The San Francisco call., 1910-10-31
BATTLE WITH RAILROAD
DETECTIVES THREATENED
Wealthy Men, Disgusted With
Laws Delays, Tear Down
EmbankmentS
WORK WITH LABORERS TO
DEMOLISH DISTRACTIONS
[seeeial Diseaieh 70 The Call

~ ICHMOND, Oct 30.-Forcible
possession of right of way
= - across the Southern Pacific
tracks blocking Cutting boulevard to
Richmond wsk taken today by band
OF determined capitalists of this sec
ton representing 100000 in prop
erty and 5000 acres of land. The
right of way was held against corps
OF Southern Pacific detectives, who
for z time barrioaded the way with
freight cars. A restraining order was
the coup d'etat of the invaders at
noon, which, in the hands of Sheriff
R. R. Neale, resulted in complete
victory for the land owners. The
blockade Of cars was ordered removed
and the right of way cleared, making
1 direct highway from the cities of
Alameda county to Richmond and ad-
jacent points.
Delays Of the law were given by
H. c. Cutting OF the Point Richmond
canal and land company, prime
mover in the proceedings today, as
the reason for the drastic action of the
capitalists. who, with coats removed,
piled pick and shovel on the two Is
foot enbankments paralleling the
Southern Pacific tracks at Pullman and
blocking the Cutting boulevard. known
as the direct route from Oakland and
Berkeley TO Richmond.
Level Grade Crossing
The band OF workers lost no time to-
DAY. and two hours before the offcials
of the Southern Pacific company We're
aware of the move. possession was
taken Of the right of way. fences re-
moved and grade crossing leveled.
Work was begun at $50 O'Clock this
morning, when Cutting and other capi-
tslists headed a gang of workmen who
s1 once tore down the opposing fences
and with gsngplow and scrapers at
tackled the embankments. At noon to-
dav. after men of wealth and heavy
holders Of property in and about Pull
man and Richmond had worked side
by side with hired laborers, the en-
bankments were almost level with the
grade.
Shout after shout went up as an auto
mobile driven by Lewis Becker and
carrying E. ]. Fitzpatrick of the Lin
coin boulevard tract. made a somewhat
hazardous trip across the tracks Of the
railroad. and Cutting boulevard was
declared a public highway. The ma
chine was followed by several horses
and buggies, which drove across the
I'VE tracks several times.
Freighfcars Arrive
The Joy of the land owners was
somewhat dimrned by the arrival of a
string of fat and other. freight cars,
which were shunted in two sections
across the opened street. blockading
II on both sides J. B. Marsh. station
agent of the Southern Pacific, was in
charge Of the Southern Pacific force,
aided by Jack Mshoney, w. H. Bray
and 1. Crowley Of the state railroad
police.
with the arrival Of the corporation
men work was begun in repairing the
broken fences and otherwise maintain
ing intact the unobstructed right of
way Of the Southern Pacific company.
cutting warned both Marsh and Ma
honey that in spite Of the efforts of the
company the right of way would be
kept clear, but Mahoney declared that
he was there to protect property.
HurIs Challenge
If You want to start something, go
ahead declared Mahoney to the ex-
cited group that crowded around him
after Cutting had said that he would
not allow the fences to be replaced.
Following the implied threat no further
action was taken by the land owners.
But an automobile had been previusly
despatched to Martinez, where q. re-
straining order was 1 bed to Harry
Ellis by Judge r. II. Latimer. ordering
the company not to obstruct the right
of way. across the tracks. The injunc-
ton was but temporary one, return
sble November Z.
About , o'clock this afternoon Harry