The morning call., 1893-06-06

oils of the Pacific and the 5000 people
who enjoy home or climate just across the
placid bay.
The new Scent ferry line that got fairly
started Yesterday isn't very much yet, but
it's significance lies in the prospect il seems
to bring that the prophesy of cheap transit
across the bav which The future surely
holds will be realized very soon now.
We pay 10 ents for the ride on tfe=old
ferry now. and % cents for ronnd trip.
unless we are commuters, and when one
reflects on the fact that anywhere in the
East where a like population affords q
like amount of ferry travel over similar
distance the fares are 2 or 8 or at most 5
cents, and whan it is rene bored that the
Southern Pacific rany's ferry monop-
oily is the most prof able feature OF the
entire system, paying the expenses of the
whole Sacramento division. faith in the
future scent ferry fare is at oncsiestab-
lished.
It is bound to come. 1t will come soon.
A Scent ferry-line will pay.
Is the Frank Sylvia the pioneer Scent
ferry boat that marks the end of a
monopoly's control of the most profitable
line of travel in California?
1t was mainly this promise and potency
of the little steamer Frank Sylvia which
made the trip On her decSs interesting yes
terday.
AS nearly everybody knows by this time
the Frank Sylvia is the lone steamer which
constitutes the new ferry line just estab-
lishpd by the Whitney. Standard and Oak
land Transfer Company.
The Frank Sylvia was built nine wears
ago for the Petaluma trade by Portu-
guese now dead and gone, who couldn't
think of any finer name for the boat than
his own. She was especially intended TO
carry to this city the big, mealy potatoes
that grow so eXnberantly around Peta-
,11l
as could be expected. with occasion al
tramp trips anywhere, MP to two months
ago. when she was sold and endowed with
a Scotch boiler, a redwood bar, with four
mirrors in it, and 200 tule life preservers.
in preparation for her more exalted call
ing.
She was not exactly beauty when she
backed away from her new $4,000 wharf at
tie foot Of jackson street yesterday on
her third trip but 500 people on the wharf
wished her good luck. her lower deck was
full of freight and $50 people on her were
ahead 10 cents each.
The Transfer Company has not been in
the ferry business very long and the ma
ch;nery of her management hasn't worn
smooth yet. so was no wonder that she
left at 8 O'Clock instead OF l 80 p NJ, and
that wagon ran over the hose that was
filing her water tank; that everybody was
excited, and that freight was loaded a lit
tie slowly.
But everybody wished her good luck,
and the good-natured and sympathetic
passengers made every allowance and ex-
cuse they could think of.
In the crowd that had waited for her
coming an hour or two was a wan-faced,
cleanIy dressed and intelligent looking
young woman with two little girls. She
went quietly aboard and the reason that
she patronzed the scent line seemed very
eVl6nDs
that this or any other 5-cent ferry-boat
would meet with from thousands.
As the little steamer swung around and
headed for the east gray-bearded man.
with big gilt-edged 'Treasury of Song"
under his arm, stood at the rear of the
upper deck, watching the big red paddle
wheel at the stern churning a trail of rip
ping foam that was made long path of
silvery light by the afternoon sun. A high
sense OF duty made him a passenger.
They'll be all right in a day or two.
just give 'em a little time" he observed
rather enthusiastically. as though his
apologies for the infant competitor of the
great Southern Pacific had 10 overflow
somewhere Eyes, sir" he continued. "t'll
90 out of their way 10 patroDize it. Every
body's talking about it. 1t means, sir, that
a monopoly is broken.
Il knew it would come. Think of fif-
teen cents for going In n ferry-boat across
the bay I'm going over to my son-in-law's
in Alameda now, and when / come back
I'm going TO come back by this boat I'd
do it if it cost me as much as on the other
line"
Having reached that stage of life when
memory sits enthr0ned he became re-
miniscent.
In PHILADELPHIA, where was raised"
ne went Cd, 1T used TO cost but cents to