The San Francisco call., 1897-03-25
Mayor Phelan Will Insist
Upon Railroad Work
Being Done.
Manager Vining Outlines The
Company's Policy on
Unused Tracks.
Will Not Abandon Control of the
Rails, Bsczuse They May Be
Used in the Future.

Mayor Phelan intends to extend the
field OF his inquiries as TO the manner in
which the street railroads of San Fran
cisco 1--we up to their franchises and the
attention they pay to the orders of the
Board of Supervisors
While waiting for the conference with
the various roads regarding the removal
of the unused tracks about the City, be
will make an attempt TO ascertain Why the
Market-street Company does not comply
with the resolutions OF the Board Of Super
sisors regarding Eighth street. from Mar
ket to Folsom.
The car tracks there were laid down
while the street was paved with cobbj q
Later, when the City, acting IN coniA
tion with property-owners, paved tn
roadway vita bitumen, the Superintend-
ent OF Streets notified the company that
the space between the tracks and those
between the rails must be paved with like
material.
No attention was paid 70 the notice and
the Board of Supervisors passed resolu.
ton ordering the work done. Still the
company was obdurate and second reso-
luton threatening suit against the COM
pany was passed, but with no greater sue
cess.
The Mayor intends TO look into The
legal phases of the Eighth-street matter
and, If possible, bring about some action
that will result in the street being paved
as the street law contem plates.
The matter of the unused rails on Bush
street, now before the Supreme Court
will also be closely looked into.
General Manager Vining OF the Market
street Railway Company does not believe
with Mayor Phelan that all railway tracks
that are not being used should be removed
from the streets of San Francisco. Refer
ring 10 the proposed action OF the Super
visors he said yesterday that II would be
simply entailing a deal OF unnecessary
labor and expense on the company 70
make il take up such rails
MATTERS are in this shape at present"
he explained. There are few tracks for
which there is no demand just now, BE-
cause OF better and more convenient lines.
Take the Stockton-street line. People do
not care to use that because there is an
electric line on kearnY street and cable
line on Powell street each offering better
Accommodations than the former horse
line did on Stockton street. For this rea-
son we had TO stop II for the time belng.
The same Is true in reference TO the Battery
and First street line. There are better
lines at the service of the public on Sec
ond, Third and Fourth streets. Therefore
they failed 10 patronize the horse line we
operated on First street and Battery
street, and as il did not pay We were
forced TO discontinue il.
"But here's the point San Francisco is
growing and is bound to be large city.
There viii be million people here some
day, and before that day comes some of
these tracks will be needed for Transports
tion purposes. We would be glad to DO
anything we could legally to help the
situation; but, under The circumstances,
don't think We should be required 10
take up any of these tracks. There is not
business enough TO warrant Us running
cars OF these lines at present. But let
business pick up in year or two and all
of them will probably be required.
.Our people don't want 10 tear up the
tracks ana abandon the lines when per-
haps in year or Two there will be de-
mand for them. We want 10 do what is
fair and right II would be useless ex-
pense for Us to tear up the tracks now,
when We would have 10 put them down
again in q short time, in all probability.
These lines are now a source Of some
thousands of dollars Of expense to rs
every year. We have 10 keep them in
repair and also our portion of the street.
We employ men specially to look after
this