The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-01-16
STRIVING FOR DAY
TRAFFIC PLUM
Southern Pacific and Key
Route Both Keenly Alert
to Exploit the Field
BIG PLANS IN VIEW

OAKLAND, Jan. 15.-That the South
ern Pacific Company is planning a sys-
tenn OF suburban electric railways to
meet the competition of the Key Route
appears from recent developments to
be certainty. With the official con-
hrmation by +. Z. Calvin, general man
ager of the company. of the report
or the changing from steam to cleo
tricity of the Alameda local lines. there
has been much speculation in business
circles as to the further moves of the
people on this side OF the
bay.
On the one hand is the Key Route.
which is slowly but surely developing
plans TO extend its ferry system and
connecting railway along the lines of
its original incorporation declaration.
For some time agents of the company
have been working on surveys which
indicate that the purpose Is to extend
the Key Route along the base OF the
foothill region, striking Fruitvale, San
Leandro and other points on route
to the Garden City; that this line will
be built to tap that large and rich terri
tory that for passenger and freight
traffic appears to be confirmed by recent
events.
TO PARALLEL KEY ROUTE
Not the least of these is the fact that
quietly there have been displayed
maps which show a main line for
freight and passenger service of the
San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose
road stretching from a point near the
present Yerba Buena-avenue power
house and paralleling the Fortieth-
street branch of the Key Route ferry
system well over into lower Piedmont.
This parallel is short distance north
of Fortieth street. 1t is said to cut
through several large tracts owned by
the Realty Syndicate in that section of
the city. Out Fruitvale way no secret
is made of the railways apparent in
tentions. Not a few realty dealers are
openly asserting that various properties
border or are close to the proposed
main line system. Reports come fire.
quently from the eastern suburbs of
contemplated right of way purchases
for the San Francisco, Oakland and San
Jose road.
All of this bears upon possible and
probable Southern Pacific moves. One
of the most important suggestions in
this field concerns directly the Key
Routes ambitions to expand its SER
vice. The Southern Pacific Company
Is credited with having directed it's
engineers to develop several new lines
In its Oakland service contingent upon
the proposed electrifying of its local
rOdQS III THIS CITY aS well as IN Ala
media. The project includes. as has
heretofore been made public. the paral-
leling of the Twenty-second-s
branch of the Key Route with an cleo
trio feeder through Twentieth street
and also the meeting of the proposed
main line northward by running an
other parallel across the northern out
skirts of the city.
STUDYING FORTY-FIFTH STREET
Railroad gossip has fixed upon Forty
fifth street as the route which the
Southern Pacific Company is studying
rs a probable outlet for an electric
passenger line to catch the travel which
S becoming an important factor as
hat section of the city grows. While
many of these plans are tentative, so
TAR as detail goes, it is considered a
certainty that the Hartman represen-
atives are working out large project |
If new railway moves which have for |
heir purpose the holding of as much |
If the suburban traffic as they can |
each. 1t is confidently expected by |
hose who are watching developments |
hat by spring preliminaries will have |
advanced far enough for public an |
louncement of important suburban |
-ailway operations by both the South
I'm Pacific Company and the San Fran |
'isco, Oakland and San Jose Railway |