The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-12
ALONG THE RAIL.
Another Test of the Agents Liz
cense Order.
The Bridgeman Was at Fault for the Accident
on Saturday = No Freight-Train
Passenger Tickets.

William Be Dell, local agent OF the Penn
sylvania lines, is trying to recover $3.50 from
License Collector O'Brien. the amount hav-
Ing been paid under protest for license I'M
der Order 1889 of the Board of Supervisors
to transact the business of railroad agent.
This order provides that every railroad
agent doing business in this city shall take
out license. paying therefor S25 per quar-
ter, ana failing TO do so shall be adjudged
guilty of misdemeanor and punished by a
fine of $1,000 or six months imprisonment, or
by both fine and imprisonment.
Be Dell says that he paid the fee, which
lie now sues to recover, between March l,
1889, and April 1. $780, His attorney con-
tends that the order is illegal and void, and
repugnant to Clause 8, Section s. Article L of
the Constitution of the United States.
About two years ago Mccall of the Erie
tested the validity of this order by refusing
to ray license. The case was heard BY Judge
Murphy, and he ruled against the agent.
MeCalPs attorneys were not satisfied, and
eventually took the case to Washington,
when the Supreme Court reversed the de-
cision of the lower court, since which all
license money from railway agents has gone
into the City Treasury under protest.
THE BRIDGEMAN AT FAULT.
The officials of the San Francisco and
North Pacific Railway Company upon in
veStigatiOn have decided that the Bird &c
Waterman was at fault in the accident Of
Saturday morning. in allowing one of the
| schooner men to open the draw, and also
In neglecting to display danger signal at
the proper time.
The brakeman deposed that the white
light IA signal of safety was clearly visible
until the section Of cars was within few
feet of the creek. when suddenly the dam
ger signal was displayed, the watchman
evidently having taken in the situation
when IL was too late to save the train.
The brakeman has been completely exon
Grated from blame in this connection, and
the careless brdgeman is dead to the world.
tie has not been seen since the accident,
and his absence would seem to verify the
theory that the blame should rest entirely
upon his shoulders.
Repairs were completed on Sunday even
ing, and the train from Ukiah arrived on
time yesterday morning. The damage to
freight will not exceed $1,000, which will, Of
course, be borne by the company.
RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS.
The Railroad Commissioners met yester-
day, and the Secretary read a complaint
from the Santa Clara Mill and Lumber
Company, charging the Southern Pacific
with eXacting excessive rates on lumber
shipments and asking the Commissioners to
fix rate. The board ordered that the
Southern Pacific Company be notified and
given the customary fifteen days in which
to reply.
A. N. Towne's answer to request for
freight train passenger service, was read,
in which he stated many objections to the
merchants petition, among others, that the
cabooSe cars attached to freight trains,
owing to their construction, are unsuitable
to the accommodation of passengers; also
that accidents with these trains are more
frequent owing to inferior braking facili-
ties.
FERRY DEPOT AND BUILDING.
The Southern Pacific Company,yesterday
submitted plans to the Board of Harbor
Commissioners for a Encouragement of the
depot building at the ferry landing. The
structure now used for the purpose does not
conform with the plans the company made
originally, and TO lack of required space is
due the present bad arrangement The
ticket offices are not in the most convenient
position, because the Harbor Commissioners
insisted upon allowing the newsstand TO
occupy the most desirable place in the whole
building The plans now under considera-
ton propose to devote the present PostOffice
site TO passenger space, and suggest that
new building be erected for the accommo-
datlon OF mail matter.
EXCURSION BUSINESS.
The main line of the North Pacific Coast
Railway 10 Cazadero did heavy excursion
business on Sunday. a large number of peo-
pie enjoyed a days outing at Camp Taylor,
while others fished for trout in the Laguni-
tas and Carson creeks. Several good strings
were taken, but for the most part the FISH
were very small.
Travel to the Yosemite this season is
heavier than ever before, and applications
for accommodations to the valley are pour
ing in, in sucn numbers as to sOrely perplex
Agent Miller. Everything is taken up un-
til Friday and late corners will be compelled
to wait. Three coaches are being run daily.