The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-08

N.
threatened with the removal of the COM
pany'S maehine-shops if they patfoniZed its
advertising columns. the Union was
squeezed to d1ath-crushed as completely as
is a cascarone by Mexican girl al fiesta
and the property q few months before worth
half a million dollars fell into the railroad
directors hands for song, sung by them
selves.
THE SESSIONS OF THE COMMITTEE.
The reports Of the sessions of the execu-
tive committee Of the One Hundred made in
the journals OF 1872, Castiron as they are in
most respects, furnish amusing reading
matter. Had they passed from the pen OF
the modern neYspai or 'inciter of public
interest" they would have had ali the vivid
interest and Importance OF hTSt-class he
tiOnal literature. On reading the old re-
ports, however, the contemplatlye mind is
apt 10 pass from the amused state to that of
serious reflection. Here were 100 citizens.
tie pick and pith of the community, met to-
getheI to devise ways and means 20 resist
an enemy that had cone in the gulse OF
friend. The members were animated at
first Y the single purpose of firm and at
the same tire intelligent opposition 10 this
suddenly developed danger. And yet it
was not long before the fine Italian hand of
MI. CtaHIClu SuOWtu ltctil III tlb lHdhlp-
ulaliOn of these leading citizens and
in the changed color of their views
on the pressing question OF the hour.
Doodle did its work. The change OF
front by many OF the members re-
minds one of the favorite Illustration
that adversely or danger IS like frost on
wintry day, binding in common compact
dissimilar materials, and coin or tattery is
the sun shining on the mass. Under the
sOftening influence of its rays each person
or thing returns to its original condition.
Here was n committee formed for the puT-
pose Of protecting the public interests and
looking after the public good, and to de-
clare what was right and what was wrong
in relation 10 all matters then before the
people and claiming their special attention
to outline a policy for San Francisco
especially relating 10 railroad interests on
The coast After few meetings the men,
bers swere all at skies and sevens, so to
speak. Each one had policy of his own,
which he believed was the only true one
for the State, and as for railroad PROPOSE
tons, they spTang up like mushrooms in a
pOtrerO under the influence of spring rains.
The Central Pacific was an accomplished
fact, f course; then came the Atlantic
and Pacific, the Colorado River and
others, all asking munlficent subscrip-
tlOns. and each seeking 10 head
the other off, until the whole business was
narrowed down 10 this outside railroad con-
tiict, in which the main object of he organ
iZation disappeared, as Mr. Stanford, aeSng
on his divide ct impera" policy, intended
Il should. Only four OF the members stood
by the colors originally hOisted-Mr, Loring
Pickering, Mr. Sheath. Mr.. MCRuer and
Mr.. Fay. For the most part the rest Of the
executive committee wen; off after all kinds
Of lures as their personal interest or iguo-
rance of the facts led them until, borne
down by the conviction that it was an up
10 q "a L. "
is mentioned above spoke out in meeting"
at a session of the committee in the follow
ing remarkably candid manner:
L believe that debates have taken place
here diSgracelul 10 the Committee Of One
Hundred. | am ashamed Of the committee
myself. l never did have much confidence
in It from the start. Yet. it worked well at
the first" And again, Il believe
FROM the bottom Of my heart that this COM
mttee has been packed If ever q body was
packed IN the world. l have &c confidence
in the committee whatever | say there are
a portion Of tie members who are honest.
| DO not believe honest men can go back
ward"
Such an admission as this hy one of the
most responsible and active members of
the body must have had the effect Of clos
ing the debate" Subsequent proceedings
were a WranEle, and the committee Itself
SOOn faded out Of existence leaving STAN
ford and company as they wanted, and had
worked for, "a clear stage and 10 favor" so
far as honest organized opposition to the
aggressive designs OF tine Central Pacific
directors were concerned.
TIE GOAT ISLAND SCARE.
One bugaboo that the Central Pacific held
up before the people Of San Francisco to
compel terms was the attempt to obtain
Goat Island. make it a terminus and materi-
ally affect the commerce Of this city This
alarm was taken from q remark made by
Mr.. Stanford before a legislative committee
al Sacramento, to the effect that San Fran
cisco was located on the wrong side of the
bay" A rival city was threatened to be
built up on the $50 acres north Of Goat
Island owned by the company, where the
water IS shallow and land could be easily
made. Mr.. Doyle, one Of the members of
tue committee, was fond of nursing this
danger and holding it up 10 the view of
his colleagues. But it was a gauZy
scare at best and easily seen through.
Goat Island was and is a United States re-
serve, and if the Central Pacific wishes 10
occupy il. or portion of its area, it would
be by the grace Of the Federal Government
The subject subsequently, came up in Wash
ingtOn, where Mr.. ID. c. McRuer. q member
of the Committee Of One Hundred, and an ac-
tive opponent Of the cesSiOn OF the island to
the railroad company, had substitute meas
ure prepared as dernier resort which he in
Military Affairs gave a favorable report as
regarded the grant But this was not neces-
sarY. The grant was never intended To be
recommended by the Military Committee for
reasons best known TO themselves"