Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-07
Abusing the Railroad.
Oakland sentinel.]

At the present time there is large num-
Der of people in this community who can
not find words strong enough to express
their indignation at the position of gentle
mea who make no secret of the fact that
they are friendly to the interest of the
Southern Pacific Railroad. This feeling of
opposition is not of recent origin, for so
often as election time has rolled around
during the past ten years SO often has this
TRADE against the company broken out, and
it subsidies only when election time is past
and public opinion has no opportunity of
asserting itself. Why the railroad should
be the main object of public abuse. when
there are so many other local evils of q
much worse character, we cannot conceive.
This city is gridironed by the bands of the
Southern Pacific Company. A splendid
cable system, the property of the same rail-
road, plies our main thoroughfare, and one
section of the city absolutely maintains it
self ON the labor employed by this corpora
ton. The ferry service, which few years
ago was an uncertain hourly transit, is now
safe and sure method of crossing the bay
every fifteen minutes, and in coaches and
steamers second TO none in the world. A
creek route for the convenience OF or heav
ier travel is operated in satisfactory man.
ner, several round trips day being made.
The rate for freight is so cheap that there is
not to be heard as much es a single muir
mur of discomfort. The passenger fare is
twenty-five cents round trip, or by
monthly service ten cents 8 round trir.
From the eastern extremity of this city 10
the landing in San Francisco it is twelve
miles and over, and the day traveller who
objects 10 8 rae OF one cent mile is
chronic from nature, while the monthly
traveller who cannot afford TO pay five
twelfths OF one cent mile cheaper than
anywhere else in the world) had better take
to walking. As we have said, the large car
shops at West Oakland employ more men
than there are men employed at any other
place in the State. and two million dollars
year is only g fair estimate of the amount
of money this railroad turns loose into this
city. In addition to this much, the Central
Pacific Railroad has never been known to
stand in the way of public improvement,
and no later than year ago its President
offered 10 fl in marsh land district at
West Oakland at cost in response to pub
lie wish. A valuable railroad franchise on
Grove street was abandoned at the request
of our people, and in the matter of i'm prov
ing and beautifylDg Broadway by paving il
with bitumlnous rock, the railroad will not
with lis large interests, be found an OBJ
jector. These few things which come TO
our mind makes US wonder what the devil
~ 10 sAdt uidf-co LIE ldilIcdN the ODJeCI OF
public abuse. 1t makes US wonder why
man, wide awake enough 70 see and hon.
est enough TO admit that the railroad has
been friend to Oakland, SHOULD be the OBJ
ject of periodical attack by a class of this
community, interested here as property
owners and active in the political councils
of our government. That the railroad en-
ployes do not always do right there is no
doubt. but that is the case with every cor
poration and every business man. EN-
pleyes viii be dishonest as long as oppor-
tunities offer. Hined men of 8 corporation
will naturally band together in politics,
the same as they do in social life. The en-
ployers are lot responsible for this, and for
them TO interfere would be to deny Ameri-
can citizens the right of the liberty which
our constitutional government guarantees
them. Consider this matter readers, and
you will feel as we do toEard this railroad.
We want its friendship continued. We
want as much more of ii as we can get.
and whatever Others, from other parts of
the State may claim. let Us talk only of
the Southern Pacific Railroad as we lind it, !