The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 11, 1906, Page 7

THE was spread he street, car- n by the ck- there was Hou 5 enough red rancisco as the polis’ bankers ft hand firmly grip- orses and his the brake he has been wer portion of rtgomery eastward then to the ferries and ssing a day at work, with & recent illness kept f r weeks. It was his k Tuesday morning that commotion -on - California strongly emphasized the han had been missed along med route of travel nly representative on California f the California Street Horse Car mpany—a corporstion whose principal ussets are Houltham's popularity and & r and two horses—he has gained a dis- for himself that few men in the e can boast of. Prac- o street raliroad servi cally Houlithen is everything of an of- ficial character in comnection with the company by which he is employed—and it tul #f more than half & dozen of n engeged in business on Califor- eet could have told you how this interesting Irishman and his anclent car came to be that modern portion of San Franch the course of his long career on that ulthah has made an acquaint- ance includes the most prominent of the city’s financiers, insurance men, bro- kers, commission men and storskeepers, with whom ts always exchanging a greeting or & few witty words as they mb aboard his car on their way to their piaces of business in the morning or ward bound from their offices in the In only one respect does an keep pace with the moneyed e street. He, like the majority begins his labors at 8 o'clock in quits at b o'clock in the street 4 € plebelan professed, he is really an aristocrat in his own' class, enjoying life as it comes and ever 10ok- o the future. g about every- me as I boarded ked and quietly engaged him ife to most of us Is his car. For before you or other obstacle yth goes ing your nead on t hurry any to pull your and get off -y e ur way with avy burden affic of Houliha ar is by no mezns heavy. He n rty-two runs e Montgomery street and the fer- es every dey, but probably does not car- re than fifty passengers on all of ose that do ride with him do so like the driver and have : 2 him s0 long that it has be- come a portion of their life. It is part of exercise to get into the rickety ar es it stands on the siding at the Montgomery and California nd patiently awalt the pleasure of Houlihan to start on his eastward trip. 4 “gid-dap” from the driver and irring of his brake as it is suddenly 4 by Houlihan reminds the passen- ger that his journey has begun. The car lurches and creaks as it slowly moves forward to the main tracks of -Califor- they street the rattling of its windows the twisting of hardwood seats tells you when sing over the steel the roadbed sually Hou et behi latter a freer rig e work of cl rails of the more han’s car trails down the the cable car,.thus giving t of way and lessen- aring the route of the heavy teams, whose drivers are not dis- posed to so readily heed the jingling of the horsecar bell as they usually do the clanging of the big gong on the larger car manki versatio: been goo * he said as our con- proceeded, “but the Lord has > me in mine and I have lived dly. If 1 was going to live thére!- What's the matter with suddenly shouted my new-made ac- nce as he hurriedly wound up his brake and reined in his horses directly behind a small wagon that had turned un- €xpectedly on the track right in his way. “Come now, get along, get along there. It’s valuable time you're taking up.” And the offending driver of the wagon, appar- ently appreciating Houlthan's right of way and understanding his well-meaning words, whanged his horse on the back and was soon off the track. Gid- * muttered Houlihan, and his horses moved forward again as he oosened his brake and slackened his reins Yes, sir,” he resumed, “if I were going my life I don’t think I would 2 to driving horse cars. Still, I have ho great reason to complain. I'm used to the work, have been fairly well paid— well er gh, at least, to rear and Keep a family—and I still have my after facing for so many years the of the San Francisco storms on the ront of this old car.” Michacl Houllhan’s career as a car driver dates back to the early part of 1876, when he was engaged on the North Beach ion line and where he remained an Francisco's ploneer horse car ed to the control of the old Mar- ket Street Railway Company. Then he was assigned to a car on the Folsom remaining there quite a time until again transferred, this time to the old Kearny street line. He was there but a few days when the work of trans- forming the road to an electric line be- gan, and again Houlihan was moved to the Sixth street horse car line. His next job was on the Fifth street line, and, finally, when progress began to eliminate the old style cars from the main sources of travel Houllhan was given his present position on California street. He was inherited by the United. Rall- roads from the old Market Street Com- pany, and having a clear record he was selected to remain with a single car on California street as the only representa- tive, as already stated, of what is known to but few as the California Street Horse Car Company. Somewhere in the dim past the strest- railway magnates secured a right of way long California street, east of Kearny, nd decided to hold their possession egainst a possible extension of the Call- fornia Strest Cable Company’s lino from K. y tward to the rerries. Even- tually the latter company did extend its eable system to the foot of California street, but only by an agreement with the California Horse Car Company. As a matter of fact the operating of a lonely horee car on the lower part of California street today is to preserve tne company’'s rights under a charter and that is why Houlthan is there. But it is not the affairs of the company which he