The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-16
MERCHANTS SIGN.
They Join in the Demand
for Owl Cars.
Members cf the Produce Exchange
Will Aid in the Fight for the
Needed Change.

The merchants have at Iastta en- hold Of
the owl-car movement and from now on will
aid THE CALL in Its work.
Yesterday The members of the Produce
Exchange sent TO this Office for large num-
Der OF signature blanks, and will return
them In few days signed. The business
men fully realize the great benefit which
would necessarily accrue from the estab-
lishment Of line of all-night cars. and no
class OF men more clearly understand that
such an enterprise would be of great con-
venleDce 10 the public at large.
Said a prominent downtown merchant
yesterday: There is no reason why
city like San Francisco could not
do what Denver and Kansas City
have already done. The population Of
with. and then the climate is such that
people are able 10 be out on the street much
more often than In the East. Take ST.
Louis, Tor instance. where they run cars at
intervals all night. and you will find
scarcely any one on the streets after IL
o'clock, aud yet the owl cars are well
patronized. There the chief revenue Is
derived from men whose employment Is
such that they are compelled to be out late
Were II not for the owl ears they would be
compelled to live in the crowded down.
town districts instead of having neat and
comfortable homes in the outlying portions
of the city,"
One statement made by Colonel Croker,
IN an interview few days ago, has been
quite freely criticized. He gave il as his
opinion that mon as a rule adapt their m obi s
OF living TO suit their hours and their en-
ployment In other words according TO his
views. man whose business keeps him out
until the cars have stopped running selects
home In small, poorly ventilated rooms
downtown. because he doesn tcare 10 walk
two or three miles after doing hard DAYS
work. he may have family of small
children, to be sure, but that cuts no figure
In the matter. Air and light for them is Of
small Importance
line like the Sutter-street road. for in
stance, IL would seem could find no difficulty
In securing patronage enough for owl cars.
not only to pay expenses, but TO make them
profitable as WE'LL They would, of neces
Sly owing 70 the mus to the north OF their
line, command district at least six blocks
In width and extending to the cemeteries
In all that region there are certainly pao-
pie enough who stay out late 10 crowd every
car. and an experiment could not prove very
expensive. A mere trial, which could be
done at very light cost would certainly
show what could or could not be done. and
the chances are that the road giving the
hrst accommodation would reap the greatest
benefit
There is another thing for the owners of
the railroads TO think about and that is that
there would be an increase in the number of
people along the lines running late cars
Men who needed such service would in nine
cases out OF ten move to homes along the
routes giving them the accommodation. and
thus create certain amount Of traffic.
But the merchants will aid great deal
anu Tue Chances are that they will have
weight with the companies.
AT the same time hundreds Of pledges are
coming in every day and the humber ia
growing rapidly.
SOME of the prettiest and daIntlest stvles ever
prOduced In lille chlldren,s cnata -. :. .