The San Francisco call., 1896-03-18
street cars northbound and Third-street cars


southbound.
We understand from your several commune
cations on this subject that sucn n System is
Objectionable, from the fact tn at passenger,
taking the cars at the Third and Townse I'd
street depot, for instance, will be permitted to
transfer at Clay street for the westbound cars,
again transfer at Clay and Powell to south
bound Car and transfer again at the lntersec-
ton of Powell and Market and thus, by your
present system return to the starting point by
paying only one fare. We think that you Will
admit that the number of people who would
be likely to make such an excursion is infini-
tesimal. We realize, though, that while the
original passenger may not De inclined to
make a round trip for one fare, his transfer
may be passed 10 some one else and thus two
passengers enabled to travel in opposite
directions for one fare. which we assume is
the most serious objection to giving transfers
from the Kearny street cars to westbound Sac
ramento and Jackson-Street cars. 1t seems to
us that this can be obviated by abolishing the
transfers on the southbound Powellstreet
cars from the westbound Jackson and Sacra-
mento street cars. 1t would also be necessary
to abolish transfers from the northbound Pow
ell-street cars TO eastbound Sacramento-street
cars to prevent a con tiuuous passage from
Third and Townsend oy way of Market and Pow
ell-street lines and return on Sacramento and
kearny-street cars If transfers are issued 10
and from the Kearny-street line and the Sacra-
mento and Jackson street cars. people residing
In the Western Addition, between California
and Pacific avenue, travelling to and from the
center of retail trade, will be enabled to reach
their homes and places of business more con-
veniently over Your sys tenn than by taking the
Marketstreet cars, which are usually very
much crowded, going five OF six blocks out OF
their way, neceSs1tatlng transfer at Powell
street. and ct certain times of the day and
week another transfer to the Sacramento and
Jackscn street cars. In addition to this q
much more convenient and direct route would
be afforded to them in travelling to and from
the depot at Tn ri end To wasend streets.
We appreciate The fact that it would be nec-
essary to adopt some method to prevent resi-
dents of the Mission. eastbound. from transfer
ing to your Third-street line and again trans
ferring at Third and Market to yoIr west
bound Market-street cars thus making trip
from the Mission and return possible. If your
new system will prevent this it seems to
that you can prohibit the issuing OF transfers
at Market and Third streets to westbound
Market-street cars to those passengers who
have. been transferred from the Mlssion.street
line.
In conclusion we, have only to add that if
transfers are given as requested by US the fol-
lowing would be the result:
Residents of the Western Addition would be
enabled to travel co ana from the Southern
Pacific depot (at Third and Townsend streets)
at saving OF fully five minutes in time over
the present roundabout route by way OF Powell
street.
route from the Mission to North Beach
would be established without involving the ex-
pense of additional cars which is contemplated
in your through line system.
Those starting from the Jerry and desiring to
reach any point on Kearny street, between
Sacram en.o and Post, would travel over your
line rather than walk as they do now to the
California-street cars or patroniZe the Suffer-
street horsecar line. All of which, in our
opinion, would result in profit to your COM
pany and convenience TO your patrons, besides
materially assisting in restoring Kearny street
trade which it is last losing by reason of an
unfair discrimination against 1t in transfer
privileges.
We do not underestimate the advantage in
the through line you propose to inaugurate
from the Mission to and along Kearpy street,
as compared 10 the present system, and will be
glad to see it established, as it will save passen-
gers the annoyance of transfers at ThiId and
Mission streets, as we suggest. We confess,
| though, this is the only point we can see in
favor of il, and if it is 10 be regarded US an ex
| pertinent involving an additional expense in
| the operation Of your system as now run, we
! are somewhat apprehensive that it may not
! prove satisfactory, in which event you would
naturally discontinue it. There may, how
ever, be good reasons and factors unknown to
US which enter into the proposition that me-
cessitates separate and distinct cars to and
| from the Mission, in which event we are sure
the Merchants Association will doubly appre-
ciate your response to the appeal made through
it in behalf of the:public as your acquiescence
means an expenditure not con tempiated in our
request. AS there could be no abuse of such
privilege al this transfer point we take it for
gran ted that you contemplate giving transfers
at Broadway and Kearny streets to North
Beach upon the proposed new line from the
Mission, thus giving North Beach the CORE
spending transfer privilege to the one it for
merly enjoyed.