The San Francisco call., 1896-04-09
WANT CHEAPER TRANSIT
The Mass.Meeting Has Been
Postponed Until Next
Wednesday Night.
MR.. FLETCHER SCORES vIN1NG.
Says the Superintendent Was I'm.
ported to Disrupt the Street
car System.

The mass-meeting of the Richmond resi-
dents to protest against the indignities
heaped upon them by the Market-street
Company, and at the same time to ask the
Sutro and Sutter-street railways for an
"owW service, promises to be a big sue
cess. Every man in the district is en-
thused over the project, and promises to
lend his presence to the important gath
ering.
1t has been determined. however, to
postpone the meeting until next Wednes-
day, April Is. This action is due to pre-
viously advertised meeting of the Point
Lobos Club for the same evening, when
the 3-cent-fare proposition is to be dis
cussed. By combining the two meetings,
it is contended by those most deeply in
terested that better results will be accom-
plished.
81 am glad to see that Mr.. Sutro has SO
readily agreed to the proposition of an owl
schedule-in fact, l would have been
much disappointed had he done other
wise" said George R. Fletcher, president
of the Point Lobos improvement Club,
yesterday. "We anticipate some little
trouble with the Sutter-street people, but
rather think they will wheel into line
later on.
"a late-car service is not by any means
the least of the evils we have to contend
with. A cheaper fare is needed, and l
believe that we will get it-not now, posi-
bly,, but before many months. But certain
it is, that unless we ask for it, nay, de-
mand it, the railroad people would never
voluntarily do such thing.
at seems to me that Mr.. Vining has
been especially im ported into this City to
disrupt the street railroads. No one who
has watched the trend of events will que--
ton the statement that he has given his
whole time to the matter and succeeded
beyond his widest hopes. The average
patron of the Market-street Company is
not able to grasp the intellectual transfer
system inaugurated by the recently i'm
ported superintendent
at is a conceded fact that the more
houses built in district the more travel
on the cars, which means a more rapid
schedule, but Vining, in the greatness of
his own mind, has reversed this order of
things; he has crippled the service and so
handicapped us generally that nearly the
whole district is ready to say to him,
Take off the rest
.'Vinlng could do the company he at
present so ably misrepresents' valuable
service if he would do away with the en-
tire transfer system, making the single
fare over any one road 3 cents, or two
fares for cents. / do not consider this
too little, for it has been demonstrated to
every ones satisfaction that it will pay to
have fares at that price. None of the
transfer lines receive more than ~ cents
for each passenger, and in many instances
great deal less than this.
at is to fight for this very thing that the
Point Lobos Club will hold big demon
owl system came up. for it will give us an
opportunity to test the new electric line
and its connecting link. firmly believe
the Sutter-street people will respect our
petition by giving the scheme months
trial if nothing more. l am sure, how
ever. that at the end of thirty days they
will be only too glad to continue it. At
the last meeting of the club the following
resolution was passed:
Resolued, That this cl ub and the people of the
Richmond district pledge themselves to use
their best endeavors to have inserted in the
platform of the political parties plank pledg-
ing the candidates to the Senate and Assembly
TO introduce and carry through the coming
Legislature bilr that no streetcar shall carry
more passengers than there are seats for in the
car, and that the price of single fare on any
street railroad shall not exceed cents, or
shall be fares for cents.
'There is not resident in all Richmond
opposed to this, or at least have failed to
find any. When the matter is again taken
up at the general mass meeting Wednes-
day night / have an idea that its echo will
reach the Montgomery and Mark et-street
Office with such force as to cause imme-
diate favorable action on the part of Mr..
Vining and his assistants. l don't think
we will be forced to wait for the Legisla-
ture to act.
However, Sutro and the Sutter-street
Railway hold the real KEY to the situation.
If they would come down to Scent fare
from here to the City Hall and ferry it
would practically paralyze three lines
now operated by the Market-street Com.
pany. The feeling is so intense now that
people would walk blocks to drop nickel
or Scent piece into some competing
company's pocket"
Z. G. Parker, the real estate agent, said
last night he had talked to scores of people
during the day and they were all in SYM
pathy with the movement. He SAID the
mass meeting would be representative
one, such in fact as could not be over
looked by Mr.. Sutro. Mr.. Parker said he
felt confident that the railroad would
adopt the "owl car" and that reduction
in fares would come in a very short while.
PARAMOUNT DISTRICT,