The morning call., 1893-07-27
The Southern PaCifiC's
Latest Purchase.
AN OAKLAND ELECTRIC LINE.
The Sessions System Said to
Have Been Absorbed.
WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH 1T +?
The Monopoly Has Money Enough to
Buy Railroad, Though Its En-
pIoyes Go Unpaid.

Employees Of the Souther Pacific will
be delighted to know that although their
wages for June cannot be paid yet awhile
the road that employs them has enough
money on hand to buy up another street
car line.
Wives Of these employees, who must
scrimp along on the pttance left over
from Their husbands May wages, VIII no
doubt he pleased with the fact that the
corporation that has neglected them VIII
be enabled by their priyatlons TO acquire
further foothold in Oakland.
Yes. the Southern Pacific has made
another purchase, though. as citizen Of
that monopoly ridden municipality re-
marked yesterday, Il don't see what IN
thunder they want with 1t, although the
motive will probably soon become visible,
and then we will understand TO our cost"
II was only few days ago that the en-
ployes of the Southern Pacific running on
The division between Sacramento and Oak
land were told that they would have to
wait until August Is for their June pay
instead of receiving it July 10, as was
their doe. The plea was that the railroad
had no ready money on hand; that times
were HdTu anu IL was llDDbSS Dlt W IdlSt
any. Indeed, it was a piteOus appeal, this
whining cry of penury and want made by
the octopus to the men within its grasp.
What more could they do than acQuiesce?
OF course the railroad gets the interest on
all this money; but that is another issue
anu can be classed with the deposit out
rage and others of the kind
The new purchase of the Southern Pa
citic is that of the electric railroad known
in Oakland as the Sessions line. Indeed,
there are two branches, one from Fifth
street and Broadway to Fruitvale and the
other from the Fruitvale station on the
local ferry to Hopkins street. The first
named line is five miles long, the second
two and a half
The major part of The stock was owned
by L. c. Sessions. He retired, it will be
bered, Tot long ago from the presi-
dency OF the Oakland Savings Bank,
stating when he did so that his personal
affairs were somewhat embarrassed and
he wished not TO be connected with the
savings institutions should anything hap
pen to him, as it might drag the bank into
trouble.
Mr.. Sessions has long beer known as a
warm friend of the Southern Pacific, and
still keeps we'll in touch with them. Per-
baps incorporation is aiding an old stand
by in the matter of this purchase; but
these corporations have no souls. and
even, if they had, the Southern Pacific
wouai prove an exception; SO Oakland
people are wondering as to the why and
wherefore Of this move.
''Its bumpty- bump line" said one yes
terday; up hill and down, jarring the
very teeth in ones head, and why the rail-
road wants ii is more than l can imagine"
The first lntimation that anything was
in the air came to hand Tuesday. Several
officials of the Southern Pacific were seen
riding over the electric lines. and were
evidently upon tour Of inspection. An
Oakland business man happened to be Oh
one OF the cars at the time
"Y Dung Huntington was with the in
speeding party" said he. 'and he kept
those who were showing them around
pretty busy answering questions. What
special good it did him to do so I am at a
loss to imagine. But the whole trip was
made with an object and l am not sur
prised to hear that the deal has been car
Tied out"
The formal transfer of the road took
terms are kept secret. but the price is
placed at $4,000. How much Of this
was paid down In cash is as yet mys-
terry. Some say all. and others only
portion. 1t is understood that
Clough & Baker. real estate dealers in
Oakland, are the ones who negotiated the
deal. OF course, they have told no one
and will not. The way it leaked out,
however, shows the uncertainty of every
thing going just right in this world.
a party of Oakland business men were
in the real estate Office Tuesday evening
when one of the members of the firm was
called to the telephone. The message was
important and he had to repeat it over and
over again so as to ascertain the exact
tenor. 1t referred to the closing of the
Sessions railroad deal and the instructions
were definite that the terms be accepted
and the matter be disposed of at once.
So 1t seems that in Oakland the octopus
has put forth another arm, albeit short
one. and ere many days it will be seen
what the arm is for.
so. employees OF the Southern Pacific,
your money, which should have been
turned into meat, vegetables and clothes,
mas gone into electric railroad stock.