The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-09
FRANCHISE GIVEN AWAY
The Solid Eight Comedies Not
a Single Point in Favor Of
the City.
JEERED BY THE GALLERY
A Seance Not Soon to Be Forgotten
In the History of Local
Legislation.

What there is to tell this morning about
the granting to the Market-street Railway
Company by the Board of Supervisors of a
franchise to run out to the new racetrack,
over Ocean House road and Sunnyside
avenue, is wholly descriptive.
What they did was told by THE CALL OF
Sunday morning under heading OF
ssWhat They Will Do" But they did it
with "a vengeance" that could hardly
have been anticipated, even with the record
they had established.
No, there is this to be said in addition
Alphonse Hirsch voted straight along for
monopoly and against the peoples inter
ests with the delinquent seven. 1t will be
remembered that THE CALL held Mr..
Hirshe's case open for him.
For nearly two hours yesterday after
noon Supervisor Taylor stood in the breach
between the Solid Eight and the sale of
the peoples rights which they had deter
mined upon, endeavoring first to induce
them to stop and reconsider; then, seeing
there was no hope of this, to gain some
concession for justice. To every PROPOSE
ton he made he had the hearty support OF
three other members and the opposition OF
the Solid Eight. Not single point did
they yield, but, step by step, they beat
down every issue raised and finished by
handing to the Market street Railway
Company the franchise in the form that
that company had itself prepared and pre-
scented.
No such complete surrender to the cor
porations has been witnessed in the board
since the days of Christopher Buckley s
Solid Nine.
That great interest was felt in the days
work was evidenced by the throng that
nlled the lobby and the gallery and over
flowed into every available space in the
Supervisors room, occupied by the more
privileged. Behrend Joost was there to
see his competitor fed with the sugar
plums he had prepared for himself. His
enemies were there to smile at his defeat,
but before they got through with the
seance the smile upon many of their faces
had faded and they were asking themselves
whether, after all, it was such a laughing
matter. This was the case with those who
in opposing Joost thought they were leav-
ing the way open for better road-the
Market-street Company's road.
When they 6iscovered-as they did-that
in killing the San Mateo roads franchise
out Sunnyside avenue they were killing
all hope of road being built there for
many years, and that the majority of the
Supervisors were openly asserting to the
Job, the humor of the situation became a
very CHASTITY effort.
When Assistant Clerk Farquharson had
finished reading the order granting the
franchise as prepared by the Market-street
Railway Company Supervisor Hughes
moved its immediate adoption. 1t con-
tanned the provision recommended by the
Street Committee that the line out Ocean
House road to Ingleside be completed
within ninety days.
Supervisor Wagner moved that this pro-
vision be amended to read $50 days. He
said the rails could not be got on the
ground and the work even started in
ninety days.
Mayor Sutro called upon the board to
go slow with regard to the matter in any
shape. This is a very important bust
ness" he said, land careful consideration
should be given it before any action is
taken. The people of San Francisco are
greatly interested in grants of this magni-
tude. II you postpone all action for at
least week you will be acting wisely"
Supervisor Taylor said he intended to
offer a substitute which would necessarily
bring up the matter of postpon ement
Then the question on Wagner's motion
was put. Supervisor Dimond asked to be
excused from voting. Supervisors Spreck-
els and Hobbs voted against the extension
of time and the others voted for it.
Then Taylor offered his substitute and