The San Francisco call., 1897-04-28
RATES TO POINTS
IN MARIN COUNTY
Reductions Asked in Single
Fares and Commu-
tationS.
The Investigation of the Matter
The Investigation of the Matter
Held Before the Railroad
Commission.
Two Railroad Presidents on tn,
Witness.Stard-McCue Conducts
the Examination.

Shall the round-trip fare between San
Francisco and San Rafael and all inter-
mediate points be reduced to % cents, and
shall the mems monthly commutation
tickets between the same points be re-
duced to s.. the amount charged for
women, were the two issues that were pre-
sented to the Railroad Commission yes
terday.
These questions were raised in the COM
plant filed some weeks ago by James S.
McCue against the San Francisco and
North Pacific Railroad and the North
Pacific Coast Railroad. This charged that
Corte MADEIRA was Disseminated against,
as the iare from San Francisco TO San
Rafael, a considerably longer distance
than from San Francis co TO Corte MADEIRA,
was the same as between San Francisco
and Corte MADEIRA; that discrimination
was practiced in charging men So for
monthly commutation tickets and women
only So, and that discrimination also ex-
listed in making a round-trip rate OF 25
cents between San Francisco and San Ra-
iael to members of the Schuetzen Club.
McCue was present in person and was
permitted 10 conduct the examination.
Jesse w. Lillenthal represented the San
Francisco and North Pacific Railroad and
c. P. Eells appeared for the North Pacific
Coast
President A. W. Foster of the San Fran
cisco and North Pacific was the first wit
ness called. He at once put McCue OH
record as having made statement that
the road of which witness is president was
not making any money. On this ground
alone, he claimed, the complaint so far as
it concerned the road ought to be dis
missed.
In response to questions by McCue,
Foster testified that the fare from San
Francisco to San Clemente, four miles this
side of San Rafael, was 80 cents, the same
as the fare from San Francisco to San
Rafael; that the same rate was charged
to Greenb brae and to Ssn Quentin; that
the share OF the railroad in the fare to San
Quentin was % cents, the other 25 cents
going to the stage line between Green brae
and San Quentin; that an excursion rate
of 25 cents for the round trip between San
Francisco and San Rafael was granted to
the members of the Schuetzen Club, the
mem bers and attendants of the military
academy at San Rafael and the inmates
of the convent at the same place; that
$5 commutatlon rate was charged for men
between San Francisco and San Rafael,
and $3 rate for women between the same
points.
The reason women were granted lower
rate than men, he explained. was because
many women did not use their tickets
more than ten or dozen times a month.
He also explained that the reason for
charging half-rates on Sundays for return
tickets to points north OF San Rafael and
full existing rates to San Rafael and
points this side OF 1t was that San Rafael
had already been given the benefit of such
a reduction. The reduced rates on Sum
day were made to encourage suburban
travel.
J. B. Stetson, president of the North
Pacific Coast Railroad, was next sworn.
In the course OF his examination he stated
that the fare from San Francisco to Corte
MADEIRA was so cents and from Ssn Fran
cisco 10 Mill Valley it was 40 cents
although the distance was about the same
from San Francisco to either point. He
also testified that mems monthly commu-
tation tickets between San Francisco and
Corte MADEIRA were sold for S. and be-
tween San Francisco and Mill Valley for
81. This difference in the charge, he said,
was due to the greater cost of construc-
ton of the main line on which Corte Ma
dera is located. The tunnel through
which the road passes before reaching
Corte MADEIRA, he in ormed the conn MIS-
sion, cost about $160, coo; the branch to
Mill Valley runs along bottom land.
President Stetson also admitted to favor
ing the ladies who travelled over his road
with So rate for com utation tickets be-
tween San Rafael and San francisco.
McCue took the stand and attempted to
show by figures, which he said had been
prepared by an expert, the cost of con-
struction of theNorth Pacific Coast road
An objection was made by Attorney EelIs
to the in ,roductio of these figures unless
it was fist shown that the person who
prepared the statement was qualified 10
testify as an expert. McCue did not have
his expert present nor did he condescend
TO name him. The commission sustained
the objection and McCue abandoned all
attempt TO 60 into construction cost, in
terest charges and other similar data. He
said he was willing to leave the whole
matter to the judgment and discretion OF
the com mission.
This closed the presen tation Of testi-
mony.
McCue opened the argument, He
claimed there was discrlmin alton against
Corte MADEIRA and against male passen-
gers on the North Pacific Coast road, and
asked that the round-trip rate between
San Francisco and San Rafael and all in.
termediate points be reduced to 25 cents,
and that the discrimination against male
passengers be properly adjusted by re-
ducing combinations 20 them to So. He
also made the same plea in reference to
the San Fran cisco and North Pacific road,
He made the claim that the commutation
rate to women could not be raised, and
that the Sunday half rate should be made
TO apply TO all points. He asserted that
there would be 10000 moro people in
Marin County in two years il fares were
reduced.
Attorney Lilienthal claimed that so far
as tneroad he represented was concerned,
McCue was not a resident of any point on
the road, and therefore had no standing
before the commission. He denied there
was any discrimination, and held that in
asmuch as it had been admitted by the
prosecuting witness that the road was los
ing money the commission could not
justly reduce any of its rates. He con-
tended that as the women ommuters
used their tickets only small portion of
the month"; they would be properly con-
sidered a different class of passengers
from men, who used their tickets daily.
Eels argced on the same lines and
claimed further that the constitution gave
the companies the right to make ex-
cursion and comm utation rates without
regard to the clause prohibiting discrim-
nations.
McCue closed the argument without
making any new point, and the matter
was taken under advise men.