Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-08
CENTRAL STREET RAILWAY.

The Request for the Modification of its
Franchise.
1t is understood that the Board of City
Trustees will be waited upon this morning
by large delegation of prominent citizens
who will urge that the franchise of the
Central Street Railway Company be modi-
fed so as to permit that company to use
other power than electricity in the running
of its cars. Diligent inquiry among citi-
zens develops the fact that the sentiment is
almost unanimous in favor of the change,
and the reasons advanced by the company
for asking the privilege of running its cars
with horses seem to be perfectly good.
Briefly stated, the situation is as follows
At a time when it was confidently asserted
that electricity had been proven to be a sue
cess as q power for propelling street-cars
the Central Street Railway Company were
granted a franchise to lay down tracks upon
various streets over which they were to run
electric cars. The company proceeded in
good faith, laid down its tracks, and within
the time agreed upon had an electric car
running upon the road.
Large sums OF money were expended in
attempting to make il a success, but ex-
perieBce demonstrated that so far the run
ming of cars by electricity is failure, and
the: company reluctantly gave mp the eff
fort. They were then granted the privilege
of using horses for the period of eighteen
months, and at once put upon the line
number of handsome and commodious
cars, which are doing first-class service and
apparently giving excellent satisfaction.
Everybody admits that IL is the best street.
car service Sacramento has ever enjoyed.
Now the company desires TO extend its
7 ~ ~ ievht
Twenty eighth 10 VI, and-an Nineteenth
from to g. 1t is desirable to have these
new portions of the road in operation be-
fore the State Fair opens. The construc-
ton and equipment OF these lines will re-
quire the expenditure OF large sum of
money, and II is perfectly natural that be-
fore proceeding with the work the company
should wish to know whether i. will be
permitted TO use horse or mule power, or
whether its franchise will be forfeited If it
does not use electricity at the expiration of
the eighteen months, about one-tbird of
which time has already elapsed. People
will not invest their money in improve
ments of this sort unless they are reason
ably certain of being protected, and they
are not likely to take chances when there
is even a possibility of their property be-
ing rendered practically worthless, as would
be the case if the company was compelled
to ,se electricity.
the last meeting of the Board of Trus-
te favor Gregory expressed willing
ne vote for the change in the franchise;
Trustee Mclaughlin said that be would
not do so until all who had subscribed to-
wards the construction of the road should
sign petition asking for the change; and
Trustee Wolf asked for further time to in
vestigate the matter. II is stated that a
large majority of the subscribers have
signed the petition, but that there are q few
who subscribed small amounts who refuse
to sign, unless released from the payment
of their subscriptions. The fact is that tbs
people along the line of the road are not
the only ones interested in its operation