The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-02
LETTER CARRIERS
C0MPL AIDING
The Success Of Their APP
preaching Convention
Is Threatened.
A Question Of Reduced Rates
Which Acts as a Stun
bling Block.
Eastern Railroads Are Interested and
Lenient, but the Mail Men Are
Having Trouble at Home.

The letter-carriers say that the Southern
Pacific Company is just at present en-
gagged in paying game which bids fair
to deprive San Francisco of repetition
of the recent merry influx of Fasteners
brought here by the Christian Endeavor
Convention.
The carriers of the continent are to as
semble THEN delegates here for business
of National importance, beginning on The
9th of September. The local committees
which have been laboring with the ar
rangements for this big affair have been
figuring all along upon bringing out
not less than 10, 600 visitors. But it begins
to look now as though they would be for
tunate if they can induce half of that num-
Der to visit the Golden West.
Seductive rates are what always bring
out the crowds which follow National con-
ventions of any sort. Naturally the dele
gates to National cOnven lions would come
anyhow, but that is not what counts nor
what makes affairs of this kind popular.
1t is the mass of sight-seers and home
seeking people who come with conven-
tons that make the gatherings desirable.
The Southern Pacific was generous be-
fore tho Christian Endeavorers arrived,
and while they were here, but as soon as
the visitors began to pack their trunks
and turn their faces homeward there was
a change. Promises made many months
ago in the East with various connecting
railroads to the effect that there would be
no competition for the return traffic-in-
asmuch as there would he enough bust
ness for everybody-were forgotten and
all of the lines went in for everything
there was "in sight" to use a popular
phrase.
The evil effects were not discovered
until the Letter Carriers began to shape
their plans for their convention. Then it
was found that while all of the Eastern
roads were friendly enough toward Uncle
Sans messengers, still they had a bone
10 pick, as it were, with the Southern Pa
cifc and that meant that the carriers
were to be the sufferers. The local COM
mittees find they can get anything they
want so far as rates are concerned east of
mainder of the trip they find themselves
confronted with the declaration that the
delegates to the proposed conven ton can
come here if they pay full rates or stay at
home, just as they see fit.
The profits accruing from the carrying
of 10000 or more people, as we'll as the
benefits which would be reaped by the
State. or, for that matter, the coast,
seemed TO be entirely overlooked by the
railroads in their new policy.
The letter-carrlers say they have not
given up hope of eventually securing at
least small reduction in fares. They
have been holding frequent meetings of
late and committees are constantly being
sent to the yellow building on the corner
OF Montgomery and Market streets.
he carriers have also opened up COM
munication with their executive commit
tee in New York, and the traffic handlers
there are having every possible influence
brought to bear upon them with the OBJ
ject of ultimately stirring the Southern
Pacific into a condition OF generosity.
II everything goes well this will be one
of the most important National gather
ings ever held in San Francisco. For
year past the local carriers have been
making extensive preparations, gathering
funds and arranging for the entertainment
generally of their guests. The convention
itself will comprise nearly 500 delegates,
coming from all parts of the United States.
The New YORK bri ade will be made up of
seventy delegates, will bring its own band
of fifty pieces, and will come in special pal
ace cars. The expenses of all delegations
hailirg from east of Chicago will be paid
by the local association.
The convention will last a week, and
during that time there will be excursions
to Yosemite and other points of interest
throughout the State. The San Francisco
carriers expect to spend over SIS, 600 upon
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