The San Francisco call., 1895-07-15
HUM|L|AT|NC STORY OF THE SOLID EIGHT

franchise over Ocean House road and SUM-
nyside avenue that would bring it into
conformity with the law or to cause that
company to pay something like value to
the City for this great privilege.
Taylor's substitute for the order proposed
by the attorneys of the Market-street Com
pany, and which substitute provided merely
that the franchise be put up without re-
strictions to be sold to the highest bidder,
as is directly and specifically required by
the law, was voted down by these eight
votes:
JOSEPH KING, First Ward.
PETER A. SCULLY, Second Ward.
C. e. BENJAMIN, Third Ward.
ALPHONSE HIRSCH, Fourth Ward.
f. G. HUGHES, Sixth Ward.
CHRIS DUNKER, seventh Ward.
A. w. MORGENSTERN, Ninth Ward.
EDWARD L. WAGNER, Twelfth
Ward.
His motion-made in view of the fact
that the franchise was to be given to the
Market-street Company exclusively-that
the sum of $4,000 must be bid for it, was
voted down by the same eight votes.
His motion that $4,000 be required was
voted down by the same eight votes, and
every other proposition to raise the sum
above the poor little $500, fixed by law for
extensions to the Market-street lines"
Then he began on another tack in the in
terests of the people of Sunnyside avenue,
who want street railway communication,
and who are promised immediate service
by another line, if that other line be
granted this portion of the franchise, which
covers the three avenues to Ingleside, the
objective point.
He moved that the Market-street Com
pany, in consideration of being granted
this sweeping privilege exclusively, be re-
quired to build the road over Sunpyside
avenue within $50 days.
The Solid Eight voted it down, and the
crowded gallery, unable longer to repress
their feelings of disgust, ieered them.
He moved that the time limit be then
made a year.
The Solid Eight unable to look up and
knowing that they would be laughed at for
shame, voted mo"
1.-TWO years." said Taylor, and the Solid
Eight voted mo-
So that now no doubt remains with any
citizen as to who and what these members
of the Solid Eight are, and ever since their
guilt has been so fixed the people have
been impatiently discussing the means of
convicting and Furnishing them.
The Citizens Defense Association has
been called into being by THE Calls reve-
lations of how this action has directly
broken the laws; the Civic Federation has
discussed action to be taken, and indi-
vidual and patriotic citizens have threat
ened to bring the guilty officials before the
courts.
In view of this stress of public feeling it
is well to keep clearly in mind the law in
order to properly understand how fragrant
ly and openly it has been violated.
The law, which has been repeatedly
printed by THE CALL, specially sets forth
that franchises to be awarded by the board
must be put up at auction, without any re-
strictions, and awarded to the highest bid
der.
This is the manner in which these bids
are called for in the resolution as passed
and advertised:
Resolution No. 12, ,61O third series y
Whereas, application has been made to
this board by the Market-stre Railway
Company to construct, lay down, main
tain and operate for the unexpired terms
of the respective franchises heretofore
granted for its line of street railroad on
Mission street, MissiOn-street road and
Telegraph or New County road, as erten-
sioas of and ddjuncts to, and in connec-
tion tcith said line of railroad, single
or double track street railroad, etc.
The resolution further provides that
And whereas, it is proposed to grant
under the conditions and restrictions
/ imposed in the draft of an order SUBJ
mitted by said company with it's app1i-
cation, filed on July i, 1895, a
franchise for a street railway along, over
and upon the streets, highways and
premises hereinb efore mentioned; there
fore, etc.
These conditions, it will be seen, make
the franchises of no value to any but the
Market-street Company, to the open and
advertised violation of the law. The law
provides as follows:
Sec. 2. Any member of any Board OF
| Supervisors, Common Council or other
| governing or legislative body of any
county, city and county, city, town OIL
district of this State sCIo, by his vote,
cioIates, or attempts to rioLate, the provi-
sions of this act. or any of them, SHAH b.
guilty of q nttsdenleGnor and of haGlfeas-
ance in office and be deprived of his of
flee by the decree of a court of competent
jurisdiction, after trial and conviction.
In this the path is marked out for those
who are determined to maintain the in
tegrity Of the City and the rights of the
people.
1