The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-02

If Judge ]. Simonds of Chicago, who is at
present in this city trying to induce local
capitalists to build a road from Oakland to
Stockton, wishes to succeed he viii have
to change his method of procedure. Ac-
cording to the story published yesterday
he has been here two months making
efforts to lay the plans for floating the en-
terprise. Mr.. Simonds does not know Oak
land or Oakland people, and if he has
been advised to act as he has done he has
not been advised iudieiouslv. Nothing is
secret in Oakland, and if the purpose of
proceeding secretly was intended to
prevent any other company from head
ing him off, and it could be for no other
reason, then Mr.. Simonds may be sure that
as soon as he mentioned railroad" and
'capital" his mission would be known to
those whom he wished to keep in the dark
within twelve hours, even if it had not
preceded him, which is more likely.
Oakland has heard so much of ''secTet
overtures" regarding, competing roads
that it has right to doubt the sincerity of
any movement that is not open and above
board. There is an earnest desire in Oak
land for connection with Stockton or any
other place by rail, and there is money
enough hundred times over to build the
road. But if Judge Simonds of Chicago,
''who does not profess to be a railroad
d
moter," means business, he will have to
declare his business openly. state concisely
what contracts he is authorized to make,
convince the people that mis- propositions
are reliable and then he can ask local in
vestors to aid the project by taking stock.
During the past week much has been
published regarding the removal OF the
Oakland jute mills. For nearly year the
cute mills at East Oakland have been ped
died over the State on various pretexts,
and it is but just to this city that the facts
connected with the various reported re-
movals be made known. About year ago
Superintendent Rutherford appeared in
print in a long interview, in which all the
troubles at the mill were laid at the door
of the new tariff bill. His arguments were
convincing and supported shortly after
ward by the closing down of the mill. The
next heard of the mill was that it was 60
ing to remove to Sacramento, as the cost
of fuel in Oakland was too high. Then it
was peddled in Stockton, and last Wednes-
day a committee of Stockton men visited
the lutte mills here and were told that ne
gotiations with yet another town were in
progress.
It was represented to the Commercial
Association that if Stockton wanted the
mill it would have to take 500, 900 worth Of
stock, which would be issued for the pur-
pose the plan being to reorganiZe the COM
pany. The officers OF the company have
stated, time and time again, that under
the new tariff, and on account OF convict
competition at San Quentin, the manu-
facture OF jute bags and cloths is losing
venture. Now that large amount OF new
stock is talked about, it would seem that
all the motives for desiring removal have
not been given out. The same tariff and
the same convict competition Will be felt
at Stockton, Sacramento or any other
a)lace as in Oakland and Just at this time,
when Oakland is doing her utmost to adj
vertise the advantages OF her waterfront,
soon to be free for manufacturing pur-
poses, it is not good policy to consent to be
Inisrepresented.
Undoubtedly the tariff and San Quentin
drove the mill out of business, and outside
cities bidding for the concern should know
the facts 1t is reported that when the
mill closed down it employed $50 people,
but it was not stated how many of these
were Chinese and children. 1t is long
time since / saw the millhands leaving
work. but the last time [ did see them it
looked as though rs per cent were Chinese,
children or women.
About twenty arrests have been made
since last Sunday of Chinese lottery-deal-
ers, all of whom have been released on
bail. When their cases were called all de-
manded jury trials, and unless a great
change comes over the average Oakland
Police Court juror all will eventually be
freed from the law by disagreements. AL
though the evidence in nearly every case
is positive, and Judge Wood tells the jury
that they are not to pass upon the consti- |
nationality of State laws, but upon the
fact of their being disobeyed, there are
always found some who do what they