The San Francisco call., 1906-09-04

accede they will come to San Fran
cisco to work.
Archibald Snodgrass Of Glasgow,
Scotland, an eminent electrical engi-
neer in that city. is visiting this coun-
Try. Mr.. Snodgrass formerly resided
In this country and has been a student
Of traction roads for many years Mu-
nicipal ownership, such they have in
Scotland, is the subject nearest his
heart In a recent interview he said:
Municipal ownership is now nearly
eighty years old in Glasgow, and il is
an unqualified success in every sense OF
the word The action to take over the
lines was simply result of a meeting
of the Town Council, and, as might
have been expected, the price of the
road was boosted way out Of sight
The Council would not stand for such
tactics. however. and finally forced the
owners 10 a point at which the prop
erty could be acquired
In the days OF the private corpora
ton all cars were drawn by horses
and the receipts were about $4,000 a
week. During the last eight years
electric trolleys have taken the place
Of the horse on all lines and the re-
c4ipts have nearly auadrupled, being
on the average OF ST.. 900 a week It
can easily be seen that she change has
been a good thing for the city We
have over $50 miles Of track in Glas-
gov and the finest rolling stock of
any city In the world. All the cars
are double-deckers, the top being COW
cred. inclosed IN glass and reserved for
smokers.
The fare has also been greatly re-
duced. It is collected every half mile.
the price Of a ride for that distance
being 1 cent, or an English half-penny.
There are half-mile stations along all
lines where the conductor takes the
fares. From this IL may be inferred
that for the short trips IN Scotland
the fare IS greatly cheaper than here.
while for long trips one would pay
greatly in excess Of the fat scent fare
in the United States. However, If one
asks for q through ticket in Scotland
ho is allowed to ride I'VE half-mile sta
tons, or two and one-half miles, for i
cent, so the entire system of fares is
greatly less than over here.
The city Of Glasgow owns its water
works, the electric light plant and the
gas works, and few complaints are ever
heard about any OF them. They give
employment TO as many men as under
private corporations and give far bet
ter service. We have s9-cent gas in
Glasgow, and I think that il is Of bet
ter quality than is served in any city
on the American continent. other
large. cities IN Scotland have municipal
owner ship. among them Edinbur sh ami
Leeds. but I am not familiar with the
operation Of the plants in those places
bfyond the fact that tt is claimed they
sre successful"
W J. Spencer. former president Of the
United Association OF Journeymen
Plumbers, viii be a contestant against
". NJ. Merrick, the incumbent. for cleo
tion TO that office at the convention
which began in Toronto. Canada, Sep
tember Il. Among the important mat
ters that viii come before the body will
be a renewal OF the protest against
the granting Of an independent charter
70 the steamhtters by the American
Federation Of Labor. AS 1t is two years
since a convention has been held, there
viii be a general revision of the con-
stitution and OF the system under which
the national body is now conducted.
Forty inmates of the Poorhouse at
Waterbury. Conn, went on strike the
other day because Of an absence OF po-
tstoes at the breakfast table. They re-
fused TO rork in the vegetable garden
until the tubers were restored to the
menu. They claimed that they were
not properly fed Peace was regained
when the superintendent informed his
bosrders that thereafter he would see
that the spud was not absent from the
bill OF fare.
A special meeting called by simon
Burns and Thomas H. Cannon on behalf
OF the Burns faction OF the knights Of
Labor. to be held in New York City
early this week. viii not take place If
the Hayes faction prevails IN the suit
filed in the District Supreme Court in
Washington. John w. Hayes and his
associates claiming TO be the legally
elected ofacers Of the knights of Labor.
have secured from Justice Stafford a
temporary restraining order against
the Burns faction. returnable tomor-
crow, when the latter will be called
npon 10 show why Il should not be en-