The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-26
The Ashbury Heights and Carl
Street People Are Thor.
oughly Hot.
MR.. Winnings METHOD DIsLIKED
Citizens Are Tired of Tracks Through
Their District Upon Which Cars
Do Not Run,

The suit filed by D. E. Westover of the
Ashbury Heights and Stanyan-street I'm
provement Club against the Market-street
Railway for forfeiture of the franchise on
the streets south of Golden Gate Park is
in the natural order of things. The rail-
road company is occupying those streets
in that locality with its tracks and
no cars are ever run up Masonic
avenue to Frederick street, thence
to First avenue, though tracks were laid
long ago and the franchise calls for a regu-
lar service. On the Carl-street branch
cars are run every thirty minutes from
to 10 in the forenoon and from to II 80
in the evening.
At the junction of Clayton and Page
streets, which is a transfer station, there is
no station, not even a shelter from the
rain. The railroad erected small shanty
on the sidewalk open to the south and the
winter storms.
The Carl-street tracks are SO little used
that they get covered up with sand. conse-
quently the car is often off the track at
night Passengers who are weary of wait
ing with their transfers for the appear
ance of That solitary car, and who wish to
continue on by another street line, are put
off by the condu ctors, although it is ali one
systematic Market-Street Railway.
The AshDury people stood this for years,
and finding that petitions and visits to the
railroad officials were useless went to law.
and the first railroad franchise forfeited
was due to their efforts.
This is only the first case" said At
torney George A. Rankin, Yesterday, 'for
there Will be many more. | can assure
you that there is hardly an existing street
railway franchise in the City that will hold
together in a court of law. The companies
have changed and twisted their plans
around from the original Specifications till
there is little similarity between the de-
signs in the franchise and those in the
lines as constructed. They have made
their changes without taking the slightest
trouble to consult with the City authori-
ties. They have changed from cable to
electric, double to single track at their own
sweet will.
lone would fancy their bondhoiders
would object to such recklessness. Wher-
ever a change has been made without law
full authority the franchise has been i'm
periled, and there will be heap of trouble
for them some day.
SIN one of our interviews with Colonel
Croker he told us that they had suit
upon their hands relating to the validity
of their bonds, and just as soon as that
litigation was ended the Market-street
Railway Company would see that we got
first-class service. But the suit was ended
and so were all chances OF that frst-class
service, for the railroad people afterwards
told us that they had concluded not to do
anything.
Just as soon as this street-car octopus
right here let me say that the other part
of the Southern Pacific never approached
the degree OF tyranny possessed by the
octopus which San Francisco is permitting
1 Aol-1 L.
soon as this street-car cuttle-fish gets its
iron tentacles into the few thoroughfares
that are left, away will go the transfers.
Then we will oil pay many fares where we
now pay one. Don't you fondly imagine
Huntington and his man Vining are going
to let you get out of one car into another
without that other nickel.
f'The fare should be less than cents for
ride across this city, but it will never be
less than a nickel. They are now COM
planning that they lose piles of money by
| the few transfers the newsboys pick up.
How many of these little tickets do you
suppose these little fellows dispose of? AT
Market and Powell streets about 100 pei
day get into the boys hands. Even that
is too large an average, and fifty would be
nearer the truth. Now, about fifty OF
those who get them from the boys would
not ride otherwise, but under the induce
ment of a newspaper they accept the trans
| fer and ride.
$50 the railway company, at a big es-
innate, loses fifty nickels-$2 50-about
what it pays a tirst-class spotter.
1--WE of Ashbury Heights and south oil
the park have stood Vining and his
methods long enough. He has tried tC
cut that little strip OF territory between
the park and the mountain to the soutt
from the rest of the City. He has all o
the car franchises running into that mar
row territory and he will give the peopI,
no service.
But this is the commencement of sew
eral years of litigation which the Market.
street railway will have on its hands"
Hlhln nIn 0Hl HRnAElnnN