The San Francisco call., 1906-12-26
Corporation Will
Have to Tear
Up Tracks

DColl1 I'LL N(o, l14O6Solk0S ~
dollars worth of which have been
laid by the United Railroads since
the April disaster, must come up.
Constructed in direct violation of
the law, they are being main
tanned in direct violation of it, and
with the purpose Of compelling
absolute observance of the gov
erning acts Commissioner of
Works Duffey will officially in
vestigate conditions today. Then
he will proceed against the United
Railroads as conditions warrant.
The ordinance adopted by the
Board of Supervisors and now in full
force and effect prohibits the con-
struction and maintenance of any
street railway curve less than eleven
feet from either curb of the sidewalks.
Notwithstanding this specific pro-
vision of the law the engineers of the
United Railroads, after having Sc
cured permits from the city officials
through some means or another, have
placed majority of the curves within
four feet of the curbs, and in one in
stance, that involving the curve at
Stanyan and Hayes streets, the in
side rail is only two feet ten inches
from the curb. AS the great cars be-
ting operated on that route swing
round their steps sweep out over the
sidewalk, endangering the limbs and
lives of pedestrians who, believing
that safety at least can be found on
The sidewalks. have the poor Judgment
10 use the edge of the sidewalks for
he purpose they are intended for.
DANGEROUS CURVES
Equally dangerous are the curves
at Fillmore and Hayes streets, Fill
more and Sutter and Devisadero and
Hayes. The curve at the Fillmore and
Hayes streets intersection is so close
to the sidewalk that it is possible to
step on the car from the sidewalk
without, any effort and pedestrians
are obliged to step back that they
may not be brushed away by pas
sengers who may happen to crowd the
outside of the cars.
AT Devisadero and Hayes streets
spur tracks are so close to the side
walks that nothing but rare good luck
| has so far prevented serious accidents
both at the point named and at the
other corners where the United Rail
roads maintains spurs in utter de-
lance of the law.
MY attention has been called to the
violation of the ordinance regulating
the maintenance OF spur tracks at
street crossings" said Commissioners
Duffey, "and | propose to institute
an immediate inquiry into the matter
MUST REMEDY EVIL
"As the law requires spur tracks
to be eleven feet away from the curbs
it was in all likelihood wisely de.
signed to minimize the danger ia
pedestrians from passing cars. un-
derstand that some of the spurs are
far less than eleven feet distant from
the curbs, and it would seem as il
the law were being violated How
ever, 7 shall take the matter up al
once with view to correcting the
wrong, if one exists"
Duffey will start out on his toul
Of investigation this morning II 10
probable that before nightfall the
United Railroads will have been In
| formed that its punishment for the
violation of the law will be in the
nature of an indirect fine to the ex
| tent of the sum it will cost the com.
pany to remove the death curves
and replace them in keeping with the
will of the people, as expressed, 50
far as the people have been able to
express it, through the body it has
empowered with the right to legis.
late.