The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-02
BECOMING WARM.
Interest in the Bedtime
Fight.
1t Is Growing Intense - Justice Is
What the People Along the
Front Want.

The argument of F. S. Stratton. attor-
ney for the State Board of Harbor CON-
missionerS. fayOring the surrenderiUg of
the San Francisco water front to the
Southern Pacific COmpany's electric line
created quite a sensation among those in
terested in preserving the city front from
the grasp Of the monopoly.
Mr.. Stratt0n's defense is considered
very weak by those who have studied the
situation, as it is alleged that MIR. Stratton
has not. The endeavor to evade the main
issue by falling back on the excuse, well,
the other fellows did it, too" is not
viewed other than in humorous light by
shipping men aud commercial bodies.
The peoples side of the case is given
briefly as follows:
The State of California having set aside
certain property and called ii a water
front passed laws to protect that 'front.'
This law sets forth that no tracks shall be
laid along the line of said front.
In order to permit the travelling public
for which Mr.. StrattOn and the board have
suddenly expressed so much solicitude, to
reach the ferry depots certain lines were
allowed 10 cross" East street. Two other
companies. the Union and Howard street
roads, laid tracks along" East street for
a short distance to enable their cars to
land passengers at the depot at the foot of
Market street.
1t has never been claimed that the
Union or Howard street lines had any
legal right to lay said tracks, and at the
time that said work was performed there
was murmur of discomfort Howe ever. as
the Howard line only ran two blocks on
the front and the UniOn-street 100 feet
over one Block opposite the wharves, the
public made no further complaint. Ii ac-
copied the inevitable because il thought
that. TO a certain extent. the people were
being accommodated.
From logical point of view the Union,
Howard or any other line that has tracks
"alOng" East street is placed In the same
category as the Broadway Electric Com
pany.
What astonished the business and trav-
cling community was the intelligence con-
veyed to them through the press about
one year ago that the entire water front
from Broadway to Mission street had
been given over to branch Of the South
ern Pacific Railroad.
The Stale belt line had been chopped off
short TO make room for the audaciOus
claimant and the center of tire street was
given over 10 the very corporation which,
by move similar in nature, had tied up
the commerce Of sister city completely.
According to the Judgment rendered by
Attorney Stratt0n, SO say the people along
the front, should the Comm issioners de-
sire TO turn the State wharveS over to the
railroad and make ships discharge at Mis-
sion Rock or Oakland, the people would
be pOwerless to prevent it, simply because
there is law which gives the harbor
board right to lease the State docks TO
whom 1t deems advisable to let them.
There IS NO use in evading the issue by
resort to petty entanglemeDts of the law"
said coal-dealer yesterday. 1.-The plain,
unbiased truth stares us in the face, and
that truth is that the Southern Pacific of
Kentucky has been made present of East
street from Broadway TO Mission. that the
State belt line is cut short a. Broadway,
and that the front no longer belongs to the
people. Furthermore it would be entirely
impracticable to extead said belt line so
long as the street and right of way is i'm
peded by the railroad company's obstruc-
ton.
I'VE are thoroughly in earnest in this
matter down here, and If the laws at pres
ent In vogue do not protect US, we pro-
pose to vote only for such men as will
guarantee US a revision of the objection
able sections"
II understand that the laying of tracks
for the new ferry slip at Lombard stree
was let to the Pacific Improvement Com
pany?"
Let me tell you a little story.
certain firms in this city wanted to bid
on that work. They were told that the
work would be done by the States men.
therefore no specifications were made
out.
soon after this l drove past the sir.
and there L saw tue Southern Pacific s
men putting in the switch. 1 was after
q H. a n ~ Nh