The San Francisco call., 1910-03-26
CHARTER GIVES
CITY RIGHT TO
RULE RAILWAYS
Supervisor Bancroft Shows That
Board Can Insist Upon Use
of Inner Tracks
Proposed Ordinance Intended to
Eliminate Horse Cars and
Secure Proper Service

---UpJect 10 the provisions. Invita-
ffons and restrictions i'm this charter
contained the board of supervisors
shall have power;
Ito regulate street railroads. tracks
and ears; 10 permit two or more lines
Of street railways operated under diff
fcrent managements TO use the same
street. each paying an equal portion
for the construction and repair of the
tracks and apPurtcnances used by snid
railways Jointly for such number of
blocks cOnsecuTiveIy, not exceeding 10
blocks; TO fix, establish and reduce the
fares and charges for transporting
passengers and goods thereon; to regu-
late rates Of speed and TO pass Ordi-
naBces TO prOtecf the public from dan
ger or Inconvenience in the operation
of such roads,
San Francisco charter. article IL chapter II,
section l, subdivision %. (As amended De-
oember 4. 1902. approved by the legislature
February 5. lsos.)
Supervisor Paul Bancroft relies on
1hc above quoted clause in the city
charter TO justify the ordinance which
he has proposed TO the board to force
The United Railroads to run the Sutter
street ears down the inner tracks in
Market street
FOR PUBLIC CONVENIENCE
Bancroft introduced his bill before
the board last week and the committee
on public utilities referred il TO the
city attorney for an opinion.
fr5-t- Attorney Darcxr stated
Yesterday that he was formulating his
opinion on the question and it would be
presented TO the board of supervisors
Saturday or Monday.
supervisor Bancroft was positive that
the ordinance would pass. From the
terms. Of the charter the supervisors
have full power 10 direct the United
Railroads TO operate their cars to meet
the public convenience said Bancroft.
There is no doubt that the public con-
venience requires that the United Rail-
roads be operated to the ferry, and the
Supervisors have fun power 10 direct
the company to use the inner tracks
in Market street.
The United Railroads has declared
that il would be impossible to divert
The Sutter street traffic over the inner
tracks and contended for the use of the
outer tracks
Il made a personal investigation in
that matter and determined to my sat-
isfaction that it would be entirely
feasible for the company to use the
inner tracks. at least until the traffic
in Market street became far more con-
gcsted than it is at present.
''On a recent afternoon I stationed
myself i'm Market street opposite Sut-
ter and made a check on the car serv-
&c in the street During the IL min
utes and 13 seconds used for my cal
culations. at time in the late after
noon when traffic is congested, / count
ed - cars that passed on one track.
Those cars were from 400 to 1000
feet apart. The cars run rapidly be-
tween Sutter street and the ferry
They run through TO the ferry with few
or no stops either way. ] have noticed
that when bbockades occur it is west
Of Sutter and Sansome streets.
RELIANCE UPON CHARTER
Secretary l. NJ. King of the Mer-
chants association contended only re-
Gently that under existing traffic con-
ditions the United Railroads could
easily operate its Sutter street cars
over the inner track.
Since that seems to be the estab-
Gshed fact and since there can be no
question that the convenience of the
people demands that the Sutter street
service be extended to the ferry, /
can not see but that the board of
supervisors can direct the United Rail
roads to operate its line. Subdivision
p of section ], chapter II, article II
OF the charter gives the supervisors
power to enact and enforce such legis-
lation."
The city attorneys office will be en-
ga ged next week in combating the suit
constructing and operating the Geary
street road. Assistant City Attorneys
Thomas B. Haven and John T. Nourse
VIII argue the demurrers of the city
10 the Platt complaint and will present
the motion Of the city to strike out
irrelevant matter.