The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-12
NEW WAYS TO Go.
What the Omnibus Conn
pany Wants to Do.
LIFE FOR KEARNY STREET.
A Great Electric Crosstown Line to
North Beach With the Best
Equipment to Be Had.
LIFE FOR KEARNY STREET.

The Omnibus Cable Company has had
little to say about what it intended doing
with the North Beach and Mission lines,
which it acquired few months ago. but it
has generally been expected that when the
road passed from the conservative hands
of the old company to the men of enter
prise and capital, who control itnow, some
large plans would be pushed through.
1t tranSpires that these plans are larger
than the public is aware of. and that they
involve a practical revolution in routes and
methods of travel in San francisco. The
company has quietly prepared plans for
the expenditure of nearly $4,000. 900 in the
establishment of two great systems of
electric roads.
Accepting the universal experience of
the present day that electricity is the
motor for urban transit, as far as public
satisfaction is concerned. 1t decided upon
electricity instead of ca bes.
The plans of the Omnibus Cable Com
pany, if carried out, will work a revolu-
ton and constitute the most striking and
important streetcar Improvement since the
establishment of cable roads generation
ago. The new lines planned would work
as great change as was ever effected by
the cable Ioads in building up and making
valuable otherwise inaccessible hills.
The objections to the trolley poles are
the only obstacle to, the building of two
extensive electric systems which would
have marked influence on several pOr-
tions OF the city. One great crosstown
line is planned from North Beach to
Third and Townsend streets, following
the route of the present horsecar line from
North Beach, along Kearny, across Mar
ket and along either Third or Fourth
streets.
1t is conceded that this line would revo-
| lutionize kearny street, which is affected
with dry rot. That street is no longer the
main th0rOughfare between North Beach
and the business center. The Powell and
Hyde street crosstown lines nave diverted
| both travel and business to Market street
and other streets near the termln of these
roads. Business on kearny has fallen off
greatly Were the convenient, rapid and
attractive electric cars substituted for the
slow, Struggling, Out-Of-date hOrsecars of
the North Beach and Mission road kearny
street would feel a new thrill of life and
again become the one great thoroughfare
| TO the northern side of the city.
Travel TO and from the Southern Pacific
depot at Third and Townsend streets
would become convenient and pleasant,
Next TO the ferries there is more travel to
and from this point than any other in the
city, yet the ancient horsecars remain the
only means Of travel. A modern finely
equipped electric road would mean a great
saving OF time, would be hailed with graf
itude by the public and would enliven and
improve Third and Fourth streets as it
would Kearny street.
Inc other system for which the company
is waiting only for permission to construct
would run from the ferries and the busI-
ness center and branch out over variety
of routes 10 the Mission and South San
Francisco, affording al once direct, prompt
and pleasant communication with these
portions of the city. These two systems
would be the most important and popular
| in San Francisco and would have a won
derful effect on the life of their routes.
The building of these roads would afford
employment to hundreds of men for
months aud permanent employment to a
very large force. 1t would mean the paw
ment of hundreds of thousands of dollars
for labor in this city.
The company has spent great deal OF
time and money investigating and expert
menting with electric traction, and has
planned TO build and equip the roads in an
expensive manner with all the latest i'm
provements that would make them as safe.
elegant and satisfactory as the finest cleo
trio road in the world. Built in this man
ner they would find the same public favor
that first-class electric roads have won in
the business districts of the largest cities
in the EaStx