The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23
The New Order of Things to Go
Into Effect on September
First.
CYCLING CIRCLES EXCITED
Organized Effort to Be Made to Cir.
cumvent the Imposition of
This Tax.

Whoever desires TO carry bicycle on
any train or boat of the Southern Pacific
Company after the 1st of September will
have to pay a tax to that corporation.
Even should the cyclists trip extend no
further than Oakland, Berkeley or Ala
media from San Francisco, he will be
forced to contribute the sum of ten cents
to the Golfers of Huntington, Crocker ct al.
Circular letters have been sent out to all
the agents of the Southern Pacific Com
pany at the stations between which BIZ
cycles are now carried free of charge, in
structing them as follows:
Commencing September 1, 1896. 25 cents
viii be the charge for the transportation In
baggage-ear of bicycle, tricycle. or baby
carriage between any two points.
The term "bicycle" is here used in its gen.
eral sense, as including the wheel commonly
called 8 "tandem.
Passes must not be recognized as covering a
free carriage of the articles above named.
This means that wheels carried between
San Francisco. Benicia, Livermore, Mar
tinez. Vallejo, San Jose and any interme-
date point viii have to be paid for after
the date mentioned.
Instructions have also been issued pro-
vlding for the collection of 10 cents for
each bicvcle carried across the bay in
either direction on the regular ferries. and
five cents on the creek route.
This action has been under considera-
ton for several months, and the matter is
one that has caused long and labored dis
cussions among the ruling powers of the
great railroad monopoly.
On the 1st of July the same policy was
adopted with reference to Los Angeles, in
connection with the other lines which
enter that city, but it was not then
thought expedient to apply it to the terri
tory about San Francisco.
The reason assigned by the railroad
people for this charge is that bicycles take
up valuable room on the train and fre-
quently delay trains by the time con-
sum ed in storing them. The real reason
is, however, that the Southern Pacific has
been inspired to the proposed course by
the fact that it is one of the very few roads
which are now not making any charge for
wheels carried to nearby points and does
not intend TO longer forego the oppor-
tunity of attempting to increase its reve-
nue at the expense of the wheelmen.
It was believed that this departure
would not be undertaken until after the
election, in order not to excite the cyclists
to acton which would result in the choice
of leglslato who would be pledged to the
passage of a bill providing for the free
carriage of bicvles as baggage everywhere
within the State. Such q law is now in
force in New York. and it is highly prob
able that united and early action will be
taken by the wheelmen of the entire State
to secure similar privileges for the riders
of this State.
Thousands of people in the course of the
week cross the bay with wheels some only
on pleasure bent. Others who take their
wheels with them as means of ieaching
their places of business or their homes
with facility and without expense. Many
live in sections removed from convenient
railroad or streetcar connection across the
bay, and these will either have to change
their residences and perhaps sell their
homes or nav this enforced tribute to the
Southern Pacific Company. 1t is this class
of residents-they who have given way to
the alluTements of suburban charms-who
will be hardest hit by the new order of
things.
Those who ride for pleasure have the
remedy in their own hands to large ex-
tent, and, from expressions heard yester-
day, they are disposed to apply it with
promptness and vigor. Instead of riding
for distance of fifty miles in one direc-
tion and then taking a train back to the
starting point, this class of cyclists will
ride less distance from their home and
will use their wheel in both directions.
Justice of the Peace Frank II. Kerrigan,
Division of the League of American
Wheelmen, was full of the new order of
things when seen yesterday.
1--WE have known of this matter for
some time" he said, 'and we are pre-
pared to meet it in the proper and most
effective matter. The Southern Pacific
Company has been looking for q chance to
'cinch' the cyclists OF San Francisco, Oak
land, Alameda and neighboring towns for
a long time. and the thing that we are
most thankful for is that the new regula-
tions have gone into effect before election
time so that we can show the railroad
company the true strength OF wheelmen
in this portion of the State.
1--WE know the strength of the ballot and
how it can be used, and we propose to see
that the cyclists of California, and particu-
larly the league members, are not given
the worst of it.
More than a week ago information
came to local league officials that the
Southern Pacific officials would try to
charge for wheels crossing the ferries, but
it has not bothered US much, because we
know that such matters are adjustable and
that with the proper pressure brought to
bear we shall prevail.
1.-The Southern Pacific Com pany appa-
rently does not realize that the thousands
OF wheelmen in San Francisco and the
suburban towns about it are unit on the
question of charges for wheels, and that
with our great strength we are quite likely
to elect a Legislature that will block any
such scheme as now proposed. We have
already had conferences with the repre-
sentatives of number of important towns
within easy distance of San Francisco, and
all are enthusiastic in favor of fighting this
matter to the bitter end.
Meetings of the local division of the
league and of the Associated Cycling clubs
have. already been decided on, and the
fight will be fairly under way in few
days"