The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-11
FOR AND AGAINST OWL CARS

The Owl-car question seems to be absorb
ing public attention Whether the belaied
theater or party goer shall spend So for hack
or shall walk home, or shall be provided
with car every half hour to convey him to
his destination for a nickel, is the puzzle on
which people are exercising their wits
and. as usual, San Franeiscans are discuss
ing it as if it were a new question in NUM-
cipal economy which required a reference to
first principles, whereas, in TACT, it is one Of
the Oldest problems in modern social life a
problom which has been discussed In every
large city. and finally solved to general
public satisfaction.
The Arguments on either side are the
same old arguments which were put forth
years ago in London. Paris and New York.
The public demand night cars which shall
carry passengers at regular intervals all
through the still hours Of the night, and
they demand this On the ground of public
convenience. On the other hand the car
companies base their refusal to supply night
cars On the expense Of keeping their cable
running all night. on the small number OF
people who are away from home after mid
night and on the moral ground that people
should not be encouraged to stay away
from home when the Vrtuous class is in
bed. The main argument, Of course is that
night cars would not pay One of the larg-
est owners Of stock in the cable companies
says that as soon as he and his fellow-stoek-
holders are satisfied that there would be
patronage enough 10 pay the cost Of running
the cable all night owl trains will be run.
This argument was used when the cues
ton was up 10 older cities than San Fran
cisco. 1t was completely refut ed by the re-
tort that tile acceptance of a franchise BY
city car company implied willingness to
serve the convenience of the public. even
when some portions Of the service were
Improbable. a cable-car company obtains
the use Of a street in consideration of its
Undertaking to carry passengers on that
street at minimum charge for transporta-
ton IL has no right to pick and choose
when 1t VIII run cars and when not; to
carry passengers when great many Of
them seek transportation, and 10 refuse to
carry them when there are but few, II
agrees to pay for its monopoly by carrying
them at all hours. Were the conditions of
lis bargain otherwise the bargain would be
one sided-ail The profit would 20 to the
car company. DO adequte compensatIng re-
turn being exacted by the city Such lines
as the Market, the Suffer and the California
would make more money than they do if
they only ran their cars in the mornings
and late afternoons. They are Obliged to
keep up their service through the middle
OF the day by way of requital for the
harvest which their franchises enable
them TO reap when the rush of travel is on.
These principles govern the question of
night cars. The owlserviee might at first be
unprofiable but any slight loss incurred by
the companies would be more than made M
by the profits they would realIze from the
service between A. NJ and 10 A. NJ. and be-
tween p NJ aud P. NJ. IL this statement
be denied. and the companies declare that
they cannot afford to run night cars, they
are quite at liberty to protect themselves
by throwing up their franchises. There Is
nothing TO prevent the Market-street sys-
TEN. for instance. surTendering its right to
run cars over that thOroughfare. A new
company would be formed to take its place,
and would be required TO take its rails, cars
ana equipment at valuation; the new
franchise under which II would work would
stlpulate for night service, and the Market
street company would provide for the paw
ment OF the principal and interest of its
bonds out OF some other source OF revenue,
Corporations which are created by law to
serve the public never give their patrons
more than they are obliged TO give. Being
souiless they DO just what the law compels
them to do and nothing more. PERTAINS
they are not to blame. But the stiffness
with which they stand out for their rights
imposes on the public a corresponding duty
to exact of them the full measure Of service
NH ab