The San Francisco call., 1896-07-01
ORDERED THE
PRIVILEGE SOLD,
Supervisors Dispose of the
Geary-Street Fran
chiSe.
BIDS TO BE RECEIVED.
First Official Publication of the
Order Made Yes
terday.
THE NINETY DAYS LIMIT.
The Board Resolves Not to Tax
Nickel.in.the Slot Tele.
phones.
SflQnp VIet .ERE slOE >,

+ The Supervisors have passed the resolu-
tion providing for the submission to pub
lie competition of the application of the
Geary-street, Park and Ocean Railroad
Company for q street railroad franchise.
The resolution provides that bids shall
be received for the franchise in open ses-
sion of the Board of Supervisors Monday,
August 3, 1896, from 2:30 to P. NJ, and
that no proposal for said franchise in any
sum less than $4,000 will be entertained by
the board.
In the session of the board held last
Monday afternoon the resolution was
adopted, but Supervisor Dimond voting
in the affirmative gave notice that he
would move for reconsideration at the
next regular meeting.
1t was supposed that the resolution to
reconsider would so delay the advertising
of tins franchise that the privilege could
not be legally advertised and sold ninety
davs before the general election. The law
does not permit the grant OF a franchise
within ninety days before a general elec-
ton, and it is an open question whether
the right to sell franchise within that
limit of time exists.
The Supervisors favoring the sale of the
privilege decided 10 take no chances, so
the board adjourned Monday afternoon to
meet Tuesday at 8 A. NJ.
When the board met yesterday morn
ing, Supervisors King, Scully. Benjamin,
Hirsch. Dimond, Hughes, bunker, Tay-
lor, Morgenstern, HOBBS and Wagner were
present
Supervisor Benjamin was called to the
chair. After the disposal OF some unfin-
lshed business in committee of the whole,
Nv 0alIoH NJ tho nation 10 m
consider the vote by which the franchise
resolution was adopted. The members
voting to reconsider were Hirsch, Di-
mond, Taylor, Hobbs and Wagner-5.
Those voting against reconsideration
were King, Scully, Benjamin. Hughes,
bunker and Morgenstern-6.
TAe adoption OF the order was therefore
announced. The first official publication
was made last evening.
The Supervisors in committee of the
whole, Mr.. Dimond in the chair, heard
John /. Sabin of the telephone company
in regard to provision in pending ordi-
nance requiring license to be paid for
maintaining nickel-in-the- slot telephones.
Mr.. Sabin asserted that San Francisco
was supplied with superior telephone
equipment and that the service was
cheaper than in New York, Chicago,
Boston or st. Louis. The system here
was first class. He remarked that 1000
subscribers depended on the nickel-in- the
slot machine. The license of So proposed
to be levied would set the service back one
year and deprive many people OF facilities
which they can now afford.
Mr.. Sabin held that it was not necessary
for q monopoly to be unpopular and cited
the good feeling which existed between
his company and its customers. He con-
tended that no community would support
two telephone companies.
Mr.. Taylor moved to strike out the
charge to nickel-in-the-slot telephones and
the motion prevailed. The ordinance thus
amended was passed to print. The board
heard J. E. Hull, an inventor, and NJ.
Clayton, secretary of the Sutter-street
Railroad Company. on the merits and
dement's of various appliances known as
car-fenders, but no action was taken. The
subject was deferred on motion of Mr..
King