The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-09
RAILROAD METHODS.

THE CALL is not unmindful of the fact
that the Southern Pacific Company's spur
track to Golden Gate Park greatly simpli-
fed the work of installing and removing
the Midwinter Fair, and that since the
fair it has done good service IN hauling
loan into the park. We do not think,
however, that this was the only method
by which this latter service could have
been performed, and we believe that, valu-
able to the City as the park is, the menace
of the Southern Pacific is equally worthy
OF attention. Having already exhibited
the facility which the park can offer for
giving work to unemployed men during
pinching times, we believe that it would
be better to continue that policy within
reasonable bounds than to prefer the
Southern Pacific Company as the bene-
ficiary OF the peoples money.
Even admitting the questionable TACT
that it has been well to utilize the presence
of the spur track, its value disappears en-
tirely before the menace which the power
and methods of the Southern Pacific rep
resent. That there is deliberate scheme
to maintain the spur on one pretext or an
other few people in this City could be
brought to doubt.
That the Southern Pacific was moved by
any benevolent or public-spirited sentl-
ment in laying this spur or in doing any
thing whatever it is not possible for any
intelligent person to believe. That it ever
has a motive not inspired by greed 1t IS
impossible to imagine. And that it will
hesitate or ever does hesitate to resort TO
the most debasing methods to accomplish
its purposes we have its long, open, per-
sistent and scandalous history to convince
US. A few months ago we expressed the
belief that its power was waning and that
it was becoming less and less the baneful
influence of former days; that public Off
GERS were becoming ashamed to be known
as the hired slaves of the railroad, sellers
OF their honor and betrayers OF their trusts.
We believe this still, and the fact may ac-
count for the desperation with which it has
been recently proceeding. When it buys
a Board OF Supervisors it uses them openly,
apparently realizing that it must make all
the hay possible while the setting sun is
still above the horizon.
We have seen the company shamelessly
secure street-railwav franchises which it is
impossible to believe were honestly OBJ
tanned. We have seen it seize our public
streets in defiance OF the law and hold
them in defiance of authority. We have
seen the majority Of our present Board OF
Supervisors pursuing course directly OPP
posed TO the interests of the City and d.
rectiy in favor Of those of the Southern
Pacific. We have seen the most audacious
proceedings TO prevent rival street trans
portation companies from securing a foot
hold in the City against the interests and
monopoly OF the great corporation. And
yet the officers in whom the people re-
posed so vast a trust, and who have SO
openly joined forces with the corporation
which respects no law and understands the
art OF bribery so well, openly walk our
streets in perfect security while our ami
able people are ambling good-naturedly
through labyrinth of pitfalls which their
own servants have dug for them.