The San Francisco call., 1907-01-31
MAN SWEPT FROM
CROWDED CAR
Stevedore Receives Serious
Injury While Trying to
Reach Home in Mission
TAKEN TO HOSPITAL

Charles Miller, steVedore. was
brushed from outward-bound ear No.
1919 of the NisSion-street line yester-
day and thrown violently to the pave
ment. He WIS unconscious when
picked up by passers-by and was sent
TO the Central Emergency Hospital.
Physicians said Miller was Hu1ering
from severe bruises on the BODY. ana
a possible fracture of the skull ana
that his condition was serious. The
accident occurred mt 7;45 o'clock, when
the ears were crowded with working
people returning 10 their homes In the
Mission.
Many of the old men of the United
Railroads have left the employ or the
company, or contemplate doing so Inc
method of managing the roads with ao-
sentee bosses and in face of the abnor-
NAL conditions that have prevailed
since the fire has discouraged the men
who know how to run street cars from
applying for positions with the railroad
that has its headquarters In the At
lantic States and England and its os-
tensible management in the mystic cir
cles of a Mexico pink tea excursion.
Forty per cent Of the rolling stock
of the trolley concern is out of COM
mission and every day matters are
growing worse. The repair shops are
overburdened with worn-out cars that
ought to be put into good order, but
while the harvest of fiat wheeled fuse
blowers is plentiful the laborers are
few. 1t costs money to go on pink
tea excursions and to pay interest on
watered stock to British bondholders
There are mechanics 10 be had, but the
United Railroads does not seem to be
looking for them. Those cars from St
Louis are coming and the railroad hg-
ures that it would be better 70 await
their arrival than to patch up the long
trains of fenderless and antlquated
coaches that are employed now 10 climb
30 per cent grades with minimum of
their original motive energy.
MEN MAKE COMPLAINTS
Two complaints have been entered by
the men The first is that the old cable
car employees of the Powell-street road
have been given small consideration
since the fire by the company on ac
count of the CaTmen's Union having
originated on this line. 1t is claimed
that many of these men have been
weeded out and newcomers put in their
places. The men say that the treat
ment Of the cable employees has been
simply a standard of measurement for
the treatment that has been accorded
the men of other lines who expected
advancement, but have been held down
while promotions were given to men
only a few months in the eompany's
employ.
The second complaint is that the en-
ployes are held responsible for the poor
mana cement of the road. when, in fact,
they are handicapped at every turn.
There are not even extra conductors to
help take UP fares, as in the old days,
yet the traffic on those lines that are
in operation is much heavier than ii
was before the fire; that employees are
expected TO make time. and frequently
4, tn xt-la Ia
are gathered waiting for cars, and
this and other annoyances to which
the public is subjected are visited upon
the carmen, who have to put up with
all the kicks of disgruntled persons and
try 10 keep THEN temper.
The electrical workers of the COM
pany say that they have more work
than they can attend 10. The trolley
wires are in a dilapidated condition and
require constant attention; repair
wagons are, in fact, needed in every
district of the city where cars are op-
Grated until such time as new poles
and new wires can be substituted for
the present makeshifts.
The linemen say there is scarcely
trolley road in the city that is in first
class condition, and they ask If the
railroad has to send to st. Louis for
trolley poles and copper wire. They
say that If the company would COM
mence Immediately the work of putting
up permanent poles. stringing first
class wires and putting on proper in
sulations and strong supports there
would be fewer breakdowns as far as
the wires are concerned.
DELAY OF IMPROVEMENTS
The employees of the road say that
ii is trying to operate at the least pos
sible expense and that while ii is
probable that the company intends to
vastly improve the equipment OF its
lines and rolling stock in time 1t is to
the companys advantage to delay these
improvements as much as possible.
Many tieups and few minor acci-
dents caused trouble on the lines yes-
s>~-~N-~>~~-~-~>~~>>~~~~
and IL evidence can be found substan-
tiating this belief they will be de-
ported