The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-09-14
TEE G-STREET ROAD.
Shall the Northern Part of the City Be
Accommodated 7
Demand for Complete Street Rail-
way System for the
Whole City.

franchise to enable it to add to its electric
system line extending from Agricult-
ural Park, G and Twentieth streets, down
q to Seventh and along Seventh to X,
whence the cars will run over the X and
Second-street line to the Southern Pacific
depot.
Some time ago the company asked for
franchise on the same streets, but the
Trustees refused to grant it because ma
jority of the property along the
proposed line demonstrated, and the
Trustees believed that their wishes should
govern. The objection then raised was
that the company would not agree to run
cars through TO the depot and were not
compelled by the franchise to run them
! later than O'Clock in the evening. In
this opposition the q and Seventh-street
people were right, and the board did the
proper thing in refusing the franchise.
Now the proposition is an entirely diff
ferent one, and large majority of the
frontage on both streets is represented
on the petition for the franchise, because
the company has conceded everything
| that the people request. 1t is therefore
| difficult to see how the Trustees can con-
! slstently refuse TO grant the prayer of the
petitioners.
! The pending franchise is made much
more binding than any yet granted by
the city, and the company is required to
| give a bond of S25, 600 to guarantee the
faithful performance of all its conditions.
1t provides that the cars shall run
through to the Southern Pacific depot as
often at least as every fifteen minutes
! rom $50 A. NJ. until 1880 2. NJ, which is
! the same service now given on J, east of
Fifteenth, and on p and Nj streets. 1t
contains another most important feature
| one that is III the interest of the whole
city; that is, the company is bound
IN its franchise to issue to and receive
! from ali lis connecting lines at j and *
streets, going in both directions, free
! transfers. This provides croSs-town
line to any part of the city, including the
parks, swimming baths and cemeteries,
| accessible to all for one fare of five cents.
Its Importance TO merchants on both
and h streets can be readily seen. This
line, coming in at Seventh and X, estab-
fishes the center of the city at the new
Postoffice, from which point the cars will
run IN every direction, and it will also
give the business portion of the city the
service 1t requires by the cars running
close together.
The necessity for a road to Agricultural
Park has been thoroughly demonstrated
during the past week. The vast crowds
OF people attending the fair have been
landed three blocks away from the Park
and compelled to walk that distance in
the heat. Visitors from abroad have COM
planned bitterly, and with Just cause, If
we invite people to the city we ought to
provide suitable accommodations for
them. Every visitor who goes away with
a grievance, real or fancied does the city
harm, and there is nothing that is so
quickly noticed and so thoroughly appre-
ciated as good transportation facilities.
TO the people of the city the road will
also be boon, as they could then reach
the Park from any part of the city for 5
cents. If the race track is ever moved to
some point where it can be reached by
steam as well as street cars, the G-street
line would no doubt be extended to East
Park and that portion of the city would
be rapidly built up.
But in spite of all the advantages
offered by this line there are those who
are opposed to the granting of the fran
chise. The opposition does not come
from those in that section of the citv
where it is proposed to build the line, but
mainly from residents Of other sections.
Their argument seems to be that if the
company will not build line where it
does not want to build, it shall not be al
lowed to build at all. Capital cannot be
forced to construct street railways into
territory that does not offer inducements
sufficient to pay operating expenses and
interest on the investment, and if the
company does not see fit to build a road
at once into the suburbs that is no reason
why thickly settled section should be
deprived of transportation facilities when
they demand it and when the company
stands ready to give them what they de-
sire. At present the whole northern part
OF the city is without street railway ac-
commodations, and the residents of that
section are put to great Inconvenience.
They want the road built and the Trus-
tees ought to grant their petition.
1t is but justice to the Central Electric
Company to say that it has, in it's deal
ings with the city, carried out its con-
tracts and given as good service as was
possible with new system. 1t is now
hard at work constructing new line to
the City Cemetery, erecting a car barn
and putting its system in better shape
every day to accommodate the public. 1t
has shown disposition to keep UP with
the times and there is every reason to be-
lieve that it will improve upon the pres
ent system as fast as it is able. Mr..
Henry said before the Board of Trustees
on Monday that the company has secured
a controlling interest in East Park. If
that be true it may be confidently ex-
pected that it will extend it's line from
Twenty-eighth and into that park in
the near future, as it can by way of its
Twenty-eighth-str line run all it's cars
from L, NJ and j streets into the park, if
it desires to, when occasion requires it.
If the franchise is granted it should, of
course, jealousy guard the interests of
the city. The bond required in the fran
chise is wise precaution. 1t will COM
pei the company to honestly and faith
fully carry out its provisions and will
prevent the tying up of streets for specu-
lative purposes, and should be required
of all persons applying for franchises in
ft1t1
experience in that line and the Trustees
should see to it that no man or set of men
should again be allowed to tie up streets
for the purpose of specializing.
The Trustees should place another re-
striction in the franchise which would
prevent the company from abandoning
any portion of its road at its own option.
Sacramento has suffered enough in the
past from the failure of the Trustees to
insert this provision. Of course, a COM
pany ought not be compelled to operate
business at a loss, but when a citizen
has built home on a street because a
| railway is there he becomes to a certain
extent interested in the railway, and if
| the company desires to abandon any por-
| ton of its line let it abandon it all, or re-
| ceive the consent of the Trustees to the
abandonment OF a certain portion of it.
| Then the property owners along the line
| proposed to be abandoned would have an
! opportunity to show cause why it should
| not be abandoned, and the Trustees
would be in position to protect inter-
| ested parties as well as the company, If
| the franchises in the past had been
| granted in this way we would now have
lines on o and II streets, but as il is the
| property owners were powerless in the
| premises.
NOT GOOD STORY-TELLERS.