The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-30
DISPUTED SPUR
TRACK TORN Up
Corps of Men From Board of
Works Rip Out Rails at
Post and Kearny Streets
EXCITEMENT PREVAILS
Fruit Vender's Cart Stalls
Railroad Company's Move
to Frustrate City's Plan

The much disputed spur track Of the
United Railroads which turns into Post
street from Kearny was torn up by
a gang of men from the Board of Pub
lie Works shortly after o'clock last
night. The United Railroads made
but a slight resistance and when the
city's laborers began their task they
experienced but little difficulty in COM
plotting it. While the work of tear
ing up the rails was going on a large
crowd collected and mild excitement
prevailed for a while.
1t was an Italian fruit peddler who
saved the day for the city. This pur-
veyor of delicacies "butted in with
his wagon just as car was about to
be run on the switch so as to prevent
the workmen from tearing it out While
the humble fruit monger's wagon was
innocently standing in front of the car
the workmen got busy and tore the
switch out without opposition.
1t took the men about two hours to
complete their job. They commenced
work shortly after o'clock and by 5
o'clock the outer rail was torn out and
traffic on that branch of the road was
completely tied up. The workmen were
in charge of Foremen A. j. donovan,
j. E. Brandon and Edward Nolan.
The story had been passed out that
the United Railroads would make fore
ible objections when the city's work.
men came upon the scene ready to tear
up the rails. But it was not so. For
an hour they worked in peace and had
the rails all but ready to tear out when
the railroad people made their first
hostile move.
ATTEMPT TO BLOCK TRACKS.
This was in the form of running a
car on the spur up and down to pre-
vent the workmen from proceeding
with their task. But it did not work,
for the agile employees of the city i'm
mediately piled rocks upon the tracks
and the car was finally run up Post
street Soon after a similar move was
made, but the same tactics prevailed
again and the railroad officials with
drew to think over a new plan.
Finally a car was run out to be
placed on the switch at Kearny street
so as to block the workmen at that
end. The word was given and the
car was got under way, when suddenly
an innocent Vender of fresh fruits
came along with his steed. The car
men cursed, but before the car was
run over the switch the workmen got
switch, while the driver, all innocent
of what a commotion he had caused,
locked wistfully on till ordered on by
a policeman.
Several officials from the United
Railroads were present giving orders,
but they did not bother the workmen.
The railroad officials were very reti-
cent regarding their plans and move
ments. About all they did was to hold
fha hI1c q hnTQrG
hammering away at the rails so that
the job might be completed as quickly
as possible.
SUPERVISORS TALK TT OVER.
The Supervisors Finance Committee
yesterday took uD the question raised
by E. P. E. Troy in a communication
a. to whether the United Railroads has
laid any spur tracks illegally. with par
ticular reference to the curve at Post
and Kearny streets, ID street ana
Sixth and Eighth avenues and at other
points. Other questions propounded by
Troy to the corporation for replies were
ordered to be formally filed with the
board for reference in the regular way
to the committee.
Commissioner Casey stated that he
had never seen any application from
the United Railroads to lay the spur
track and a permit must first be OBJ
tanned to tear up the streets.
1.-The right to put the curve there is
beyond any question" said TREY l..
Ford attorney for the corporation. I'm
fact, it was there for twenty-five years
by virtue of an ordinance passed on
November II, 1879, granting the Central
Railway Company or it's successor the
franchise for fifty years to operate
street-car line beginning from East
street and running along certain
streets, including the curve from Kear-
nv into Post. The curve was taken
ND in 1899 by our predecessors
for some reason or other and re-
laid by us recently
President Schmitz of the Works
Board received the following commune
cation from General Manager Chapman
in response to the formers order to re-
move the curve at Post and Kearny
streets:
This will acknowledge receipt of your COM
munication of the 9th inst, relative to the
track curves recently installed by the company