The San Francisco call., 1909-12-14
CAMP PAIGN FOR
GEARY STREET
BONDS SSTART[D
Stirring Speeches in Favor of
Municipal Line Are Made at
Big Mass Meeting
M. F. Sullivan Raises Only Dis
senting Voice and Is at
Once Suppressed

Once Suppressed
The campaign for the Geary street
bonds was set in motion last night at a
spirited meeting in the rooms of the
board of supervisors. At the outset an
endeavor was made by NJ. F. Sullivan,
who was charged with being repre-
sentative of the United Railroads. to
| throw discord into the gathering by op
posing the municipal project. Sullivan
was quickly quieted.
Sullivan was formerly in the employ
of the Evening Post and. according to
Richard Cornelius of the carmen's
union, acted as a United Railroads
switchman during the strike. Sullivan
was greeted with cries of Throw him
out and soon subsided.
The session was enthusiastically COM
mitted to an energetic campaign be-
tween now and December 30, the date
of the election. A tag day has been
fixed for next Friday to assist in rails
ing funds subscriptions will also be
solicited through the press, and spe-
cial finance committee will devise still
other means of raising revenue.
Only One Dissented
Sullivan's was the only dissenting
voice in the assemblage of nearly 100.
Speaker after speaker declared for the
success of the bonds and pldged himself
TO forward the undertaking. Meetings
will be held in all the Improvement club
halls. literature explaining the ad-
vantages of municipality owned road
will be distributed and large public
gatherings will be arranged before the
election. So strong was the feeling for
immediate action that the various com
mittees held sessions upon the adjourn
ment of the main gathering.
A feature of special significance was
the presence of four members of the
new board of supervisors. OF this num-
ber, Supervisors elect Cutten. Walsh
and Hayden spoke earnestly for the
Gearv bond issue. Cutten declared
that the sentiment had been growth
with him. He produced figures to show
that the city of Los Angeles had saved
s6, 100000 in seven years by the owner
ship of its water system.
Pasadena's Experience
In telling of Pasadena's experience.
he said:
Pasadena is a city of millionaires.
Many of them have been interested in
these public service corporations else
where. Perhaps they are acquainted
with the ways that are dark and mys-
terious and for that reason have de-
cided not to submit to what they have
imposed. AS result the citysof Pasa-
dena is taking over its public utilities
and profting largely thereby"
Several women were in attendance
and offered TO render whatever help
they could. Mrs. Lillian H. Coffin de-
clared that she was one of Is women
who were prepared to render without
charge such clerical work as might be
necessary.
Johnston Presided
Supervisor James A. Johnston was
chosen chairman of the meeting and
Thomas Walsh secretary. E. A. Wal
cott spoke generally of the benefit to
be derived through the city's ownership
of the Geary road. He was followed
by Supervisor elect John o. Walsh. who
pledged himself to carry forward the
work for the Geary road during the
next two years.
II ride to work every morning on
nv feet, standing with many other men
of my trade" said Walsh, and 1 think
the time has come for the city to take
a definite stand and build the munich
pal line
Max Pepper suggested that the pro-
ponentsE of the project expend every
effort to get the voters to the polls.
Should Get Voters Out
Three times the question has been
submitted, and three times has 1t re-
ceived a large majority" declared Pop
per. This is a sure indication that
the people want the road. Under the
charter it requires a two-thirds vote. |
we should devote ourselves, therefore, |
to getting the citizens to the polls.
when it is question of electing a |
mayor ora sheriff where there is plenty |
of patronage, we are successful in |
bringing out a big vote, but when it |
comes to.a question Of this sort. which |
to my mind is far more important. we |
do not seem to be so successful. think |
that we can bring the voters to the |
ballot. box. We should send a strong |
appeal to every citizen through the |
mail and get them to register their
opinion one way or another.
Would Be Object Lesson
swe should certainly vote this |
s2,ooO,0o0 to<ehow the world that an
American city can operate a municipal |
road successfully. 1t is done in Euro
pean cities. Our opponents. however.
tell US we are different we are mot
rr-r-g. .-..x- z