The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-16
TO CONTROL
THE SPEED.
The Oakland Councilmen
Talk Freely.
WILL PROJECT TIE PEOPLE.
Various Opinions as to the Rate at
Which Trains Should Run-A
- Southern Pacific Letter. f.

A reporter for The CALL interviewed
the Councilmen Of Oakland Yesterday as
10 the standing @ the members with refer
ence~to the ordinance introduced at the
Monday night meeting regulating the
speed:of the local train mat goes crashing
through thestfeets of the city al speed
of twenty five miles per h0ur..-@..:.. T..
&. There Appears to- be but one opinion
Rmongthe COuncilmeD, and that. Isthat
such state of affairs should exist is an
outrage~aiid: would: not be tolerated one
moment many other city IN The world,
~ :: Tits a way the railroad company. has
7 Of slapping the people. for daring to as
seEt. their Tights," SAID g Broad way mer-
chant yesterday. What do they care for.
anlangled limb or a life, more or less ?'' =
p Neither C oNneilmen Hoffman nor Wat.
= kinsons could be seen yesterday. but.opin-
sions>ot the other members of the Council
: are as follows. i: 4:....-. ~.s:
. = President Towle said ne would not like
! TO express an opinion. as to :the ultimate
decision of the Council regarding this par
tscular ordinance, or as to what particular
action he wouldItak on It when it came
+" up+ for passage, providing the Judiciary
Committee reported il favoTably. For bis
part, he would rather see "a compromise
ordinance broad enough to take in all the
steam roads. He would like To see one
that cou1d.be made applicable to all the
steam roads in. 0akland-the Webster
street naTTow-gaJtge, the: First+street and
thatInnning along: the edge of the bay and
sometimes called the: overland. These
should be considered. he thought, in the
framing of an ordinance. -. =. -. :.
T. -. Il believe said mir. Towle, "thatfour
miles per hour is .unnecessarily Slow" -.
i What would YOU make the rate of
+ speed2" asked. the IepoTter. :. ......
FL think it. ought to: be notices. than
seven or. eight m3les per hour. j -would
not make IL more THAN that, The: cable
cars on Broadway run. eight miles per
hour and think this is. about right. -. =: -
f You are.in favor of limiting tie speed
on the Seventh street: linp?',, r.. =.
RI. sch, yes* and the ueed will mo: tiofb,
be limited. at the next meeting of the4C5ln-
T. Gil Monday night MeantiIhe,&# Thursday
night. the: Judiciary lCommi ttee.. meets
and their action will somewhat govern:the
Council. An. ordinance Will be- passed
that will fit the case: 81.
~ 9oSllIos " me -Iildb .6u :bIGnt- ulht
rate through: the principal streets would
not WORK "a hardship TO the: railroad
company, as it could: not possibly make a
difference in tIme-dyer the. entire route. Of
I more than FIVE minutes :: .. ;.....:
30. Then theres the. other side to be con.
suited. People living at long distances
want to getto their business: and to their
homes as soon. as possible. and we must
consider their interests while at: tho sa nre
time con sidering the public safety ::
- Mr.. Snell-The Ordinance and Judiciary
Committee, to whom the ordinances intro
duced by Mr.. Dalton on Monday night was
referred, will digest a measure, probably
composite one, and submit it: to the
Council next Monday night: As far as
my personal idea Of the present situation
I goes it is that we should not be too hasty
in what we do. This is too serious mat:
:: ter to be rushed through hurriedly. j
favor the placing of more fagmen and the
: gram ting of permission o make good time.
e am pposed to stopping at Webster and
First streets on railroad CROSSINGS. LIS
an unnecessary hindrance. for no. ohject
whatever - =
: r.. The wisest course would be to. adopt a
fifteen-mile rate between s tatiorls and
an eight-mile rate: ait Important crossings,
with no stop at steam tailroad crossings.
Trains should be regulated at Broadway
" exactly as they are now ::*:.::::-.: -.
E The immedi ate effect: of. such an action
on*the Councils part would be:todo away
with the present free ride system which is
and has been a detriment:. to the city.
Deadheadingi is a wrong principles. as ii
creates an unnatural distribution. eof trade
and fosters an immoral Influence = r. ...:*- -.
MI. Barstow-Phere. is no doubt:what t.
.. ever but that Mr.. Dalton's ordinance Will
pass, though perhaps. with SOME minor
corrections. My idea is~that we should Of
curtaii: the railroad compan VS. rate of
speed from theP oint to Washington street.
In that part Of the:cty is sparseiy set
. tied. and there would not be very mucb
Z. danger to life after Washington street is
reached. However, the rate :should be re-
duced to about four miles per hour, and
that speed maintained: TO Webster street.
I advocate the stationing of <.fagmen, and
: do not think that such. measures as ahis
would work any haTdshipsto either the
railroad company or: the people of Oak
land. It must be. apparent to: every one
that a severely stringent policy OF redpc-
ing the speed at which cars are to run Ii
bound to prove IN wise and react against
= =