The morning call., 1893-08-21


the Southern Pacific lost this amount
and probably more.
The worst blow ever dealt the Southern
Pacific was that inflicted yesterday. 1t
was not the mere fact that the great cor
poration was deprived of so much money,
it was the fact that the people thronged
the opposition lines. For an hour thou
sands would stand in the sun on the open
wharf at the foot of Franklin street. Oak
land, and wait until they could be accom-
modated on either the Alvira or Rosalie of
the Davia Ferry and Transportation Com
pany. Within few blocks ran cars that
would take them to shady waitinG G-rooms
and to boats that were more commodlous
and faster. But every man and woman
stood there and waited. Why? Because
Of public opinion.
Many were undou btedly attracted By the
cheap fare, others by the novelty of the
trip and others because of the longer ride
on the bay. But by far the greater num-
ber would have crossed anyway, and from
their dress it was evident they could we'll
afford to pay the 25 cents charged for
round trip by the Southern Pacific.
Thousands walked to the Davie dock :;
other thousands crowded the electric cars
running to that point as they were never
crowded before. These latter paid FIVE
cents car fare to the wharf. five cents on
the Dayie boat. an equal amount to re-
turn and another nickel to ride uptown ;
in all twenty cents-only five cents less
than 1t would have cost to go easily on the
long established line. These latter per-
sons had TO walk some blocks and then
wait on the uncomfortable pier. It was
not to save the nickel. Why then? Be-
cause of public opinion.
twenty-five hundred persons crowded
upon the Alyira on one of her trips. Men
and women were packed like sardines in a
box. They thronged the bow until the
mass of humanity was thrust beyond the
guard-chains. They stood on the rail,
holding on to stanchions. The overflow
sought the roof OF the main deck, and the
cabins had every square foot of space
filed. Not person was comfortable, yet
not word of COMPLAINT was heard.
ALI the while the Oakland, Piedmont,
Encinal and Bay City, of the Southern
Pacific, were darting across the bay, the
few passengers on board having as much
room to themselves as they would have
had In ten-acre lot in the country. This
was all because of public opinion.
Oakland rose in her might and showed
the octopus that its hold on them had
gone forever. The people spoke, and with
no uncertain tone.
But the Alameda must not be forgotten
the Door, lonely Alameda. put on to crush
the opposition. A chat reporter for THE
CALL had with one of her passengers
shows what her small business consisted
Of. The writer was standing on the
Broadway wharf counting the few strag-
Cling persons who came off her when she
was tied up after run to San Francisco,
and one of the first persons to dsembark
sccosted him thus:
Don't put me down"
"Why not?"
Because although l came over on the
Alameda L only did so because the Rosalie
could accommodate no more, and most of
the passengers on board did the same. We
all bought tickets to 60 on the Davie ferry
but were crowded off. We are sorry we
had to come by this boat, but couldn't help
it,"
Others said the same as they passed the
reporter. The Alameda leaves fifteen
minutes after the Rosale and had the
pleasure of picking up her leavings.
1t was the first day that the Alyira ha d
been put on the route. She is a commodi-
Gus stern-wheeler, with large, comfort table
cabins, and can easily accommodate over
1000 people, and from early morning until
noon she did more business than anv of
the Southern Pacific boats, while from
noon till late at night she was crowded to
overfowing. When she tied up at Oakland
on the o'clock tripit took exactly TWENTY
five minutes TO unload ana load her again
This long wait and some trouble with her
engines caused her to run off schedule
time. "Hsr slowness yesterday is due TO
two facts" said Mr.. Dayie: "Her hull is
quite foul and the engineer was not used
to her machinery. She will be taken off
the run to-day and thoroughly cleaned.
When this is done and the engineer be-
comes accustomed to the crafts mechan-
ism she will mako the trip between San