The San Francisco call., 1896-03-27
there will probably not be dissenting

there will probably not be a dissenting
vote.
The measure provides that streetcars
should never pass within fifty feet of a
street crossing and was introduced just
after the fearful death OF the two little
Booth girls in West Oakland few weeks
ago.
Two years ago an ordinance was passed
relating 10 guards for the cars and if its
provisions were enforced there would be
enough money received from fines to run
the city government for a year. The fol-
lowing extracts from the ordinance show
It's purpose and the penalties for dsobe-
dience:
1t shall be unlawful for any person, firm or
corporation operating cars for the conveyance
OF passengers with N the city of Oakland, pro-
PEELED by means of wire ropes attached TO sta
tionary engines, or by electricity or compressed
air or horses or mules TO run, operate or use
the same or permit or cause the same to be
run, operated or used, unless each car or
dummy shall have suitable buffer or guard
appliance OF suitable design and construction
for the purpose OF removing from and clear
ing the track of persons and distractions: said
buffer or guard shall be placed i'll front OF such
car or dummy and attached TO the frame of
the forward wheels or trucks thereof, and also
before the rear wheels, and shall run at q uni
form distance OF not more than one and
half inches above the roadbed or rails over
which such car runs. and shall be so con-
structed as to prevent persons or objects on
the roadbed OF said car from being run over or
upon by any such car or dummy.
Within thirty days from and after the date
OF the passage of this ordinance all persons,
firms and corporations owning or operating
cars for the conveyance of passengers within
said city Of Oakland shall adopt one or more
devices for attachment to their cars or dunn
mics for the protection of life and the preven-
ton OF accident, and shall within further
period OF ten days file with the clerk of the
City Council statement indicating and de-
scribing the particular device or devices
adopted by such person, firm or corpora ton.
II such device or devices are approved by the
said Council then it shall be the duty of each
person, firm or corporation owning or operat-
ing cars for the conveyance of passengers with
in the said city of Oakland within period of
sixty days thereafter and not later than ninety
days from and after the adoption and approval
OF this ordinance, to- attach or cause TO be at
tached to each car or dummy the particular de-
vice or devices adopted by such person, firm or
corporation approved by this Council and
to keep such device or devices constantly at
tached to their cars and dummies when the
same shall be in use, and thereafter no car or
dummy shall be operated or used without such
attachment or such improvement thereto as
may be thereafter adopted by such person, firm
or corporation and approved by said Council
Any person, firm or corporation who shall
violate any of the provisions of this ordinance
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and
upon conviction thereof shall be punished by
q fine not to exceed $500 or by Imprisonment
not to exceed $50 days or by both such fine
and imprisonment
The continuing maintaining of any viola
tion of this ordinance shall be deemed new
offense for each day on which the same is so
continued or maintained and shaIl be pun
ished accordingly.
This ordinance shall take effect and be in
force ninety days after Its passage and ap-
prevail
The records of the Council show that
tie ordinance was passed February 5, 1894
For over two years it has been ignored by
all the companies, with two exceptions,
and during that time over dozen people
have been killed. On the Oakland Con-
solidated line there are eight men who
have killed their man. in the language
of the road, but their victims have more
frequently been children than men.
Mayor Davie is preparing communica-
ton to the Council, in which he sets forth
the fact that the enforcement of such laws
as have been passed is of far more conse-
quence than the making OF new ones. ''If
the ordinance requiring guards had been
enforced" said the Mayor, several little
children who are now in their graves might
still have cheeIed their parents homes
yhe new ordinance is all right, but the
carrying out of the law regarding guards
would prevent the periodical sacrifice of
life that we see."