The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-10
FRANCHISE FIGHT IS
COMPLICATED
Battle Between Western Pa
cific, Santa Fe, Key Route
and the Southern Pacific
PROBLEM FOR COUNCIL

OAKLAND, Dec 9.-The battle be-
tween the Western Pacific Railway,
the Santa Fe and the Key Route on
the side in Wood street, West Oakland,
opens tomorrow night before the City
Council in committee OF the whole for
franchises, the routes of which mark
new and important lines in the rail-
road annals of this city.
While the railway systems which
have swung into the public eye Of late
in the fight for privileges are active,
the Hartman representatives have
shown more than halfway interest in
the contest. 1t has been a situation
which has compelled the Southern Pa
cific company to sit up and take no
tice. The Western Pacific desires to
band the city with a line of track
that will give the Gould road pre-
eminent position. The four franchises
for which the Western Pacific has
made. application carry their pro-
jeeted new line of parallel tracks from
a spur in East Oakland connecting
with their main line at Fruitvale.
straight along the southern shore of
Oakland harbor. This line is south of
the Southern Pacific's main line. and is
nearer at all points along the route
to the water front than the Southern
Pacific tracks through East Oakland
and First street.
Not only does the Western Pacific
call for this new parallel. but it con-
tinues through it's terminal at the foot
of Union street and swings west and
taps Wood street, running north on
that thoroughfare as far as the city
line, striking a termination near the
Santa Fe's Emeryville yards.
The Santa Fe, reaching south from
its Emeryville terminus. desires to
reach its new Oakland freight yards
site at Union and Twentieth streets by
way of Wood street Then comes the
Key Route with its application for a
franchise through Wood street, from
Emeryville to Seventh.
For consideration tomorrow night
the Council committee will have the
Western Pacific and the Santa Fe fran
chise applications The Key Route
application for 2 franchise can
not get formally before the COM
mittee, as 1T has not yet been read
before the City Council. but 1t forms
a factor in the general contest The
Key Route purposes to operate through
Wood street by electricity, and 1t urges
that a steam railroad be not permitted
to use the street Steam as motive
power for its cars is tabooed by a
specific clause in the franchise appli-
cation.
The Southern Pacifics attitude
toward this unusual contest in Oak
land has not been disclosed by the
management Of the deal before the
City Council.
General Superintendent W. S
Palmer has not indicated what course
his company will pursue with relation
to the new lines which are proposed
along the harbor shore and parallel
as well to the Southern PacifcaCom-
pany's main line on the west Side OF
the city. Surface indications seem tc
point to a forcing of a demand that
the Western Pacific shall insert an
open track" clause in its franchise
agreements whereby all roads and ali
shippers may have the benefit of equal
chance at the business. This does not
appear to be the present intention OF
the Western Pacific in view of the con
nection at Twenty sixth avenue and
at Nineteenth avenue 1t purposes to
make with it's main line and the new
harbor front track for which fran
chises are sought.