmouth Over Fixed Routes at a Fixed Rate of F~re," be amended to read ms follows: "(b) Within 90 days after the improved service on any line provided for has been put into operation, it will re-rou~e, restrict and re~late all e~isting systems of or separate vehicles for.?urb~n transportation operating on this line other than those belonging to the Virginia Railway and Power Co.,so that they will not r~u on streets used for urban ~ransportation of passengers by the Vi~ginim Railway & Power Co., or nearer than on~ block o£ s~oh streets." Mr. Whi~e moved that the Council adjourn ~o a special meeting to Ce called by the Presi- dent, ~o continue consideration of the traction matter. The motion by Mr. White was adopted.