The morning call., 1893-08-10
A HOPELESS TASK
Effort to Crush Out the
DaVie Line.
RAISIN RATE FALLS AGAIN.
A Very Large Shipment of Fruit for
the East-Meeting of the Traf-
fic Association.

quoted by an evening paper as saying that
we must be crushed out" said Mr.. Davie
of the new ferry line to CALL man last
night "From the disposition evident in
the public TO patronize our line l am in
clined to think that they will find they have
undertaken a bigger contract than they
anticipate. We shall do nothing further
in the matter of rates than we have al
ready done, and the fight and its results
are now dependent upon the action OF the
public"
Secretary Bassett of the Davie line in
speaking of the new method OF train ser
vice inaugurated by the Southern PACING
in Oakland said:
liam informed by able lawyers that the
company in question is acting III direct
violation of law by the proposed new
system of rates, and l will give you the
points wherein 1t becomes responsible.
1.-THE State law of California in the first
place prohibits railroads operated by
steam from charging fare Tor passage
from one point to another within the limits
of any city, and the contract under when
the Southern Pacific road secured the right
of way through the streets of Oakland
specifically states, | believe, that paSsen-
gers shall be afforded opportunity 10 get
on and off trains at the various stations
mentioned in that contract
"Hence the Southern Pacific comes in d.
rect conflict with the terms of its con-
tract in that on the first section Of It's
new system trains run through to
Broadway without stopping. passing on
the route the Point, Center. Adeline and
Market streets. After leaving Broadway
they stop at Oak. but make no other stops
between the two terminals. The second
train stops at all stations except Broad
way: VI,
of the constitution of California says no
transportation company shall charge more
for a short haul than long one. The dis
lance from tie foot of Market street. San
Francisco, to the foot of Broadway, Oak
land, is from seven to eight miles. One OF
the oldest engineers OF the line OF the
Southern Pacific Ferry CompaDy's steam
ers tells ne it is nearer the latter hgure
than the former. But putting the distance
at seven miles. that company proposes to
carry passengers distance of fourteen
miles for 5 cents, or little more than one
third of cent a mile on that particular
route.
NOW, the distance on the other, or
what is commonly known as the narrow
and broad gauge routes, is, from the loot
of Market street. this city, to the end of
the mole in Oakland. three aud quarter
miles. The end of the mole being in Oak
land the railroad cannot charge for the re-
mainder of the distance into the city. Hence,
in the latter instance, it charges % cents
for riding six and half miles. Ii this
isn't direct violation of the laW [ am un-
able to distinguish the difference between
right and wrong"
Regarding the receipts of the ferry sys-
TEN of the Southern Pacific road and the
interest that they possess to our people
Mr.. BaSsett had this to say:
tine revenues to that company will
average, every month in the year, $4,000.
which means net profit to the stock
holders of 100000 month. The same
service exactly, using the present fare
charged on the DAVE line as a basis,
would cost the people $500 a month,
or a saving Of $4,000 a month or $1,000 a
day.
1.-THE Southern Pacific Company now
asks the people who are directly inter-
ested in this matter to come forward and
help it crush an opposition that has
brought about this beneficial state of
affairs and which applied to all ferry ser
vice would save them $4,000 month.
The matter has simply res olved itself into
the proposition: Will the people of San
Francisco and vicinity continue to pay
$4,000 mouth when they could just as
readily get the same service for $4,000?
the belief which l find entertained in some
quarters that if the Southern Pacific
should once cut the rate of ferry passage
it would forever afterward be prevented
from restoring the present rate In force.
Any ole who will take the trouble to look
up textbook NOW in use In the public
schools on civil government will find on
page ODD an article that fully disproves
this assertion. The Southern Pacific can
cut its ferry rate tomorrow and restore
II the next day If it sees fit"
General Superintendent Fillmore of the
Southern Pacific said, when spoken to in
relation to the above matter, that his road
was violating no law or agreement as il
was rendering practically the same ser
vice now as heretofore, the only difference
being that they now ran two trains instead
of one.
The Traffic Association held meeting
yesterday afternoon, and among other
things considered the subject of sending
the steamer st. Paul on another trip to
Panama. Although no definite conclusion
was reached yesterday it is probable she
may go again. Reports in regard TO the
financial condition of the association
showed that it was doing finely. The
steamer FL Progreso. about which some
alarming reports in regard to her cOndi-
ton lave been circulated, was reported as
simply having met with slight injury and
IS now on her way TO TINS port.
The Missouri Pacific line has entered
the fight for the ralsin and dried fruit
trade and propose rate OF 81 for boxed
raislns and dried fruits and 81 10 for
similar freight sacked. This rate it is
proposed 10 make from all common points
to Missouri River points and Chicago.
The Atlantic and Pacific has given notice
of similar rate for boxed goods and 81 20
for sacked to the same points. The
Southern Pacific's present rate is 81 for
boxed and 81 40 for sacked goods, but the
latter company will not accept less than
car lots of 10000 pounds. The officials in
the freight department of the latter road
SAID yesterday that they would make no
effort to meet the reduction proposed. a
fat rate of 81 is evidently what all the
other roads are making toward.
Interruption of traffic on the Southern
Pacific road in Arizona has ceased, all the
recent washouts having been repaired, and
trains commenced to run through at
o'clock yesterday morning.
Last Saturday witnessed the largest
shipment of fruit ever made in one day on
the Southern Pacific road. when 119 cars
were hauled out of Sacramento. The ex-
tremeiy large shipments of fruit noticeable
now are attributed in great part TO the fact
that canning factories are running much
lighter than usual at this time OF the year.
The Juds0n excursion East to-day will
take out thrty-five people from this city
X. y. RYAN. general passenger and