represents or the causes that keep him working so faithfully there that I have in mind. It is the quaintness of the service he manages, of which he is an enjoyable part. Until a few months ago Houlthan's car was one of the old bob-talled sort, with all the equipment of the time when that car was the pop- ular and in fact only mepde of public transportation jn San Francisco. Several months ago this ancient car passed its day of usefulness and apparently with a view of perpetuating its memory another old car was placed at the disposal of Houlthan. It differs but little in anclent style lo its predecessor except that it is drawn by two horses instead of one. In the same old-fashioned way the dri- ver on reaching his terminals unhooks his horses from the car end and drives them around to the other end, and he main- tains the same old custom of collecting fares through the medium of a cashbox stationed in the forward part of the car, in which a dingy mirror reflects the coin as it is dropped into the bex, thus per- mitting the driver to guard agalnst the use of counter{eits and to properly count the number of fares as the) trip pro- gress Then, too, there is the old swinging brass plate in the car door, through which the passenger passes his “quar- ter”” or larger plece of money for change before depositing his fare in the adfeining box. It is an inteyesting picturs to see respectab - v SAN FRANCISCO CwCT CoerTTTTTw TR R =t 71"}: AR . e =y A = 2 W X Sy = A oo AR AN N e S s e o . e Frooro e S R T e i AT T I P i - e BT T IT T I [0 i i e Syl e o T > P Driver Houlihan jingling the bell in.his coin receptacle to remind some “derellct passenger of his forgetfulness, and when failing to attract his attention to open his door and yell “fare, please,” just as they were in the habit of doing twenty years ago on the old lmes of horsecars. Again does Houlihan revive memorles of the past when a pasgenger in want of change passes to him through the door a plece of morey: Plabing:the coin: be- tween his teeth he takes &' firmer hold on his reins with his left hand while his right digs down into his trousers pocket for the change,’and when it is made .and the fare is deposited the driver's atten- tion is again turned to his horses and the road before him, along which he bids the animals té hasten with his familiar “'gld-da the same old "gid-dap” 'that the carmen shouted in the good'old days when the pattering of the car horses’ hoofs on the hard street pavement lulled citizens to slesp at night. - J A strong sentiment of pride is ever noticeable in’ the character of Houli- han. It is not a boasted pride, for he is as modest as his position in 'life. While, as he has said, he might have done better at the beginning of his career he is no longen regretful and having cast his lot he has striven to do the best he can. “It's trying at times,” sald he, as his mind seemed to revert to the past, fraught with its hardghips, during his stewardship of the affairs of the rafl- road company on California street, “to please everybody all the time, but I T T T Tt X TITCFTAET, FTOL LI AT AN SIS ANT/QUATEO CAE = = = — S & - SUNDAY CALL. X e = - - P oA D S hdd 4 feel that I have offended few and none * intentionally. Many of those who, years ago, were wont to grest me in the morning or say a kind goodnight, have passed to their lasting rest. And many a day in the Years that I bave been on California street have I seen the flag raised on'the pole over the old Merchants’ -.Exchange building to half mast and later I learned that it was in respsct to some one of thoss gen: erous old men who had afed. 4 “And do you know,” he remarked in a low voice, “I have often been prompt- ed to bow. my head and offer a few words of prayer for the peace of their souls.” Those that have not passed away are still riding with Houlih and much comfort he finds in their “ "Morn- ing, Houlihan” and the talks they in- dulge in with him. “They ride with me on the front plat- form,” said he, “and tell me the news of the day, keepink my mind out of SEeT o ” ZZ =7 P R 3 RS S R b e il - > - - B I 4 EEEESETSSES S > = 7. 7 Y/Z‘J Cic a2z g O e AN A S <~ S e EEE e SRS NN N > =y T the executive officials of the corpora- tion as evidence of his faithful service. Upon the face of his card, where the gfi of his first day's service on ifornia street fis duly " recorded 88 November 1. 1833 re ap- peary bis name, his nativity and the wobds “famjily of six.” ‘Beneath these words, under the caption 6f “‘previous occupation” is writter “raliroading’— practically the story of Houllhan's ca- On the reverse sidg of the. card, which is devoted entirely to the em- ploye’s history, there are three words: “Disobedience of orders.” They might have referred to disastrous affair, where life and were concerned; a collision as- a gesult of ignoring Instructions, entailing loss of property to the compan ar." its patrons, or the words mig ave up- peared a dezen times in a Jong career, but in Houlihun's case they are written only once, and long ago. “In a way,” explained ome company’s officials with whom I had talked of tha vetergu:d@rivers “thosc words really refiect credi{ on this man—that is, they bear him a good reputation In that lh:j stand alone against his-name. Fvw men with the duties of a carman imposed upon theru. with the responsibilitics’ they have tu bear and the annoyances they are forced to endure from public sources, can show a Houllhan.” And then the official ceeded to explain, ater did Houl how this demerit mark was I ed against the latter's name. It concerned his neglect to wear buttons ou the side of his cap when that forced: “I lost one of my buttons some of the aner recérd tham Driver pro n e was en than, “and I took the o until I had purchased a ne superinterdent of the e road, to whom I had been ofdered