The San Francisco call., 1908-10-06
SUPERVISORS PASS
RAILWAY ORDINANCE
New Measure Establishes the
Transfer System in Force
on September |
Officials of United Railroads
Threaten Board and Are ATT
tackled by Property Owners

After a two hours hearing OF pro-
tests by the officials of the United Rail-
roads and Attorney Jesse Lflienthsl for
the Union street line the board OF
supervisors passed to print yesterday
the bill, under consideration for the
past year, prescribing general regula-
tions for the street railways. Both
Pollock and Rixford asked TO be ex-
cused from voting. Jennings Joined
McAllister and Murdook in voting
against the measure, Murdoch giving
notice he might change TO aye" upon
the bills final passage Three mem
bers. Comte, Broderick and Center,
were absent The remaining 10 men,
bers-Bancroft, Booth, Connolly, DAN
coma, Murphy. Payot Giannini. Nc
Leran, Johnston and Hocks-voted for
the bill
The measure establishes the transfer
systems IN force September 1; requires
the roads TO make quarterly reports
with full details OF all accidents, and
forbids the discontinuance Of any owl
service without the boards permission.
Thornwell Mutually attacked the
practical efficiency and the legal valid
ity Of nearly every provision OF the bill.
Attorney William Abbott for the United
Railroads enlarged on the alleged H.
legalities OF the bill, and General Man
ager Black defended the new white
slip" transfer system as compared with
the old system sanctioned by the board.
The threat was incidentally made
that the whole transfer system was the
free gift Of the railway company to
the people, not TO be regulated. changed
or established" by the board, but sub
5ect solely 70 the discretion of the com
pany.
ROADS POSITION ATTACKED
DR.. N. E Van Meter vigorously at
tackled the roads general position. He
said the supervisors concern should not
be 10 prevent the company abolishing
transfers, but to prevent II forcing all
sorts Of incOnvenient transfers on the
people. He illustrated in detail the
present isolation of the Richmond dis
trict by Blacks order rerouting the
Ellis-O' Farrell and Eddy-Turk street
lines. and charged its sole purpose TO
be TO browbeat the residents Of the
district into appealing to the board
10 surrender the Suffer- Market track
and trolley question at the behest of
the company. Black denied any such
intention He said:
Nearly a year ago. before this Sutter
matter came UP, l took UP with Presi-
dert Calhoun the question of rerouting
the cars at Devisadero. The change
eliminates four dangerous double cross
ings, on Devisadero at O'Farrell, Ellis,
Eddy and Turk streets. The steep
sRdes at Devisadero increase the dan
ger as 1 pointed out to Mr.. Calhoun
soon after I came here"
Did you place fiagmen at these four
dangerous crossings, or has the road
ever done so?" said Supervisor Murphy
No" said Black, we have never had
nagmen there"
SUFFER- NOT CONSIDERED
Black took occasion strenuousIy to
deny that the road was seeking TO force
through a trolley permit on Market
street by cutting off all the northern
part Of the city from direct access to
the ferry.
I had no such idea in mind" he said.
The change had nothing TO DO with the
Sutter matter"
Black admitted that main purpose
in instituting the white slip" system
was to cut out looping" whatever the
Inconvenience to the people.
we have to allow a time leeway in
giving transfers, and the road is enti-
tied to see that the transfers are not
used IN making what really constitutes
two separate trips. Otherwise SO per
cent OF our patrons viii be using trans
fers as stopovers."
DR.. Van Meter asked to be enlight-
ened when the Sunset district had
passed the Richmond TO such an extent
that the latter's only remaining through
lines were switched BY the company tc
the district south Of the park
The Ellis-O'Farrell line reaches
Market and Fourth and then shoots
down TO the Southern Pacific station.
he said Not one In 20 of the passen.
gers-no, not one in 5O--wants TO go to
the station. Twenty are bound for the
ferry to one for Third and Townsend
streets. but the 19 have to get off and
transfer so that one can go through"
He instanced other fragrant effects OF
the recent Devisadero split, but Mayor
Taylor interrupted him with the obser-
vation:
I'VE can't go into all the sins of the
United Railroads. or we would be here
for q year"
Despite the scarcely veiled threat OF
the officials that they would circumveni
the enforcement OF the ordinance b,
injunction, the board passed the meas.
IRE TO print by vote Of 10 to 8.