New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-08
TOPICS IN CALIFORNIA.
THE SOUTHERN PACIFICS FIGHT WITH
OAKLAND-BOSS BUCKLEY'S RE-
TURN-FOOTBALL
my TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBuNEl

TURN-FOOTBALL.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNEl
San Francisco. Oct. THE controversies that
have been carried for years between the
city of Oakland and the Southern Pacific Rail-
road have lately assumed a new and more
serious form. Under its franchise the railroad
is debarred from charging fares on the local
trains running through the city TO connect with
the ferry service. 1t had the travel across the
bay as a monopoly until recently. when rival
line of ferries began business, charging one
third the fare of the old route. The Southern
Pacific tried to avoid acting as feeder to its
rival, but no changes Of schedule accomplished
this Now the railroad has reduced it's ferry
rates and is worrying Oakland people who do
business in San Francisco by failing to make
connections in the busiest hours of the day.
This is in part revenge on the city for ordi-
nances restricting the speed of trains To get
rid Of the oeadhead travel the company is put
ting iron gates the platforms Of its cars,
and stopping at stations only for passengers
who can show tickets. The City Council will
soon pass ordinance against this seang-up
of cars on the ground that it makes local rail-
way travel dangerous.
But there is another struggle between the
railroad and Oakland which promises
serious results. Years ago the Southern Pacific
formed the Oakland Waterfront Company. and
acquired for a mere song a doubtful sort of
title to over five miles of the bay shore about
Oakland. Litigation over this alleged title. pre-
cisely like that of the celebrated Chicago lake
front case. has been in the courts off and
for dozen years. and there have been small
riots the waterfront in which citizens have
attempted 10 open the streets leading to the
bay shore. Only a few days ago a mob of 5000
people gathered and tore down a fence erected
by the railway for the purpose Of holding its
claim. II was rebuilt with piles and barb wire,
and officers were stationed near it in such force
that further assaults were prevented. For sew
eral weeks the railway has had men al work
driving fence Of piles five miles long. encircling
the entire bay front of Oakland This
strengthen it's claim to the property in antici-
patton of a suit. To-day the Attorney General,
In the name of the State, began suit to quiet
title to the property against the railroad and
host Of other defendants. 1t is of the most
important legal contests in California history.
If the State is victorious, the way will be opened
for the long-talked-of competing railroad.
The published inventory Of the late Senator
Stanford's estate has been exploited a
Hon. with hints of "A legal struggle between the
widow and Coils y. Huntington, and Of reve!a-
tons in the way of prOmissOry notes for nearly
$5O 600 lent by Senator Stanford to personal
and political friends. all practically worthless.
There is likelihood Of any such lawsuit and
1t is doubtful if there are many such notes
Mr.. Stanford certainly gave his money away in
his later years with lavish hand but he did
not often retain notes for purely personal loans
among his assets. Most Of the notes held by
the estate are well secured, and were made in the
ordinary course Of business. The real interest in
the estate centres about the nature of the securi
ties. There is long list of stocks which represent
worked-out investments yielding little in divi-
dends. Then there is a long line Of undeveloped
real estate, which pays interest While the
estate is possibly worth the figures estimated
from $50 900 900 s75OOOCOo it will take careful
financierng to get a proportionate income out
of it. Mrs. Stanford now in the East is prov
ing a far better manager of great properties
than her husband ever was.
Professor Earl Burns. of Stanford University
has raised howl of protest from editors and
teachers all the State by his efforts to col
lect data for educational research. He scattered
circulars to parents all over California. asking
them whether their children told lies: If so, from
what motive and how often, etc Interior news
papers have agreed in rdiculing Professor
Burns but he says that he is conducting an i'm
portant investigation and does not mind such
censures.
San Francisco politicians look forward with
interest to the return Of Chris Buckley the
Blind Democratic boss who slipped away from
the city to escape arrest under an indictment
for "boodMng." With him will come Sam
Rainey, boss of lower degree. who went away
for q similar reason. 1t is believed that In spi