report when the new management too charge, called my atte te the ab- of the huttons intention of sence eral days later, when he se and when I appeared at his office told me that I could not go until I had got my buttons. g0 to Manager Chapman’s that is how I missed my run “And,. say, .Mr. Chapman is a man. When he heard that I had ¥ denly got into trouble over such a small affalf he at once helped me out of my fix and rzade me feel that I had not committed such an awful offense as it had at first seemed.” — But it was always so with Houlihan. In the years that he served so faif fully on the various car systems'of San Francisco he always had the respect of his employers and enjoyed the good will of the traveling public. “It is the little things that a man does,” remarked be. at either make or break him. Belhg a man of family 1 always had a kind, feeling for the mother with her little tots who want- ed té board my car, and I tried to stop so ‘that she would not be -inconveni- enced unnecessarily in getting aboard In the winter time I would see that my passengers, especially the women, were afforded a dry spot on which to alight, and sometimes I disregarded the rules of the company just far enough to make it possible for some old and erippled man to reach the car without walking too far. They were .ittle things, it is true, but they brought to me good reward in the gratitude of those people with whom I dally came in contact “There are many of the people of San Francisco who rejoiced at the advent of the more modern streetcar service, but I'll wager that many of them can look back to those old days and remem- ber when they received more consid- eration from the horse-car driver than is afforded them today by the gripman and the motorman—not that I desire to reflect any discredit on the latter, but times have changed in San Fran- cisco. In those days the public was not thinking of a fast service. They knéw that a horse's pulling power was just so much, and they made ample allowance for the many unexpected in- terruptions that were encountered on a trip on one of the horse cars. Since then the world is clamoring for faster and faster service. The electric car plcks them up and hurries them along. and If it is unexpectedly delayed it makes up the time by using a little more electric force, and the destination of the traveler is reached within the time he expectad. “But where the public has Bbeen beme- fited the poor carman has suffered. To- day it is his lot to stand all kinds of abuse that thoughtless passengers heap upon him when the service does not please them and he is comstantly bur- dened with responsibilities that falrly rack bhis nerves. He can't get away from the kicks that are registered againsg him and If it wasn’t for the fact that the company’s officials have by experience learned to carefully weigh these com- plaints his life would be most miserable. A dosen years' service would find him beyond his life of usefuiness. In the old days the driver of the bob-tail car was alone on his platform, which was sacred ground unless he saw fit to admit some one there, and the chronie kickers had a hard time annoying him. When one of those fellows started to make a rumpus over some trivial thing we would fust stir up the old horse and ho to work 1 had office, that day: and T A the rut and making mi None of that prancing, for we're not world is not as cold going to hurry this trip. Stop It.” thinlk 1t {s.” and the tone of Houllhan's voice appar- And even o ently impressed the anirhals with his then just turning into Talifornia stree! authority, which they were wont to from Market, was Nailed by one of the s and respect. capitalists of the money center, who Arriving at the Montgomery-street jumped aboard and greeted the smiling tetmi several of Houlihan's old d‘:m“. & “Hello, Houlthan; so you're on the strest were there to back 17 Goud, wé were wendering him a°weleonié back on Califor- what had become o i nia street, and one old-timer, a member fare into the box the pa | of one of Hansoms street’s biggest com- down on & sest, mereial firms; who counts Houlthan dure the slow trip u ‘his friends - in Business lite, Montgamery. - i ‘the driver's hand and shook It n & way that plainly teld of the regard he had for the stocky little man. have mentioned the fact that dur- . : ing his career on the California street never kicks and car Houllhan had never missed a day for me. Is it & not tire of his job as this one? i “There now,” he continued, ing his horses, “quit your skylarking. at work, with one exception, until his ness. ' That particular exception out boldly on his record card le office of the United Railroads, - strangely, too, it is pointed to by o keep- the car going, never looking arouna until the car bell signaled a stop or some one hailed us at a crossing.” Driver Houlihan bears the good will of all the carmen, and also had the dis- tinction of being the last man to he called oft his car during the big rail- road strike. He lives with his “fam- ily of six” In the aristocratic portion of Shipley street, stands on the city's records as a property owner in a mod- est way, has no cares to wotry him be- yond his car and his home, knows no enemles, covets no other man’'s enjoy- ments, is hale and hearty after his re- cent sick spell, and .is hopeful of liv- ing until the last of the old herse cars, along with his, have passed beyond the recollection of San Francisco’'s citizens. How long that will be is i matter of speculation, but his hopes are shared by the devoted members of his fam- ily, and, if the truth be told. by sco: of men along California street, who will régret the day when Michael Houl- than turns his antiquated car into the stable for the last thge and returns to private life in ais comfortable home on Shipley street.