The San Francisco call., 1896-06-24
Comparison Drawn Between the
Regular and Creek Route
Service.
DEFIANT sTREETCAR LINES
Market Street and Other Companies
Refuse to Acknowledg the Boards
Jurisdiction

Julius Kruttschnitt. general manager
OF the Southern Pacific Company, and
Andrew J. Clunie, are not agreed on the
question of ferry rates between San Fran
cisco and Oakland.
At the last meeting OF the Railroad Com
mission Clunie filed complaint charging
discrimination on the part of the railroad
corporation in that but cents was charged
per passenger between San Francisco and
Oakland on the creek route, while 10 cents
was collected over the regular ferry lines.
He asked that the matter be investigated
and remedy applied, if his charges
proved true.
AT this meeting the matter was referred
to the Southern Pacific Company for an
explanation, and a copy of ClunIes COM
plant was forwarded to General Manager
hruttschnitt. The latter's reply to the
commission follows:
am in receipt of a communication from
your honorable body incIoslng copy of letter
addressed TO you by one Andrew J. Clunfe,
wherein he recites the provisions OF Section
q OF Article MI of the constitution of this
state, claiming that because this company is
engaged in running a ferry-boat from the
water front OF San Francisco 10 the loot of
Broadway, in Oakland, by the So.called creek
route, at q tare OF cents per passenger, while
on the route comprising bo,h ferry and rall
service from san Francisco, Via Seventh stree /
TO Broadway, Oakland, the fare charged is 10
cents, said constitutional prov isions are there
lore violated.
An examination OF the facts stated by the
complainant establishes the faIlacy OF his con-
cluslOns.
The lines in question, although operated by
the same company, are entirely separate and
distinct by different routes between different
term1nl and the trans portauon Is under
Qluerent clrcumst tances ard conditions. II IS
not alleged, nor is II true, that any discrimin-
alton whatever is made between persons in the
use OF these several routes, nor can there be
any discrimination between plsces. Both
routes are equally open to any one who chooses
to use either, and both run between the city of
Oakland and The City of San Francisco.
The service via Seventh street, Oakland, to
Broadway is an expensive one involving the
use o. steam railroad trains, running into and
upon costly depot, mole and tracks, while
the accommodation given TO the passenger is
lar superior 10 any that is possible by the
creek route, enabling him 10 stop at any one
OF half dozen stations between the western
limits OF Oakland and the station al Seventh
street Gld Broadway. As to The reason
ableness OF the charge OF 10 cents tor such
service, there has been and can be no question.
Even the complainant does not venture the as
sertion that such a charge IS unTeasonably
high. Tee creek route is comparatively
cheap OF operation. All 1t requires Is the use
OF one fCrry-bOat, making It's landings and re-
ceiving and delivering its passengers at the
wharVes at the foot Of Broadway, Oakland,
and on the water 'front.' OF san Francisco.
3
thus avoiding the danger of driving down the
loag mole alongside o. moving trains, and
also preventing the oVercrOwdlng OF the boats
upon the railroad route by teams, to the in
convenience OF the large number of passen-
gers transported thereon. Incidentally pas
sengers are taken on the creek boats al the low
rate of five cents, but few care to avail them
selves OF such nsp0ratlon. II passenger
desired 10 go via that route to Seventh street
and Broadway, he would be compelled either
to walk seven blocks after arriving at the
ri of Il hp of RroadlVaI- Or n -a1- q
streetcar. paying therefor the additional fare
of five cents and if he desired TO go to any of
the other stations between Broadway and the
western boundary OF the city, he would be sub
ject 10 Just so much the more additional
trouble and expense. There Is no diserimina-
tion at all and the prohibition OF the constitu-
ton against charging greater rate for a
shorter distance than for longer one mani
testify applies TO points upon the same route OF
transportation, aud not to parallel, but sepa-
rate routes, over which a passenger has the
unrestricted option TO travel, according as he
de esires the greater or less accommodations pro-
vided by either.
Several replies have been received by
the commission 10 the communications
sent to all the street railroads in the State
requesting them to make a report to the
commission of their operations for the
past year. That from the Market-street
Railway Company, signed by Secretary j.
II. WiIcutt, Is as follows:
have the honor in behalf of the Market
street Railway Company TO acknowledge re
ceipt Of q communice ton from your secreta ~
enclosing copy OF an order purporiing TO be
made by your honorable board the 18th
day OF April, 1896, relative to the street rail
ways and requesting certain information
specified in such letter
The Market-stTeet Railway Company is ad.
vised by its counsel that street railways are not
within the jurisdiction OF the Board of Rail
road Commissioners of the State OF California,
and that such board is not entitled to demand
or receive the information sought 10 be OBJ
tained by the order above referred to. The Mar
ket-street Railroad Company therefore respect
fully declines to furnish such information
Similar replies came from the Geary-
street, Sutter-street and the Oakland street
railroad companies.
From K. II. Wade of the California
Southern Railway Company the following
self-explanatory letter was received:
Answering yours of the 4th in regard TO
Abandonment of portion of our line through
Temecula Canyon, would say we are not pre-
pared 10 stale our future intentions in regard
cumstances and business conditions OF the
country We have lately been taking up some
of the scattered material which was gong to
waste 10 be utilized elsewhere.
In this connection beg TO state that we are
rrenar7d 10 demonstrate thatwe have fulfilled
tverv obIigation both legal and moral, that
We have ever incurred in regard TO main
tennnce and operation OF this line. There is
no station on the old line but what is now
reached by trains in everyday service. ana no
hardship is being inflicted or worked upon
euv patron OF the road by reason of the line
not being restored between Ranchlta ana Ie-