The record-union., 1892-10-03
THE STREET RAILWAY MATTER.

The agitation of the question whether
street railway franchise shall be enjoyed
on street by the Central Company,
which first applied for it, or by the sys-
tenn asked for by Messrs. Gallatin and
Livermore, should be definitely settled
this morning. Trustees Conklin and
Green have acted in spirit of justice in
this matter, and should stand to their
votes for the grant to the company that
sought the G-street route first and needs
it to complete its system.
the Central Company proved the possi-
bilities of successful rapid street transit
In Sacramento, the Folsom Company
never dreamed of launching into the
street railway business. Every just in
ducement, however, to have that COM
pany invest in industrial enterprise in
Sacramento should be held out; but this
does not carry with it the granting of a
route which by all the equities the Cen
tral road is entitled to, and for which it
applied long prior to the Folsom Com
pany being heard from. There is room
enough for both systems. Sacramento is
In the beginning of progressive move
chises valuable. Let Messrs. Gallatin
and Livermore, or the Folsom Power
people, lay out and take up line for a
street railway free of incumbrance, bu
without envious seeking to oust the old
company from a spur of road essential to
the completion of its system and its full
successful operation.
All this ipalaver about shutting out
the Folsom company" is silly. 1t has
not said, and will not say, that the prose-
cution of its power schemes is dependent
upon the operation by it of a
street railway here over given line.
1t has, indeed, said that its power
are not, then, interviewer with the op-
Grafton of railway by or for that COM
pany, upon a route selected and prayed
for by the company that first had the
courage and far-seeing to demonstrate
that street railways in the Capital City are
desirable property. Let us not be SO fool
ish as to publish to the world when en-
terprise and industrial energy come to us.
backed by capital, that so soon as it is
well planted here we will proceed to rip
it up and put it under the burden of ad-
verse legislation.
If municipalities can feel and express
gratitude, then Sacramento owes it to the
Central Company for what it has done.
Not that it should be favored as against
any fair competitor, not that it should
have any special privileges, not that it
shall be given undue grants. But it
should have justice. common decency of
treatment and fair play all around 1t is
not just, it is not fair play, it is not de-
cent, to take from that company a route
selected by it long ago, route that is part
and parcel of its economic system. and
give it to later developed enterprise
which at the last moment steps in and
asks that right Of way be given it over
that identical route, and that the first
conner be summarily elected from it.
Such action will be bad for Sacramento
IN many ways; it will discourage other
capital from investing; it will be equiva-
lent to saying to enterprise, "Whatever
you develop and another covets, that it
shall have as against you, though all
other things are equal" 1t will be an
nouncing to the world that whoever by
dint of his energy and prescience and
money does to the city great good must
stand in fear of punishment for his pains
taking. We repeat, there is room and
business enough for both companies.
without excuse for one coveting the route
of another.