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R. CL P.
<br />
<br />Jamuary 27, 1922
<br />
<br />At a special meetin.gof the City Council January 27th there were present:
<br /> Messrs-- Vernon Brooke, R. B. Esleeck, J. H. Hall, Jr.,
<br /> R. A. Hutchihs, Jr., J. Alden Oast, J. ~. Smith,
<br /> L. G. White, 7
<br /> Also the City Manager.
<br />
<br />The following direotion~ were read for
<br />
<br />"Mr. L. C'. Brinson,
<br /> City Clerk & Auditor,
<br /> City,
<br />
<br />the special meeting:
<br />
<br /> "Portsmouth, Va., January 25, 1922
<br />
<br /> "Dear Sir:--
<br />
<br /> You will please call a special meeting of the City Council for Friday,
<br />January 27th, at 5 o'clock P. M,, to consider matters concerning Street Railway.
<br />
<br />"Yours very truly,
<br />
<br /> The "call" h~ing been read, the following telegram
<br />the Virginia Railway & Power Co. was read:
<br /> "Richmond,
<br /> "~Hon. R. A. Hutohins,
<br /> Mayor, Portsmodth, Va.
<br />
<br />A. Hutohins, Jr., Preeident."
<br />to the Mayor from the President of
<br />
<br />Va., 11:~5 A. Jan. 25, 1922
<br />
<br />of Portsmouth yeaterday reported over long dis-
<br />
<br /> "In reply to~Resolutions of City Council
<br />tahoe telephone by City Manager Jervey, beg to say that we must decline to re-instate strikers,
<br />and propostion made you in ottr letter twenty-third is very best we can do.
<br />
<br /> THCS. S. WHEELWRIGHT, PRESIDENT. 12:10 P.M."
<br />
<br /> A communication was read from the Mayor making certain recommendation witk meg~rd to the
<br />street oa~ situation.
<br />
<br /> At this point, a communication was read from the Westhaven Civic League,
<br />of Directors, requesting the Council to take such action as may be necessary
<br />car eervice in this City and suburbs.
<br />
<br />through the Board
<br />to restore the
<br />
<br /> On motion, the'privilege of the floor was granted to a Committee from the Retail Merchants'
<br />Association, and Messrs. J. M. Overton and Jno. A. Morris ~ave the views of the said Association
<br />on the street oar situation,
<br />
<br /> Then Mr. Hall presented the following resolutions, embracing the recommendations of the
<br />Mayor:
<br />
<br /> "WH~.EAS, the conditions in the City'of Portsmouth, resulting from the cessation of
<br />smreet car service have caused intolerable suffering and incoven~ence to the citizens of the
<br />said City, and
<br />
<br /> "W~EREAS, -the City Council of Portsmouth, regardless of the merits of the existing con-
<br />troversy between the Virginia Railway & Power Co. ~nd its employees, can not permit the great
<br />mass of its people to continue to suffer and be inconvenienced on account of a controversy ~n-
<br />volving only a public service corporation and a comparatively few of its oi'tizens:
<br />
<br /> "NOW, BE IT RESOLVED, by the said Council of the City of Portsmouth, in special session
<br />assembled:
<br />
<br /> "First: That, While the Council stands always ready to exercise its~good offices, insofar
<br />as lies in its official Power, to adjust the differences existing between the Company and its
<br />men; it nevertheless must re~nize that the interest of the general public must first be con-
<br />sleeted.
<br />
<br /> "Second: That the Virginia Railway & Power Company's attention be called to the paragraph
<br />of their franchise which requires that they maintain a fifteen minute schedule Sn the City of
<br />P~:~m~m~; that the City has now been without street car service for twelve dmys, and that
<br />Council demand immediate r&sumption of service on all its lines.
<br />
<br /> ~Third: That in the event nc effort is made by midnight January 30th to run its cars,
<br />the jitne~ordinance limiting the number of jitneys permitted to operate on the streets will
<br />be'revised and jitneys will be allowed to opezate with a pro-rated license.
<br />
<br /> Further, That if no effort be made to give full service ~y midnight January 30th, the
<br />Council consider that the Company has forfeited its franchise; and the City M~nager and City
<br />Attorney are hereby empowered and authorized to take such legal steps as may be necessary to
<br />protect the City's interest.
<br />
<br /> "Fourth:. That th~ City can not permit itself to be co-erced into making concessions prior
<br />mo the resumption of service by the street uar oompany.~ To demonstrate, however, its desire
<br />forgo-operation, it will go on record as accepting in principle, as soon as service is resumed
<br />.on existi_ng tracks, the proposition of the street car company, as~set forth in its letter of
<br />January 23rd, with the modifications contained in paragraphs 2, 3 and-4 of the resolution of
<br />the Council, d~ted Jan. 24~h, 1922, ple.~i~g itself that the whole,matter will be'handled in
<br />a spirit of equity as well as justice to all concerned."
<br />
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