The San Francisco call., 1908-08-23

campaign among the improvement
in flood of petitions to the board Of
supervisors, the United Railroads has
been driven into the open.
BLACK TALKS OF COST
General Manager Charles n. Black
has given an interview in which he
pretends TO state the attitude Of the
I street railway company. He made
statements of alleged facts and cited
figures, which upon investigation were
proved to be at least not well founded
on facts. He said:
The first reason for the United Rail
roads not switching the Sutter street
cars 10 the inner track in lower Market
street is a matter Of cost When the
tracks were laid the company did not
provide for q switch from the Suffer
street line TO the inner track. To do
the work at this time would mean a
cost Of $4,000 and six months delay.
There are but three foundries in the
United States that make the heavy,
solid crossings necessary, and by the
time the plans and specifications were
drawn and the casts made a half year
would elapse. AS for the cost. I have
not exaggerated 1t one cent. The regu-
lar market price for the latest cross
ing Of regular and simple design is
$500. A crossing for Market street
at Sutter street would have to be of
Installed, $4,000.
In the second place IT would not be
advisable TO run more cars down Mar
l5et street on the inside tracks than are
accommodated at present With the
Sutter street line in operation 1872 cars
turn hourly at the ferry. That is too
many for one track.
WILL KEEP MONOPOLY
The public is forgetful If they will
recall. the corporation was compelled
Tor a time after the fire, while laying
the lower Market street tracks, to op-
crate on only one track. There were
many tieups and delays and it was not
an uncommon thing 10 see people leav-
ing the cars three and four blocks from
the ferry in order TO catch their boats.
The United Railroads has a monop-
oily Of lower Market street. We do
not deny this, nor DO we intend 10 give
st up. We lawfully own the franchises
and II is only waste of time to ask
the corporation to share It with some
one else. It is q matter of business.
II would be like a stranger asking a
store belongs to the firm and they in
tend TO keep II.
I'VE could not give up that franchise
II we wanted to. That franchise is
part Of the value on which the stock
holders Of the United Railroads made
~.
we could not vacate or share with out
Eiders. They would not allow such pro-
cedure
~As for the business Of the corpora
ton, 1t is just the same. We take in
just as many nickels, but not on the
Sutter street line. I would say that the
difference since the through service was
discontinued in the number Of passen-
gers carried on the Suffer street line
Is 5000 daily The loss is 10 the Sutter
street merchants and not to the United
Railroads. The shopping public from
suburban districts is travelling in Eddy
street
1t would be reasonable to allow the
corporation to use the outside tracks
temporarily. The time could be con-
tinued from month to month until the
question is decided in the courts"
FACTS CONTRADICT BLACK
Taking General Manager Black
statements IN order, a representative
of The Call Interviewed a number of
representative citizens and attorneys
obtained the opinion OF several engi-
oeering experts and investigated the
records to determine the facts The
following resulted:
Says Black-It would cost SO,
600 and take six months to switch
TO the inner track
The fact-it would cost $500
or less and take one month. A
temporary switch could be in
stalled in "a hours.
Says Black-It would be inn
possible to accommodate the traf-
fic al the ferry on one track If
the Sutter street cars were
switched to the inner tracks.
The fact-The United Railroads
owns and is now operating two
loops at the ferry upon state
property.
Says Black-It would be rea-
sonable to allow the corporation
70 use the outside tracks tempo
Tariiy.
The fact - Competent legal
opinion has been given to the
effect that the granting of a tenn
porary permit would be construed
IN the courts as a surrender by
the city of its rights.
Says Black-That franchise is
part of the value on which the
stockholders Of the United Rail
roads made their purchases.
The fact-The United Rail
roads equipment could be dupi-
Gated for $2O.000000. It is CAP
itahzed and bonded for $75,o00,-
600.
Says Black-The United Rail-
roads has a monopoly of lower
Market street.
The fact-The United Railroads
has a monopoly of lower Market
street.
COULD WORK QUICKLY
The chief engineer of a big railway
with headquarters in San Francisco
who asked not to be quoted unless his
statements were questioned, said:
IF the United Railroads wanted to
grab that street do you know how long
Il would take them TO put in a switchs
Just about from midnight to dawn.
"As for the cost OF permanent con-
struction I should say that 1t would be