Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-06
THE STREET RAILROAD WAR.

The excitement caused by tearing up the
| lower portion of the o street railroad, was
only breeze before the coming storm.
When it became known throughout the city
that the road had also been abandoned and
the track removed on FL street, from TWEEN
tieth to East Park, the excited feeling was
greatly intensified, and the railway company
became common target for censure and
malediction. Public opinion seemed to be
largely in one direction, and if the time
chosen by the company in which to make the
present radical changes was accidentally
just at time when the State was without
Courts or legal remedy to restrain wrong, it
is most unfortunate for the company, as
few seem disposed to accord any such
excuse, but regard the occasion as
Enthusiastically premeditated and counseled
plot to accomplish by circumvention that
which neither the sentiment of the people
nor Courts would permit, A fresh interest
was yesterday afternoon given to the situa-
ton by the Board of City Trustees tearing
up portion of the company's track on Sec
ond street, between j and k. This at once
compelled the company to cease running their
cars between X street and the depot, and
brought matters between the Trustees and
railroad company to a direct issue. Upon
inquiring of the Board of Trustees as to the
purpose designed in obstructing the use of
this branch of the road, it was ascertained
that the Board was acting under legal advise
and with view to compel the company to
comply with the terms of their charter in re-
gard to the Second street section of the road.
The complaint made by the Trustees is,
that the franchise was granted subject to the
provisions of the Civil Code, pages 491 to 511
inclusive, which requires them to construct
and keep in good repair the space between
the tracks and for distance of two feet each
side. The block between | and j was
paved and the adjacent property assessed ON
that basis. The property. owners paid their
proportion but the railroad company refuse to
pay theirs on the ground that local law
passed by the Legislature, and applying to a
part of the city of Sacramento, would only
make them responsible for construction and
repairs between the track. The Board say
this law was not referred to in the franchise
granted by the city under which the road was
built. The whole was to be done under the direc-
ton and to the satisfaction of the Street Com
missioner, and theyw not to run cars uponit
until the construction should be approved by
the Board OF Trustees The Street Commits
sioner claims that the work was not done to
his satisfaction, nor did they ask his APP
proval, and has never been approved by the
Board of Trustees, but entirely ignored them
and the requirements of the Charter and
commenced using the road. In addition
to this the Board also states that there was
an agreement that the company shouldnot take
up any of the Front street track until they
had received permission from the Board, and
executed satisfactory guarantee to leave the
street in as good condition as before the track
was laid. The company, however, UNI
der cover of last Saturday night without any
permission, and in defiance of the authority
of the Board, tore up this track also. They
upon the persons purporting to be the own
ers of the railroad. After the Board had