The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-29
M|SS|ON|TES
DENOUNCE THE
FRANCHISE STEAL
Continued From Page One.

one passed Saturday night by the Fed
Grafton of Mission Improvement Clubs,
was read and adopted unanimously by
a standing vote. 1t protests against
the passage of the double-track ordi-
nance, calls upon the Supervisors to
order the tearing up of the present sin
gle-track line across the streets Of the
city so that the railroad company will
be compelled to run over it's bay shore
right of way and demands that no
franchises be granted to transportation
companies until the new charter goes
into effect
The matter of a defense fund was
brought to the attention of the meet
ing by the chairman. He said that it
might be necessary to carry the mat
ter into the courts and it would be
necessary TO engage legal talent which
cost money. No action was taken on
the suggestion at the time, but 1t is I'M
derstood that it will be part of the
business for the next meeting.
Short addresses in line with the reso-
lutions already adopted and the senti-
ments expressed in the letter to the
Supervisors We're made by P Harring-
ton. J. P. Tuohey, F. T. Meagher,
George L. Center, E. D. Sullivan and
A. B. Mcguire. Mr.. Harrington was
very forcible in his remarks
II think the time has arrived" he
said, that we should let the people of
the Mission and the city at large know
that we are not asleep. ] think it is
time that the people should take the
matter into their own hands and or
ganiZe a vigilance committee as they
did in the early days. This idea of 60
ing down to the Supervisors on our
bellies and asking them to do so and
so is all played out. We have been too
easy altogether. If the people of the
Mission would do as the people of Chi
cago did and take a rope to them
things might be different"
Upon the subsistence of the loud ap-
plause that followed these remarks of
Mr.. Harrington, A. B. Mcguire intro
duced the following resolution:
Whereas, The Market Street Rail-
way Company has applied to the
franchises covering many of the
streets of our city; and whereas, said
railroad company now holds many
franchises which 1t uses but in parts
and for its own convenience and profit
and disregarding the rights of the peo-
pie; and whereas, said railway com
pany has proven In the past to be
made to the people when applying for
franchises; and whereas, the new
charter adopted by a vote of our peo-
pie expressly states that 1t is the pur-
utilities; and whereas, the revenues to
the city will be largely increased from
franchises granted under the condi-
tons of the charter as compared with
the picayune percentage required by
the present law; therefore be 1t
Resolved, That all the people of
the Mission protest against any fran
chise being granted at the present,
and particularly against any fran
chise being granted to this pledge
breaker, the Market Street Railway
Company.
Paul Barbieri, who appeared last
week before the Street Committee rep
resenting the Montgomery block, and
advocated the granting of a franchise
to the "corkscrew' line, asked and was
granted permission to speak to the
meeting as a property In the
Mission. He said that he represented
property owners in other sections of
the city, who were desirious that a
cross-town electric line should be
built. He contended, therefore, that
such a resolution as had just been of
fered would antagonize residents of
other sections of the city to the aims
of the Missionites, for which reason he
asked them not to pass it, but to stick
to the fight against the double track
franchise, in which they would find
they had no antagonism The position
taken by Mr. Barbieri did not seem to
suit the humor Of the meeting, so E..