The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-11-15
ARTLESS jim REA.
Ills Great ShiveIy Farce
Is Produced.
1T IS VERY, VERY FUNNY.
What Was Said and Done and THOUGHT
Before the Railway Board Foot
lights Yesterday.

DdIHulh circus, GllDert and Sullivan
burlesques and Charles Hoyt's farce-come-
dies all thrown in together and produced at
the same time could not begin to furnish
as much fun as the session of that august
body known as the Railroad Commission of
California held yesterday provided for the
lew people who enjoyed the privilege of
being present.
After considerable delays the Com mis-
siohers decided at last to produce the OPEN
Ing scenes Of the Shively Complaint comedy.
realistic song and dance entertainments.
put before the public to illustrate how com
pletely Mr.. Huntington and his Southern
racine Company control the Railroad Com
mlssloners, and Eow little they care for the
rights and opinions of the people of this
State.
The leading actors in this great play are
Commissioners Rea, Litcbfield and Beck
man, who have been engaged for this ocea-
sion at salary of $4,000 each, to be paid by
the taxpayers of California.
, Ii they receive any other remuneration
for their services il will have to come from
other sources. because the State allows
them that amount only.
lie next important role has been as
signed to a ghost, who is on the bills as
X: %. Shively, San Jose merchant
de Is entirely spiritual, and during no
| stage OF the proceedings will he appear N
| any materialized form.
| But John Z. Richards, an attorney, Is the
medium through which the Invisible Shively
| communicates with the rest of tie per-
| formers at every seRnce.
Coils i. Huntington Is another actor
who. while cast for an important part viii
| only be present In spirit; but. unlike his
| ethereal brother Of San Jose, he will have
| more than one substitute whenever it be-
comes time for him 10 speak his lines.
To j. Z. Martin, an Oakland attorney, the
| duty to respond to Mr.. Huntington's cues
has been principally assigned.
There Is only one other principal in the
play and that is an Ohio colonel called on
the official programme Richard p Morgan.
expert.
0fcourse there are lots orsupernun eraries.
supes. dupes, satellites. coryphees ana
manlpulators of the necessary mechanism.
but their names will be given as they ap-
pear.
Secretary Kelly Of the Railroad Commits
sion acts as stage manager and master OF
ceremonies and promptly at 10 A. NJ. yes err
day the curtain rolled up for the opening Of
the carnival
The three Commissioners were all right.
Rea in the center attired faultlessly III
Prince Albert coat and with his pompadour
combs nicely and with evident care.
Litchfield, beside his everyday clothes,
wore pink button-hole and a scowl. he
sat at the side OF Rea, who is the chairman
on the left flank.
The latter had made no attempt to dress
or make up for bis part, but had just come
down from Sacramento as he left his bank.
Lawyer Martin was on hand to do the
phOnOgraphlc act for the absent spirit
Huntington, and he was accompanied by
two other eminent servants of Coils p.
namely, j. &. Stubs aud Charles F. SmurT.
But Lawyer Richards, the medium for
the ethereal Mr.. Shvely, had sent a tele-
n ha hat hp nd pnisS sad
| train and that he therefore could not be on
hand until IL O'Clock.
The Ohio colonel. the Huntington repre-
spntatlves, the reporters. Secretary Kelly,
called on the bills witnesses" passed q
pleasant hour together In talking of the
weather and other important matters.
Just little before IL o'clock Commits
sioner Beckman made bluff to go and loOz
for Richards.
Everybody was ION to him." however,
aud besides, the timely arrival of the man
lie had said he intended to look for pre-
vented him from getting the Glove he was
| accused of being DESTROYS 20 obtain.
Immediately after making his entry
| Shively, through Richards, addressed the
| Commissioners. and as a preliminary state
/ ment said that he had entered complaint
| against the Southern Pacific Company, In
| which he asked the board TO compel that
| curpurution TO reduce its railroad fares ga
| this State not less than 10 per cent and its
| freight charges not less than 20 per cent.
MIR. Shively also sent word from the other
world through his medium that he was
prompted by no malice in making this CON-
paint, but that he did IL simply because be
believed the rates and fares charged by the
Kentucky corporation at present excessive,
and because the Railroad Commissioners
have frequently In the past expressed a de-
sire TO remedy matters in this respect IL
only some citizen would bring The case uD
in some manner which would warrant an
investigation.
| Mr. Shively, being only weak spirit aud
| not being able to be present at the inves.I-
| CATION, he delegated Mr.. Richards, who Is q
! strong and healthy mortal, to represent him
| during the proceedings, and the latter
| started to acQuit himself of his task By
| reading the complaint referred to foregoing.
But before he had time to read that doeu-
| ment Commissioner Rea stepped to The
| footlghts, and the dialogue which followed
| gave the audience the first indication Of the
| vast amount of fun the plot contained.
Have you completed your work as an
expert employed by this board, and ave
you made a report OF the results OF your
labors LII that direction ?" asked the chair
man of the board addressing the Chic
colonel-R Z. Morgan.
Il have finished my investigations and am
ready TO hand in my report whenever it ia
wanted" the colonel responded.
Commissioner Litcbheld, with his frown.
Jumped at once into the arena, and picking
l
elared that whatever report Colonel Nor
| gan had 10 make was for the board only,
| and not for use at this stage Of the proceed
| ings.
I'VE secured the colone's services for
| the purpose OF gathering information 10 be
| usec in this investigation, Rea said, land
| / see 90 reason why it should be withheld.
| Therefore, move that the experts report
| be now received and read"
And / propose an amendment that
| MnrOan'S
all the other evidence in the case is IN,
| said Liichfield.
Beckman sided with Litchfield, AMI de-
| clared he wanted to see no report from any
| expert until he had heard all the other evil
dence because he did not want to be ipfn-
eneed by the opinions aud conclusions
| Colonel Morgan might have arrived at.
| Whereupon Rea whether really or enly
| because he was acting his part, became
| quite angry and he talked about the ap-
| parent injustice of withholding information
| which had, as 1t is supposed, been gathered
| by an employe of the State from the iRYes-
| tigating commission.
| Rea argued that it was essential to have
! the data complied by the expert before any
| further steps were taken. because without
| them it would take months to arrive at the
| facts which they contain, all of vhlch
| would mean loug-drawn-0ut investigation
when there was no need for such pr q as
| tination.
A vote was taken, and Litchfeld's natlen
to withhold the report until all the Ntesr
| proceedings in the case were completed was
| carried, 1t being voted for by the mover AID
| Beekman.
Rea registered an emphatic no.. and as
| subsequent proceedings developed is was
| found that the same question came up 10
| MANY different ways many more times.
In fast, almost the whole day was con-
sumed in an endeavor on one SIDE TO have
| the report produced and IN persistent de-
Mai on the part OF the other side to allow its
| introduction.
Richards then read the complaint, as
stated. and stated that he regretted the nom
appearance OF Colonel Morgan's report,