The San Francisco call., 1908-07-16
TROLLEY MONOPOLY
OPPOSED BY LABOR
Supervisors Pollok and McAllis-
ter Seek to Secure Favor
for United Railroads
]. j. Sweeney Declares Wage
Farmers Oppose Gift of
Street Rights


The hearing in regard to, the use
of the trolley on the outer tracks in
lower Market street, given by the
board of supervisors yesterday, re-
suited in no new offers from the rail-
way companies and no new arguments
from the commercial interests asking
the city to surrender the privilege to
the roads without compensation. AT
the end of two hours beating over
familiar ground Supervisor Pollok
pressed his motion that the cars be
permitted to run by electricity pend
ing any settlement of terms" and his
second. McAllister, asked that the
board go into secret session to reach a
determination in the matter. McAllis-
ter was informed that the board could
not go into secret session on any mat
ter, and Johnston, Connolly, Giannini
and Murphy pointed out that PolIok's
motion begged the whole question"
The board adopted Giannini's substi-
tute that the matter be taken under
advisement, and made a special order
of business at next Mondays session at
8 o'clock.
MULLALLY STANDS FAST
Supervisor Murdoch was elected
chairman of the meeting, and Hart
land Law presented the Merchants as
SOCldLlOD case 1OI Tile IIOllSy. IL All
coma brought out the fact that the in
ner tracks might be used for the Sut-
ter street cars by putting in minor
switch Thornwell Mullally contended
that this scheme was impracticable,
and Connolly referred to the use of the
inner tracks for Sutter cars when they
were run by cable. Murphy asked
Mutually if the crux of the matter was
not that the United Railroads had a
monopoly in lower Market street and
proposed to keep it.
Mutually responded that this was dis
puted in some quarters, but that, of
course, the railroad officials had neither
desire nor power to. yield any business
advantages the road might possess in
the control of Market street traffic and
that 1t would not be just to the bond
and stock holders to do SO.
LABOR OPPOSES GIFT
President J. J. Sweeney of the labor
council stated that the organization he
represented was opposed to giving
away the city's rights in the streets and
that the 81, 900 wage earners affiliated
with the council would hold it far
vaster loss to yield the use of the
tracks by trolley than to suffer the
present inconvenience of transferring g
at Sansome street through the rail-
ROAD S REFUSAL TO SWITCH GOWN the inner
tracks.
Supervisors Comte and Murphy had a
! little tiff over the boards treatment Of
corporations in general. While ad-
vancing the idea that the fundamental
issue between the city and company
was for courts to determine, Comte ex-
claimed:
Corporations, particularly railway
corporations, get very little out Of this
board"
That's too bad. isn't it?" responded
Murphy.
In discussing monetary compensa-
tion for the privilege, Mutually declared
none was due the city as the people
rode in any case on the company's lines.
He, however, offered to meet McAllis-
ter's suggestion that the United Rail-
roads install service to the Mail dock
by putting in a short line from Town
send street as some recompense to the
city.
Murphy finally put an end to the
round of debate. and after Polloks and
McAllister's unsuccessful attempt to get
immediate action for the road the mat
ter was put over until next Monday.