The San Francisco call., 1896-04-11
All Glasses Are Clamoring for
an Improved Tramway
Service.
ENTHUSIASM IS GENERAL.
Expressions of Opinion From Several
Well Known Residents and
Property.Owners.

Enthusiasm is rife in Richmond On
the street corners, in the stores and at
home little is spoken of save the proposed
improvement in the tramway service. The
"owl line" project is generally regarded
with favor, but the hoped-for reduction in
fares from cents to or 2% seems to be
the great topic.
That's what we want, remarked Alex
ander MacSorley, the well-known sewer
contractor, when addressed on the matter
at his cozy home on Clement street, near
Seventh avenue. "THE CALL is a great
paper, but it seems greatest when it takes
the part OF those who are not able or do
not know how to fight their own battles.
Five cents to work and cents back means
So month, and if a laboring man has
children who go to school out of tile dis
tr1ct, or perhaps have to work as well as
he, each one has to pay the same sum
monthly.
II know this amount may seem trivial
to those who are so fortunate as not to be
obliged to count dollars and cents, but to
the working man, who has family, it
means great deal. The reduction in
fares from cents to cents for single
trip, or to cents for two trips, would, in
my opinion, be a great benefit to all parties
concerned. The facilities of communica-
ton with the business center being en-
HANGED, many people would live in Rich
mond, who at present prefer localities
where they do not have to depend alto
gether on the streetcars. On the other
hand, the railroads would suffer nothing,
but would rather, gain by the reduction,
seeing that the volume of their business
would be vastly increased, while the re-
duction would directly benefit the families
OF residents by making their expenses
lighter. IHE CALL has gained many friends
IN Richmond by it's advocacy of this meas
ure and l hope the thing will work"
81 like the idea Of late streetcar SER
Point Lobos Hotel. There are times
when q man is liable to become belated.
He may be in fault. Perhaps he may
have met some convivial friend in whose
congenial company the hours have flown
by until midnight has struck. If he lives
III Richmond he finds himself in hot
water. Miles ana miles away from home,
he must hire cab or walk or find some
place to sleep downtown. All these alter
natives are more or less Objectionable
The hiring of cab involves the expendi-
ture OF an ordinary days pay; the long
walk to Richmond would tire the winged
feet of Mercury, while if a man sleeps
away from home the subsequent expIana-
tons and misunderstanding are often
very tlresome, to say the least.
''rhe tramway people say that it is
necessary for the machinery to be idle
during portion of the night in order that
needed repairs may be made. This is un-
doubtedly true in measure, but repairs
do not have to be made every night, and
when necessary they can be made in
very short time. The men would have
longer hours, but in all probability the
shifts would be rearranged so that no one
would be aggrieved. The late car service
would without doubt bring many resi-
dents to Richmond.
"A great number of men have to work
until late at night. Bartenders, police
officers, typesetters and 9th ers are often
kept busy until after midnight These
men, as they generally sleep late in the
morning, would gladly live in quiet. re-
tired section of the City if they could.
But when their work is over they are too
tired to walk any great distance, and if
there are no late cars they will make the
best of downtown rooms or flats, closing
their windows and sleeping in unventi-
lated apartments IN order to shut out the
noise and hustle of the busy street. A late
car would be a godsend to men thus stu
ated, and am strongly in favor of the
owl service. )"