The morning call., 1894-08-13
THAT BELT LINE.
Now in Danger of Being
Dropped.
Webster Was Not Consulted, but the
Southern Pacific Was-t1ence
the Scandal.

The State Board of HarbOr Commits
sioners quoted as their reason for not pre-
venting the Broadway electric road from
grabbing the water front that the law gov
erning car-tracks on East street referred
to steam railway tracks and Eot the tracks
of steetcar concern.
The Broadway line has. however. in
places laid regular railroad T rails. These
rails are only put down on curves, but
nevertheless the law has been broken {;
that is, the alleged law dished up to suit
the railroad-favoring Commissioners.
Superintendent Lynch OF the Market
street Railway Company was down on the
front yesterday inspecting the work on
the line that is illegally built on East
street. His face wore a troubled express
sion, for a nuEber of persons dong legit-
innate business on State property have
been asking, when will the State belt
line extension be laid p
The State belt-line extension cannot be
laid. There is not enough space between
the Broadway Company's tracks and the
constructed. In short, interested parties
are informed that the proposed belt-line
extension will have to be dropped.
"There are two parties looking for re-
appointment as Harbnr Commissioners.
They expect to get their appointments
through the next Governor" remarked
person we'll versed in political affairs yes
terday.
at would be well for candidates for
Governor not to tie up with people that
are likely to lose votes for them, and II it
becomes generally kp0wn that the candi-
dates intend to reappOint any one who
has had hand in this waterfront grab
will be likely to lose every vote on the city
front. Not only this, but the business men
will be incensed.
Talk about cold-blooded surrender of
the peoples property to cOrperati0 n,
why never before heard of case similar
to the one in question.
Think, too, the franchise was deliber-
ately given when the Commissioners knew
that there would be big howl over the
matter.
Zone person connected with the plot of
roDbing the State of its property is said TO
have remarked, What do 1 care for the
newspapers? the reporters don't bother
me- This same gentleman has numerous
relatives who like to hold jobs with fat
salaries attached.
Another thing, the waterfront force is
too much of a political cIaptrap. There
are a host of good men in the States en-
plOy, but there are also q great many who
have too much Southern Pacific back of
them for the community's good.
There has been great deal of trading
and bartering of places, and in one case
deal was made whereby a certain person
was given place in trade for a railroad
job over at Oakland pier.
There is whardnger employed at the
Oakland ferry depot who apparently never
does tap of work for his pay other than
duty performed in the interest of the rail-
road company.
HE makes no report to the commission
ers, but draws S125 month for tending gate
for the railroad, seeing that the dock is
kept clean for the railroad and looking
after the railroads customers.
This is not all. The railroad wante a
new slip for its steamers up at Lombard
street. Immediately there was a cry about
the ola slip being useless. An order was
given for $4,000 slip to enable the rail-
road TO land few narrow-gauge cars at
the north end while the Pacific Improve
ment Company is fleeing the merchants
at the south end