The morning call., 1893-03-05
THE OWL CARS.
Results of an Important
Experiment.
Interview With the Directory of the
Metropolitan Electric Railway.
Midnight Patronage.

The Metropolitan Railway Company is
thus far greatly pleased with the result of
its experiment in running owl cars on its
line from the junction of Eddy. Powell and
Market streets to Golden Gate Park.
A few weeks ago The MORNING CALL
drew attention to the fact that large num-
Der of people in this city would be accom-
modated if the cable-railway companies
would run all-nght cars.
The managers of the electric line known
as the Metropolitan Railway Company were
the first to act upon the suggestion, though
they did not venture to carry it out to its
tull extent. They concluded to make only
a partial experiment. Instead of starting
their last car from Market street at o'clock
in the morning. the hour for its departure
was fixed one hour later.
All other lines still adhere to the plan of
shutting down on all traffic after o'clock,
although thousands of people, as was
shown by the ponseS to THE CALLS ap-
peal, stood ready 10 guarantee ample pat
r0nage to owl cars.
a CALL reporter visited the office of the
Metropolitan Railway Company and in
CURED what degree OF success had attended
the experiment OF running the late cars.
I'VE are eStIemelF gratfed with the
results, replied c. a. Fletcher, the secre-
tary 1--WE have no intention to return 10
the old system. You would be surprised at
the amount of late travel developed on our
line since we extended the time Of running
to o'clock In the morning. Often there
are rs many as seventy five fares picked up
on the last car In fact, we find that the
patronage during the last hour is fully as
good as that extended during any other
hour of the day"
The reporter asked Mr.. Fletcher how it
was in regard 10 the downtown travel In the
midnight hours.
We'll. you would. perhaps. be surprised
TO see how many people we carry down.
town after midnight. We did not expect
as much travel toward the business sec
tion as toward the residence portion. The
returns, however, show that the travel is as
good one way as the other. A great many
people have business that brings them out
very early, and these you will meet on the
last car going downtown, which leaves the
park at half-past l. The parties and re-
eeptlons which are constantly being held
uptown also keep great many people out
late, and as many travel in one direction as
the other when they set out for home.
The conductors and motOrmen in charge
of the last two or three cars have observed
certain passengers whe may always be eX-
peeted at the same quarter of an hour every
night These people are now counted as
cur regular patrons upon whose patronage
We can always rely. There are enough of
them to justify maintaining the late service
and they are very respectable and orderly
class of people. It was INSERTED when we
put on tie late cars that we would be an
noyed by drunken men seeking passage fn
the small hours. We have had no such
trouble. The people who ride OF the last
car are as quiet and peaceable a class as
those who travel in the daytime
I'VE find, continued Mr.. Fletcher, 'that
the travel is exceedingly steady. OF course
there is always marked increase on huli-
days or when any special entertainment or
attraction IS running"
The oSligtng secretary said he did not
think his company was yet prepared to pUt
on ali-nght cars, though in time thev
would probably come to it. The fact is"
he added, ''our engines. like human beings.
need their hours of resi-