The San Francisco call., 1897-08-29
Large Advance Guard Said to Be
Already on It's Way to
the Coast.
WESTERHERS REFUSE TO GO EAST.
Convention Fund Swelled by Ball
Given at the Chutes Last
Night.

That the letter carriers convention is tc
come to San Francisco, after much talk tc
the contrary, seems now almost assured.
Twenty-four hours ago the battle seemed
to be hopeless so far as securing the CON
vention for this City was concerned. But
the boys in gray are fighters, and wher
word came from the president OF thei1
association that the next convention
would be held in Chicago and extending
to them his condolences instead of quietly
submitting to the seemingly inevitable,
they took another hitch in their armor
and insisted upon their demands with re-
newed vigor. And now victory seems tC
have perched on their banner, and they
are feeling iubilant over what they deem
to be positive assurance that the conven'
ton will come to San Francisco.
Yesterday kilograms were sent from the
local association to the president, chair
man and secretary of the National asso'
cia ton, stating that San Francisco would
not submit to the decision of the board
Soon alter a telegram was received by
Postmaster Montague, as follows:
Your message yesterday. Our lines have
now arranged 20 sell tickets one fare for round
deIstand iusures holding meeting there.
B. ID. CALDWELL.
Mr.. Caldwell being the chairman of the
Western Passenger Association. this mes
sage brought renewed hope to the local
men and they felt that the greatest obsta-
Gle had been overcome, as the only objec.
ton worthy of consideration which has
been raised to holding the annual conven-
ton in San Francisco has been the alleg ed
impossibility Of securing reasonable rates
from the railroads.
A CODY of Mr.. Caldwell's telegram was
at once wired to the officers of the Ma
tional board and to some of the larger Of
the Eastern letter-carriers' associations,
with the result that about O'CLOCK yester-
day afternoon the following message was
received from s. F. Stevens. secretary oi
the National Association of Letter-Car
riers:
CINCINNATI, O., Aug %. 1897
C. Trteber, Sds Francisco: San Francisco my
Choice. Victory mailed notices Chicago.
Will wire board. s. +. STEVENS
This message Messrs. Smith and Trie-
Der, respectively chairman and secretary
of the local association, think settle the
question beyond a doubt, and they fee
that their efforts, as well as those of their
brother carriers, have been successful.
Said Mr.. Trieber:
Now that the convention is coming to
this City it is only just tnat the citizens oi
San Francisco should lend US their hnan-
cial aid to enable US to make the conven.
tion a success. 1t takes money to carry
on an affair of this magnitude, and al
true Caiifornians should extend their as
sistance that we NAV show our Eastern
comrades that they have made no mistake
in coming to San Francisco"
kilograms from many California towns
were received by Mr.. Trieber yesterday
assuring him that the local associations
would not attend the conven ton unless it
was held in San Francisco and offering
aid 10 make it success ii it came to Cali
fornia.
The following dispatch was received
late last night, and seems to indicate that
the advance guard of the Ietter-carriers
delegates are already on their way here:
DENVER, Colo. Aug 2S.-The Colorado
Midland has announced rate Of the regular
fire one way for the round trip from Denver
TO San Francisco; tickets good for thirty days;
10 be on sale one day only, September /.
Tie sudden action on the part of Pas
senger Agent Bailey was brought abou:
by the report from Chicago that the 6OC
dele ates to the letter conven.
tion IN San Francisco had been side
tracked IN Chicago owing to their in
ability to secure rates farther West.
Mr.. Bailey wired Chicago, informing
urging upon them the Importance oi
sending the delegates through to San
Francisco. He has not yet received an
answer
, Portland has Joined the California as.
sociations in resenting the action of the
Eastern board in changing the meeting.
place OF the convention. The following
was received from there last night:
PORTLAND, Or, Aug. 2S.-The Letter-car
ffnTg nf sc n \,
action of the National committee in changing
the place of meeting OF the coming convent tior
from San Francisco to Chicago, and in response
to telegram from the National com mittet
notifying them of the change sent the follow
ing message to President Parsons and Secre
tary Victory to-day:
WIN not recognize Chicago convention. Ou
delegates VIII attend san Francisco.
Frank e. Smith, chairman of the Ioca
committee OF arrangements, stated las
night that, as yet, no reply had been re
ceived from the National President, Johr
n. Parsons, though he Las been wired
from here and by the secre tary at Wash
ington.
1--WE feel confident, however" he said
that we will secure the convention. The
rate asked for, namely one fare for the
round trip, has been granted
1.-The committee on donations will gc
out among the business men Monday
morning to collect the balance needed to
defray the expenses of the convention.
There is little doubt that the convention
has been forced to come to San Francisco
by our aggressive action. And everything
has been done in thirty-six hours"
Last evening the Letter-carriers' Asso
citation of San Francisco gave a ball at the
Chutes for the purpose of raising money
toward defraying the expenses of the
coming convention.
There was a large crowd present and i
is estimated that at least S400 will bt
added TO the convention fund thereby. Ar
rangements were made with the Market
street company to run cars as late as
A. NJ. There were delegations present iron
Oakland. Alameda and Berkeley, and The
San Francisco boys and their friend:
turned out in full force. Dancing com
menced about 10 o'clock and continued
until a late hour, the music being fur
.L,<.d h-- tLa l.t 4 >.