The San Francisco call., 1907-01-25
ADMITS SERVICE
NEEDS GREAT
REFORM
Street Transportation COM
pany Agrees to Consider
Rights of the Public
OFFICIALS MEET THE
VIEW OF INQUISITORS
Promise to Dump People in
Mud No More, Nor Order
Them to Take Next Car
The Grand Jury took a hand

The Grand Jury took hand
yesterday in the affairs of the
United Railroads. Aroused by
the miserable service the public
has been made to endure, the
members of the inquisitorial body
decided to make an investigation
into existing conditions and to
demand that the corporation i'm
prove its system to meet the re-
quirements of the city. Grand
Jurors Oliver. Ssnborn. Coffin
and Sonntag went to the Offices
of the United Railroads and there
held a conference with G. F.
Chapman, manager, and TREY L.
Ford, attorney for ths corpora
ton. The conference was cordial
in every respect and at its conclu-
sion it was announced that the
grand jurors had made number
Of important suggestions which
the United Railroads would
adopt
Grand Juror Sonntag. as chairman OF
the committee on street railways, tax
ing cognizance of the public indigna-
tion aroused by the poor Service given
by the corpora tion. resolved to take up
the matter with the officials of the cor
poration. He asked Grand Juror San
born of the police committee to be a
party to the conference Foreman Oil
yer and Grand Juror Cofin were also
invited to attend.
Foreman Oliver reached the confer
ence half an hour late. He had been
delayed by truck that broke down on
the car track, and his experience fur
nished one of the topics for discussion
NATURE OF COMPLAINTS
The attention of the railway omciaIs
was called to the various deficiencies
in the system which have been the sub
ject for general criticism-the irreg-
ular schedules. switching back in the
burned district. the fuse explosions, the
overcrowding of cars. the lack of in
spectors, the failure to stop for passen-
gers and the b1ockades on the streets.
The representatives of the corporation
admitted that the service was unsatis-
factory, as unsatisfactory to themselves
as to the public. they said. They de-
clared that they were anxious to do all
possible to better the service, and
added that they would welcome any
suggestions
Grand Juror Sanborn presented point
by point each phase of the service
which has aroused public criticism. In
reply. the company's men said they
were working night and day to improve
conditions. and that they were willing
to expend as much money as might be
necessary 10 DLlA5 aDo0t IAAD c-1AA-Nt
improvements.
A general agreement was reached on
several points which the grand jurors
and railway officials alike believe will
result in greatly improved service. 1t
was agreed that switching back must
cease. It has been the custom for crews
when behind the schedule to dump their
passengers at some point half way to
the terminus and then TO turn around
and go the other way. This has been
one of the chief sources Of complaint.
The representatives of the road assert
ed that they would allow this to be
done only in extreme cases in the fu-
ture.
MORE INSPECTORS
It was also suggested by the grand
jurors and agreed to by the corpora
tion agents that the force Of inspectors
be increased. Before the FIRE traffic
was greatly expedited by the efficient
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