The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-14
TO CONFER ON THE LEASE
Commissioners and Valley
Road Directors Will Meet
on Monday.
MAYOR sUTRo Is DEFENDED
A Denial of the Language Attributed
to His Honor-The Retaining
Wall.

Governor Budd, Mayor Sutro and the
Harbor Commissioners met yesterday
morning to discuss the communication of
the Valley road committee regarding the
lie ase of China Basin as a terminal for the
road. The communication was from the
committee which had been appointed by
the directors of the competing road to
formulate objections to the document
drafted by the Harbor Commissioners, the
Governor and Mayor. The letter, copy
of which was published in the CALI of
Saturday, was signed by Thomas Magee,
Leon Sloss, Rolla Watt and E. F. Preston,
who comprised the committee.
1t was decided on Saturday afternoon to
hold the meeting yesterday, the Governor
and Mayor having assented to the PROPOSE
ton.
As soon as the meeting was called to
order Governor Budd suggested taking up
the objections of the directors seriatim.
He said that as there seemed to have been
considerable misunderstanding as to what
had passed in previous meetings he
deemed it advisable to have everything
taken down by stenographer. 1t was so
ordered and the business of the meeting
proceeded.
NOW, as to the first clause" said the
Governor, (which forbids the assignment
of the lease. l don't think that can be
knocked out for the reason that the law
clearly states that the lease shall not be
assignable."
The act of the Legislature, which en-
powered the commissioners to grant the
lease was then read, and it was admitted
that the text of the statute had not been
followed, but it was argued that its import
had been embodied in the lease.
"Well, herhaps the Valley road directors
can suggest something better" said the
chief executive; ''if they can I have no
objections"
Everybody concurred in the Governors
sentiments, and the second objection was
read. This referred to the promise that if
the railroad company should fall under
the control or dominion of any person,
company or corporation having railway
facilities on the bay of San Francisco, the
lease shall terminate forthwith.
81 am willing to concede to the Valley
road anything within the law, " said Mayor
Sutro, ''but four good attorneys have told
me that the terminal could be turned over
to any other com pany as it stood, even if l
were called an ass by some one. The men
are all right who have this project in
charge. but the lease is for fifty years, and
they will all be dead before its expiration.
We have no fear of the men, but it is their
stock of which we are afraid"
"You have nothing personal against any
of these men, Mr.. Sutro, have your"
queried President Colnon.
No, sir, answered the Mayor warmly.
81 am their friend. l have no feeling for
them except for their success. l am a
better friend of theirs than they think, and
am unmindful of the sarcasm which has
been directed against me. But l do take
10 in no
munication."
And the Mayor read as follows:
Suggestions OF fraudulent combination
with existing railroad lines, and charges of
possibility that those engaged in this enter
prise can be induced in any way TO surrender
the rights of the stockholders of this road,
scattered as they are throughout the length
and breadth OF the State, to the dominion of
any institution inimieal to the best prosperity
and advancement OF the entire community, is
certainly not a pleasing encouragement to men
engaged in the discharge of public duty; and
we are impelled TO these remarks because it
has been reported that at certain meetings of
your honorable board such suggestions and
remarks have been INDUCED in by one of the
members OF the board.
ST do not think that [ have uttered any
such language" said the Mayor, and the
board fully agreed with him.
81 think we ought to confer with the
directors, said Commissioner Chad
bourne
81 move" said the Governor, "that the
president De instructed to invite the di-
rectors to meet Us on Thursday morning
at 10 o'clock, and that in his letter be in
corporated our regrets at the language
directed against one of our members"
This was carried, and later in the day
Mr.. Colnon dictated the following letter:
SAN Francisco. May 13, 1895
NeSsTs Thomas AGgee, Leon Sloss, Robert Wdtt
and f. f. Preston-GENTLEMEN: Your commune
cation to the Board of State Harbor Commits
sioners, dated May 10, has been received.
At a special meeting OF the board held this
day to consider the same Thursday, May 10,
at 10 o'clock A. M, at the Office OF the board 10
California street, were fixed as the time and
place for conference with the board of d.
rectors of the San Francisco and San Joaquin
Valley Railroad Company, as recommended in
your letter.
The president of the Board Of Harbor Com
missioners was requested to inform you that no
language was ever used at any meeting of this
board by any member thereof, as constituted
by law Tor the purpose under consideration,
rejecting upon the motives or integrity of any
person connected in a responsible way with
your enterprise, and that any impression CT
the contrary is erroneous and untrue and in
wolves an unnecessary injustice to the paTticu-
lar member OF the board to whom you had
reference in your communication. Very truly
yours, E. L. CoLNoN,
President Board of Harbor Commissioners.
In regard to the objection to the retain
ing-wall clause the Governor stated that
he was sure that it had been inserted at
the suggestion of the representatives of the
Valley road, but he for one would not
object to having it stricken out
Regarding the character of the improve
ments, the number of miles of road to be
built in five years and the location of the
terminal, the Governor said: "They can
not expect us to give them a lease and
have the terminal at Stockton or some
where else. and my recollection is that
when the directors were talking over the
matter in Sacramento Colonel Preston said
something about building 200 miles in five
years. However, we can talk better over
these matters when all the directors are
present"
The meeting then adjourned until Thurs
day morning, but later in the day it was
decided to hold the conference at 10 o'clock
next Monday morning.
Goodness, purity and wholesomeness are