The San Francisco call., 1904-08-09
ANGRY PARTY
OF PlCNICKERS
Three TrainlOadS of Ex-
cursionists Spend Night
in Santa Cruz Mountains
WILDER Is CENSURED
Railroad Officials Rebuke
superintendent for Not
Sending Cars to Rescue

Three trainloads of picnickers, home
. ward bound from Sunset Park in the
Santa cruz Mountains. spent the
greater part of Sunday night and
Monday morning at Wrights Station,
huddled up in the chilly cars. When
they finally reached this city, about
? o'clock yesterday afternoon. they
were the saddest and most detected
lot Of merry makers that ever under
took an outing The trouble was due
10 an accident. but the railroad officials
have found occasion to severely CEN
sure Superintendent Wilder for his ap-
parent neglect in failing TO send res
cue train 10 the pent-Lp passengers,
who. for over eighteen hours, suffered
unnecessary hardships from lack OF
comfortable quarters and much needed
food.
Early Sunday morning three sections
Of a big train. bound for Sunset Park,
where a picnic under the auspices Of
the Precita Drum Corps was to be
held. left the city. Everything went
well with the excursionists until they
had nearly reached Wrights Station,
when the locomotive Of the forward
section left the rails and the three
realizing that ii would be hours be-
fore the engine could be placed on the
track. walked 10 the pleasure grounds,
a distance Of six miles. and after
halliday Of merriment had all but for
gotten the inconvenience they had suf-
fered in the morning. They walked
back TO their trains at dusk, only TO
discover that the engine had not been
enrsiled and were forced to await pa
tiently the achievement of this task.
which was accomplished about O'Clock
in the evening
The first section Of the train. how
ever. had barely started on its return
trip to this city when the rails spread
and another blockade was effected. A
1vrecking train was sent out from San
Jose 10 repair the track. but it proved
an all night job II was well into the
forenoon Of yesterday when the track
was cleared and the fatigued and hun
CRY picnickers started hOmeward. Dur
ing the night while the majority Of the
passengers remained aboard their
trains. a gang Of rOughS, who attended
the picnic. stormed the only liquor
store at Wrights and filling themselves
with whisky proceeded to offer every
possible annoyance TO the people in the
cars and many indignities to young
women.
When the trains reached here yester-
Q6N afternoon the majority OF the pas
sengers were in an ugly mood. An
griest Of all were the young women,
who had suffered from the cold Of the
mountains and who looked anything
but happy in their soiled and Wrinkled
picnic dresses. All freely expressed
their Indignation over the treatment
given them by the railroad company.
The officials realized the justification
of the indignation and ordered the case
thoroughly investigated. 1t was not
long before they decided that Superin-
tendent Wilder had been extremely
negligent. as he might easily have dis
patched a special train from this city
early Sunday afternoon and brought
the Dicnickers back to San Francisco
the same night.
In consequence, Wilder was censured
by his suDeriOrs and given to under
stand that the matter is not yet
closed. 1t certainly is not. for to-day
the committee Of Native Sons. repre-
senting Precita Drum Corps. is due at
the railroad Office for a settlement of
the expense account and il is expected
that its members will have something
TO say regarding the manner their
guests were treated by Wilder's divis-
ion.