The San Francisco call., 1897-02-04
Motion Regarding Car.Rate Bills
ProvCkes a Heated
Debate.
Subj ct of Grades and Assessment
Commission Referred 10 Two
Committees.

The San Francisco Association of I'm.
provement Clubs held meeting last night
in the B'nai Birth Hall for the purpose
more particularly of considering recon-
mendation of the street committee oppos-
ing the enactment of any street law which
provides for com mission to assess dam
ages, as proposed in Assembly bills 80 and
Isl now before the Legislature.
The entire subiect matter of street
grades, included in both bills, was referred
to the legislative and street committees
with instructions for those committees
to report to special NEE ting of the asso-
citation next Saturday evening. There
was large attendance of memb bers, and
the discussion occasionally became so ami
mated that personal hostili.ies seemed
almost unavoidable.
| This was especially the case when Vice
President Grady, who presided, declared
out of order resolution proposed by
Major McKinne. praying the Legislature
not to pass the Assembly and Senate
tramcar bills now being supported by As
sem blyman Treacy and Senator Braun
hart, as substitutes for bills so and 27O,
| and providing that mo street rail-
road within the corporate limits of NUM-
cipal corporations of the first class, within
the State shall during the hours from
O'CLOCK to o'clock of the forenoon and
| from O. clock TO z o'clock of the afternoon
| charge or collect a higher rate of fare than
~ cents for each passenger per trip over
any distance in one direction along any
part of the whole length of the road and
its connections"
The passage of these bills, the resolu-
tion asserted, wo1ld cause great injustice
and the whole State of California.
Vice-President Graoy contended that
the association had already dealt with the
same question at q previous meeting.
Major McKinne appealed from his ruling.
DR.. G. d. Salfield took the chair and on
the question of reconsideration of the sub
ject referred TO in the resolution a tie vote
resulted.
The chairman pro tenn. gave a casting
vote In favor of consideration amid ter
rife uproar. Vice-President Grady de-
| clared two-thirds majority was neces-
sary to authorize reconsideration. and it
was then that a wild scene of disorder and
ended in the defeat of the motion to re-
consider, and the meeting adjourned in
confusion and at mid night.
On the reading of the street commit
tees recommendation, Judge Van Reyne-
gom moved that this resolution be laid on
| the table, because the subject-matter had
already been laid before another commit
tee of the association, and the street COM
mittee, therefore, had nothing to do with
it, and had in dealing with it acted in an
eX-parte manner
This proposition provoked emphatic op-
position and was voted down on division.
Mr.. O'Leary then moved that the report
of he committee be adopted.
T. F. Heggarty proposed as an amend
ment to the amendment that the bill pro-
| posed by the Merchants Association and
| indorsed by the Civic Federation be ap-
proved as substitute.
Mr.. OLeary moved that the entire sub
| ject- matter of street grades included in
| both bills be committed to the legis ative
committee and committee on streets, said
com m ittees to render a report at the next
| meeting.
At this juncture Mr.. Scheerer rose ex-
citedly and addressing Mr.. Rosenthal
| asked that gentleman if his complaint of
unfair treatment referred to himself, Mr..
| ScheererP
| Mr. Rosenthal-You and the street COM
| teeP
Mr.. Scheerer then proceeded to roast
the bill, which he characterized as a
measure which neither a layman nor q
lawyer could understand.
Mr.. OLeary's motion then carried, to-
| gether with an additional resolution, re-
questing the legislative and street COM
mittees 10 report to special meeting next
| Saturday.
| A communication received from prop
| erty owners and residents on Point
Lobos avenue and the Cliff House road.
! petitioning the association to look into
the matter of the improvement of the
| driveway from First avenue to the Cliff
| House, was lndorsed.
The following petition was supported by
Judge Van Reynegom and unanimously
adopted as the sense OF the association:
To the Honorable Senate and Assembly Of the
| State Of CdtifornfG-GENTLEMEN: The under
signea citizens of California, who are engaged
| in industrial pursuits, respectfully renion-
strate against the passage OF any law which
| brings convict labor in competition with free
| while labor. We respectfully remons trate
| against the passage OF any measure providing
for the crushing of rock at Folsom prison to be
| used for street or concreting purposes within
| any town or city of the State.
We object TO this because there are q large
| mum ber of our fellow-citiZens now engaged in
quarrying stone and preparing it for macad-
amizing and concreting purposes in the vari-
| Gus cities OF this State, and who thus support
! their families; and such labor cannot COM
| pete with convict labor in that line.
We do not object to the sale Of rock by the
| State for county road purposes.
A series of resolutions from the Irouuois
lures on the part of he Legislature except
in the case of the Fire Department was
| discussed, and a motion finally passed to
| the effect that the Iroquols Club be COM
municated with and informed that the
ASSOCIATION has already taken action in
this matter and is opposed to the increase
| of salaries whatsoever. and that the secre-
| tary be notified to instruct every member
of the San Francisco delegation in both
houses TO this effect.
a resolution moved by DR.. Salfed was
unanimously adopted extending the
| thanks of the association 10 the Board of
| Supervisors and particularly to Super
visor RottanZi, for 1.-THE stand they have
taken in favor of the people in advance
ment of their rights and against the bold
and outrageous attempt to rob them of
| their rights"
c. d. Mark, B. Joost, M. F. Taylor and
| Vice president Grady were recommended
! to the Mayor 10 be placed on a committee
of 100 to consider the new charter