The San Francisco call., 1895-08-01
FRANCHISE MYSTERIES.
Granted to Applicants Who
Make No Effort to Use
Them.
PROCURED FOR SPECULATION.
Peculiar Transaction In Connection
With a Mount Eden
Franchise.

There's a Joker in the pack, sure
enough" " said Supervisor Church at the
last meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
The remark was induced by the appear
ance of A. D. Thomson with bid for the
franchise asked for by E. P. Vandercook to
Livermore from Fruitvale. Mr.. Thom-
son has not been heard of in connection
with street railroads IN this county, where
as Mr.. Vandercook had obtained all the
rights of way, preparatory to applying
for his franchise, and also has the road
built from Oakland TO Fruityale. Mr..
Thomson, who is known to be strongly
backed in all his enterprises, was undoubt-
edly appearing on behalf of the Southern
Pacific or the Haywards electric line,
neither of which desires competition, and
the fact that the franchise was not
awarded to him is one of the redeeming
features of the administration of the pres
ent board.
The route of the new road is through a
tract of country as severely agricultural as
was the county road before the opening of
the Haywards line. There is no railroad
service for the greater part OF the distance
and there is no doubt that it will be soon
hanked on either side by thriving commu-
ties. From the present terminus of the
Nandercook system at Fruitvale the route
runs in direct line to Seminary avenue
near Mills College, thence along the edge
OF the foothills TO the limits of San Lean
dro, where 1t takes a turn around Lake
Chabot into Castro Valley. The road
passes through Haywards to Dublin and
thence to the Livermore Valley. The line
will follow the main county road from
Dublin to LlvermOre and spur track Will
be built into Pleasantou.
a month ago another franchise was
granted for an interior county electric line
that savors of a "joker in the pack" also
The franchise is for several sections of road
between Mount Eden. Castro Valley and
Alyarado and was granted to Mr.. Peterson
OF Mount Eden. The franchise is valua-
bic one and is now owned jointly by Dan
lei Chisholm, Joseph Kendall, George Ian
gan, Felix Chappellet aud Mr.. Peterson.
The road as 1t stands, without any con-
nections that will reach Oakland, will be
OF very little value for many years even if
1t be built, and it is believed that it was
obtained tor some corporation as yet un-
revealed, or for purposes of speculation.
This latter supposition is partly proved by
the rapid change of hands after it was
granted. 1t was discovered Yesterday that
Peterson had disposed of an interest in the
franchise to one of the parties on his
bond. The matter was referred to the Dis
. 4
invalidated the bond, it did not attack the
validity of the franchise.
A third franchise which was not applied
for in good faith, as the lack of develop
ments have proved, is the franchise to
Berkeley granted to Welles Whitmore three
years ago. The route was to be out Frank
lin street and to the university. Before
the time for the commencement of the
work expired four rails were laid at Four
teenth and Franklin streets and they are
there yet.
To any one acquainted with the needs of
the travelling public at this time the appli-
cation for franchise was regarded as
farce. No attempt has been made to build
the road, but the franchise is granted and
when there is any need for road over the
route it will most assuredly be resurrected,
and it will as certainly be found to have
been transferred to some existing corpora
ton. Welles Whitmore is an attorney and
has never been heard of in connection with
street railroad building since he obtained
the franchise.
This general gobbling up of franchises
and their subsequent transfer is inimical
to the best interests of Alameda County
and will shortly be brought 10 the atten-
ton of the Merchants Exchange of Oak
land