The San Francisco call., 1895-05-18
LATEST OAKLAND NEWS,
BicycIe-Dealers Threaten a
Vigorous Rent-Rate
War.
COULD NOT AGREE ON PRICES.
TeIephone Wires on Eighth-Street
Bridge May Be Cut Down by
the CITY,.

The bicycle-dealers of Oakland are at
outs and also at war over the question OF
renting wheels. and the hearts of those
who are not fortunate enough to possess
mounts of their own are glad thereat.
The frequency with which some of the
renting agencies have lost wheels lately
through the operations. of bicycle-thieves
has made their business improbable, and
a movement was started some days ago to
organize. for mutual protection and to
raise the prices at which bicycles were
rented. Heretofore the uniform price has
been, 25 cents per hour, with substantial
rebate for several hours use.
1t was proposed to raise the rate to 50
cents for. the first hour and 25 cents for
each additional hour.
The question of the price of bicycle re-
pairs was also~discussed and uniform rates
were fixed, to which the various dealers
were asked to agree. In order to make the
matter binding. it was proposed to organ
ize and have each dealer put up forfeit
OF $25 for the faithful carrying out of the
agreement.
All went well until some of the dealers
nAO-O O4olucSo- III SuC lllS Is very
large. began to'figure on now many wheels
would: lie idle in the shop should the price
for the first hour be fixed at so cents
Then came split, and the present indica-
tions are that instead of an Increase in the
rent of wheels the price will go down to 10
cents per hour while the war lasts.
: George A Faulkner, whose renting de-
partment contains twice as many wheels as
any other similar establishment in town,
made the first breach in the com bination
When the committee from the dealers
called on him yesterday to get his sigma
ture to the agreement he told them that he
proposed to conduct his business according
to his own ideas, and charge whatever he
deemed best for his own interests.
After somewhat heated discussion the
committee intimated that cut to 10 cents
per hour might bring him into the fold
but he was firm, and the formal declara-
ton OF hostilities is looked for at any time
Hundreds OF people will ride at 25 cents
per hour, where tens will pay 80 cents" :"
said Mr.. Faulkner, land | cannot afford to
let my wheels, in which / have a large
amount invested, rustin the shop to please
q few dealers VINO have so few wheels that
they are likely to rent them even at the
raised price. | shall meet any cut that is
made and stay in the fight as long as any
one"
In a town which boasts of as MANY
Il d
umbered by thousands, the difference of
pln1on among the dealers will mean much
10 the cycling public, particularly should
the matter result in a cut in the price of
new wheels, which might possibly occur.
Threatened the Wires.
. John AllmaY Jr., president of the Com
mercIal Telephone Company, spent an un-
pleasant two hours yesterday afternoon
while Superintendent of Streets Harrison
was. awaiting definite orders to. cut the
.eomp&ny3s wires at the Eighth-street
: bridge, which structure they cross.
:: AT recent meeting of the Street Com
nlittee OF tie Council it was reported that
the corporation had placed carriers on one
side of the bridge, which is city property,
without franchise, and the matter was
reported TO the Board of Public Works.
That body Immediately took action and
sent the following communication to the
Superintendent of Streets:
You viii al once remove all wires, poles and
arms erected on the Eighth-street bridge, or in
the course OF ERECTION, SO far as the same are in
violation ofiaw- or franchise.
- BoARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
= In order to make sure of his position in
the matter the Superintendent called upon
City Attorney Peirsol and asked his ad-
vice. He was sent the following opinion:
y. s. Harrison, Superintendent of Streets: Poles,
arms and wires erected and maintained by any
corporation upon astreet or bridge of the city
OF Oakland and without a franchise other
provision are legal nuisance and may be re-
moved by you from any such place.
j. h. PEIRsoL City Attorney.
Upon receipt of this message the Super
.intendent began preparations for the cut
ting and removing of the wires.
:: In the meantime President Altman had
heard OF the proposed raid on the COM
pany S wires and started for Oakland post
haste to head it off.
He called on the Superintendent. and
finding that that official was merely acting
under orders called on the members of the
Board of Public Works.
he was informed that if the company
possessed a franchise the wires were NOT in
any danger. but that unless he produced
proper authority they must come down.
He assured the board that he could pro-
duce the necessary papers and Mr.. Harri-
son was instructed TO suspend operations
until to-day to give the board a chance to
examine into the matter.
Fire in the City Jail.
Owing TO tie negligence OF the night
man on the desk at the CITY Prison. the
;Clty Han was in great danger of being
burned during the small hours of yester.
day morning. Bert Lamar and Gus Deme
We're locked up on charge of drunkenness
durlng the night, and after having spent
several hours in making the night hideous,
concluded to vary the monotony of their
incarceration by building fire in the cor
rldor. They tore their mattress to pieces.
and, setting fire to the fragments, threw
hem through the wicket in front of the
Sll.
Policeman Swain, who is in charge of the
prison during the night, knew nothing of
me peril the city's property was in until a
trusty smelt the smoke and began an IN
yestigation.
Deme, who was accused OF setting the
Iaaitai naicn 10 the mattress, was charged with
ilnialclous ma mischief, and will be tried when
his companion, who was placed under $50
oonas Tt1 as a witness; can be found.
s.a.ta5 .tls IS lhe second fire which has been
some starred Tim IN the Jail withip two months.
- ~ 'allIe ann ago drunken woman set fire
: it,an, ~ nef cen, and the blaze gave the prison.
keeper some trouble before it was subdued.
sunday-school Orchestra.
o.ahe. Inc tlsSt Congregational sunday-schooi
OfsnSSta gave very pleasing concert last