The morning call., 1891-12-02
AGAINST HUCKSTERS.
Another Effort to Brighten Them
Off at Lunch Stations.
Detectives Sent Down to Lathrop by the
Railroad to Protect the Interests Of
the Eating-Houses.

The Southern Pacific will make another heroic
effort to frighten off and II possible exterminate
the bothersome itinerant huckstcrs and lunch
vendors along the line OF Its extensive system.
As all who have travelled over this road will
readily remember, particularly going southwark.
the railroad company has established eating
houses at convenient intervals, and those who
journey are obliged, II so unfortunate as TO be-
come hungry on The way, to pay 10 cents for a
scant lunch, compressed Into a dlstressfully
scant period Of time.
The eating houses are nearly all run by Sisson
& Croker, or else under leases from that firm'
and have fixed rates for meals and lunches in
Inverse ratio to the quality of the meal served
and the short time allowed in which TO stow It
away.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMPETITION.
Ever since this syst m has been in operation
there has been splendid opportunity for compe-
ttion, and the shrewd local yender. with an eye
to a few pennies, has ben Quick to "catch on"
II was not a very difficult matter ehher for
they could produce eatables many times
superior In quality to those of the clearinghouse
and at considerably less than half the price.
Better still, they could stand at the car-steps.
line the avenues TO the train, or even walk
through the cars. The consequence has Deen
that the eating houses have found character
OF opposition that they could hardly eomp:te
with and keep up appearances. They have tried
and Of course The railroad company has lent
every possible assstance-tO stop lie annoying
competition by driving The intruders OIL the
grounds, and making ali sorts OF hostile over
tut es 10 keep them oil.
VIOLENCE REsoRTED TO.
In many Instances violence has been resorted
10. but as that sort OF proceeding was not boil
stored up by ever so faint shadow OF law, and
besides the local feeling was entirely In SYM
palhy with the veuders the hosIillties ceased, at
least Temporarily.
The railroad comnany, however. has never
given up the fight. Every opportunity has been
improved TO war with tie lunch peddlers, aud
life has been made as miserable for Them as pos
Sbe al every point on the line. Most OF the
warfare, however, has concentrated at Lathrop,
where he largest eating house on The line is To-
cated-largest In all respects prices and other
wise.
The local pie peddlers have grown thicker than
flies there from year oyrar, In spite OF all oppo-
Stlon and railroad annoyance and the ealing.
house authorities correspondingly more des-
perate. Last year the company sent one OF lts
detectives, named keefe, up tn lie TO guard the
place and threaten the Irespassers with the law.
GREETED AND GRINNED AT.
They greeted him In most cordial manner,
bur when lie began TO threaten they griunrd al
him. He became bold and mad al once. 1u a
minute he had fred one poor plem pies and
all, into the ditch. The next instant there was q
SOFT OF wild ch aos, and when the dust cleared
away the railroad detective could hardly be
found, but when he WAS he was almost unrecog-
nlZable. The ple-yendefs went OF selling pie.
Gu Monday the company decided 10 make
another strike, and IL night four more detectives
Kellogg, Hager and Wallace, from Oakland, and
FIIZiaGTIck from Suisun, were sent ia Laihrop,
under instructions from Superintendent Ftll-
more 10 resort to everything within The law 10
drive of the nuisances.
Ii was reported mat the IRthrop vendors were
warned OF what was coming aud pr pdrrd 10
make a big fight. All Lathrop Is stirred over
the matter and the local authorities. II Is under
stood have informed the bucksters that they
will be protected in their rights.