The San Francisco call., 1913-08-24
UNITED RAILROADS POINTS
TO RECORD AS ARGUMENT
AGAINST ISSUE OF BONDS
Interesting History of Development
and Growth AS an Appeal for
Due Consideration

II
extent. the recent history OF the
United Railroads. 1t Is pertinent IN
connection with tho designs of those
who intend, II possible. to cripple the
j city by pushing 1t further into the
grasp of municipal railroad system
| which can never meet the requirements
OF the public.
San Francisco is particularly fortu-
! nate In Its main transportation system
for 1t Is unsurpassed by that OF any
city In the country and equaled. II at
all. by few II has the heaviest road
| beds, the most up to date cars. tho best
routing system. the most effective time
| schedules. and all this in spite OF sew
eral physical dificulties to be over
come, such as many steep hills, orten
awkward distributions of centers OF
movement and location of the business
section at a point whence radiation ex-
tends over but limited arc.
Such is the condition today. Every
one knows what 1t was on the morning
of April 1s. 1906. Never before in
the worlds history of street transpor-
tation has such a wonderful rehabilita-
effected In the face OF the most tre-
| mendous difficulties, not only physical.
but human, for throughout this great
upbuilding really rebuilding - the
United Railroads has been opposed re-
peatedly by inimical interests, which,
III doi~ F,r tr he
selves, have placed every obstruction
they could In the path OF the COM
pany, which Is the largest single In
vestor and the largest employer OF
labor in San Francisco. It's enemies
have always been prompted by selfish
been public spirited from the start, as
its record, to be referred to in part
later on, will show. 1t has reaped divi-
dends, yes. for great enterprises do not
| invest capital from philanthropy. but
1t has likewise invested millions-$13,-
100000 In the last seven years-in re-
construction and betterments which re-
dound to the city's benefit Every ex
tension of its service means an extern
sion OF the residential sections and the
multiplication of homes.
Let us examine some of the facts in
| the case:
Al the time the United Railroads
was formed by the amalgamation of
| the principal existing street railway
| companies. the surface transportation
of San Francisco was provided, in the
main. by old fashioned, slow moving
cable cars of relatively small capacity.
The routings were unsatisfactory, the
| transfer systems, II systems they may
be called, were awkward in many In
stances, the territory provided with
! transportation facilities was much
| smaller than 1t Is now. As soon as the
United Railroads had perfected its or
ganization and got down to smooth
running order. improvements began to
| appear in every direction. These I'M
| provements became more and more no.
| ticeable, when, few months later,
came the crash of April Is, 1905. In
few seconds the whole system was
ruined. Then began a task that was
simply gigantic, but the manner IN
| which 1t was performed will remain
standard for many long year.
At the time, President Patrick CAL
houn was in the east, the situation
here being left In the hands OF his
assistant, Thornwell Mutually, young
giant fitted to gigantic labor. He
performed 1t magnifcently The very
day after the earthquake he had a few
cars running IN some of the outlying
districts. BY April 81, while the flames
were still destroying in many places.
| he had them running in Fillmore and
a few other streets. where transporta-
tion was vital. and by April 2s trans
portation was practically restored
where most needed.
Referring to this great task. Major
General A. w. Greedy. senior officer of
| the army in this city at the time, said:
Considering the difficulties encoun-
tered, the most remarkable accomplish
ment of reconstruction and re-estab-
| lishment of car service known In street
! railway history was here exemplifed by
! the United Railroads of San Francisco"
Before relating what was done In
performing this work, attention must
its own expense. without one cent of
return and with the one object OF help
/ ing the stricken city and It's citizens
| When Thornwel1 Mutually was rudeiy
awakened In his apartment at the Pal
| ace hotel at Sis a. M, April Is. 1905,
/ by the shock OF the earthquake after
/ securing the books and other valuables
! OF the company, which had been In the
/ Rialto building he lost no time in
communicating with the mayor, to
| whom he offered the services OF 1000
uniformed. reliable men employed by
| the company, for special police or any
/ other service that they might perform
| for the public welfare. At the same
/ time he issued the following appeal to
/ his men themselves:
San Francisco is In peril. Fire Is
/ sweeping over the city destroying
property Acts of vandalism are being
/ committed Tho United Railroads
/ places itself at the service of San Fran
cisco The United Railroads calls upon
all employees. as United Railroads men
and as citizens of San Francisco, to do
all in their power to aid at this time.
All men are asked to report as soon as
possible to General Manager Chapman
/ at Market and Valencia streets, uni
| formed men in full uniform. all men
with their badges. U.R. r. OF ST
! by Thornwell Mutually. assistant to
/ president"
/ The services OF the men were ac-
| cepted and they were organized into an
/ auxiliary patrol. covering the whole
city and doing fine work.
/ Then followed a series of public spir-