The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-21
BASSETT WILL MAKE AN EFFORT
TO REDUCE LOCAL RAIL
ROAD RATES.
MAY ALSO FIGHT THE GATES
AN OPPOSITION TELEPHONE Cow
PANY Is PROSPECTIVE OVER
THE BAY.


"Old Pard' Bassett, because of his cello.
orated Huntington letters, intends to make
the new Council lively BODY.
One of the very first movements Mr.
bassett will favor is in the nature of a
blow at the Seventh-street local branch of
the Southern Pacific Railroad. He has
never liked the idea OF gates and fares on
mat line. He has other reforms in view.
TOO. In speaking of needed legislation in
Oakland he said yesterday:
Il am going to make a study and find
out what are the needs of Oakland that
can be supplied by legislation. I have re-
sided IN this city eighteen years, and dur-
ing that time do not know of Council
that was unanimous on any subject that
was of vital interest to Oakland. | win do
AL can to bring about unanimity on such
matters.
II have not as yet given the subject full
thought, but II Is my intention to intro
uce an ordinance reducing the fare on the
oroad-gauge line on Seventh street from
Lake Merritt TO West Oakland to one-fo11rth
OF cent head. The Council has the
authonty to regulate fares, and the limit
10 winch 1t may reduce them is deter
mined by law. The fares cannot be made
below figure which would not enable the
railroad company TO realize return OF 10
per cent on the cost OF the road and the ex-
pense Of maintaining it. We will saw that
II Is two and half miles from the lake to
West Oakland. The cost of building that
distance of track is about SIS 900, and that
would be a liberal estimate while the cost
OF maintaining it is very slight. A fare of
one-fourth OF a cent would enable the COM
pany to realize more than 10 per cent on
the cost of the construction and mainte-
nance.
The effect of the passage of such an
ordinance would be, think. to compel the
railroad company to move their steam
cars from Seventh street TO First and sub
sutute an electric line. OF course, the
Council could not deprive the company of
the twenty-five years franchise which
they have on Seventh street"
Mr.. Bassett said further that he had no
knowledge OF how this would affect the
people east OF the lake and on to Fruitvale
the END OF the line, as that portion of the
road was not built when the law governing
the western end was passed.
ABOUT the gates the Councilman-e
salo: II any person will show me how
those gates can be removed | will intro
duce an ordinance to have them taken off
Those gates were put on to enable the
company to collect fares on the cars. There
has never been any law passed which pre-
vents the company from collecting fares
except the law passed by themselves.
been IN existence without change for
twenty years it becomes a law. The rail
road company introduced the precedent of
not collecting fares on the local trains, and
kept II up for thirty years. That is ten
years longer than Blackstone saws it takes
TO convert custom into a law.
- The gates on the cars have acted in
lurlously 10 the merchants in the heart of
the city, but Just as soon as movement
against the company is made some of the
merchants are the first to protest against
II. Some OF them have worn out two or
three pairs OF shoes running over to Fourth
and Townsend streets. However, | think
the Merchants Exchange is bound TO be Of
benefit TO the city"
Mr.. Bassett did not think that the Sun
day-closlng ordinance would become
law. He said its passage would be an in
jury TO the city.
New Telephone Company.
The opposition telephone people, who
have a movement looking to lines in Santa
Cruz. Sacramento and Stockton, are now
in Oakland looking over the ground, with
a view to entering the field against the
Sunset Company. They were canvassfng
among business men yesterday, and as an
inducement are offering a 81 monthly
rate.
The old company has also made reduc-
tons recently, or rather rates which are
OF considerable advantage to subscribers.
The increase in telephones in Oakland in
the past year has been from 800 to nearly
1900, the company having put solicitors in
the field TO work up customers. Every
new customer is taken on yearly contract
and the rare is 81 per month. Only long
distance phones are put in. but for tele-
phones on the same wire there IS reduc-
ton. For instance, 2 telephones bring the
cost down to 81 30 per month; 5 telephones,
81 %; 4, 81; ), SO rs; 8, SIS so; Z, 50 %; 8,
50; 9, 50 rs; 10, 81 30. However, only forty
calls per month are allowed at these
rates. Above forty the calls cost cents
each.
Stone Not in Contempt.
The contempt proceedings against Man
uel Stone, the Portuguese Interpreter, were
dismissed by Judge Prick yesterday.
In the affidavit filed by Attorney f. B.
Joseph it was charged that Stone had made
an attempt to compromise the case OF
Maria de Nobra VS.. The Albion Lumber
Company by inducing the woman to take
a small amount OF money and leave the
country, thereby causing Attorney a b.
Hunt, who had advanced money to tight
the case, to whistle for his fees.
Judge Frick held that while Stones in
reference in the matter was unwarranted,
it was not clearly shown that he was IN
contempt, and the action was dismissed.
The High Fence Case.
The high board fence squabble be tween
John Troy, the well-known insurance
agent, and Charles Davis, who drives the
patrol wagon, was settled in Police Court
Yesterday but not to the satisfaction OF all
parties.
When the case was called demurrer to
the complaint was filed by Troy's attorney
who argued that a contradiction in the
statute invalidated this particular law in
regard to high board fences and the case
was taken under advisement by Judge
Woods. who will render his decision Fri
day.
For the fifth time the case of Kate D:
Onlcicb VS.. Inigi Dulcich has been decided
against plaintiff, but the plucky. woman is
still determined to have slice OF the
pronertv that is now held by the man with
whom She saws she entered into contract
marriage many years ago; M,
A nonsuit was granted by Judge ELS
worth Yesterday on the ground that there
was not sufficient proof of marriage.
Where Is Heagerty?
D. D. Heagerty, the insolvent saloon
keeper of Lorin, who has been clteo TO
o1,,.+ MonHaU and show what |