The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 24, 1906, Page 1

San Fr * FORECAST FOR MARCH 24: co and vicinity—Rain sk to high southerly wind. G. H. WILLSON, Local Foreeaster, ‘ Temporarily in Charge. the Library.++++ ORE NEWS THHN,’ pnvonflza PAPER PUBLISHED IN TAE TREATERS. ALHAMBRA—"“Unele Tom's Cabin." ALCAZAR—“A Modern Magdalen.” CALIFORNIA—"Avenue Girls'* CENTRAL—"The House of Mystery." CHUTES—Vaudeville. COLUMBIA—*Little Johnny Jones.™ GRAND—Primrose Minstreis. MAJESTIC—“Sweet Nell of Old omlru—vmno. 3 TIVOLI—*The Isle of Soice. Matinees at All Theaters. RN TN NO. 114. VOLUME XCIX SAN FRANCISCO, ‘SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1906. PRICE FIVE CENTS. To the Editor of The Call, Dear Sir: San Francisco, California. | COMMUNICATION IN WHICH CLAUS SPRECKELS OFFERS TO TAKE PART IN BIG ENTERPRISE. When I built the Independent electric lighting system I put the wires underground. I went to the expense of conduits_ because 1 believed that the public interests demanded that electric wires be placed underground. I have not changed my views, and if I can do anything to prevent it there will be no overhead trolley system throughout San Francisco. : policy I will be one of the incorporators of a company to grve to San Francisco an up-to-date conduit electric street ratlroad system. 1 believe the law and the people will permit a sufficient use of the streets for that purpose if the municipal ownership idea is properly protected. March 23, 1906. If the United Railroads persists in its present Yours truly, SPLENDID RAILWAY SYSTEM |’ MAY BE CONSTRUCTED ON | THE MOST PERFECT SCALE| United Railroads’ Policy Giving Rise to Opposition That Threatens to Bring Competition. CAPITALISTS READY TO AID ‘ IN BUILDING CONDUIT LINE Conferences Are Held in Which Great!|| Offer to Supply Modern Road ‘ ' MAYOR STANDSREADY TO AID PROJECT. Regards Offer of Mr. Spreckels as Greatest of Boons to Welfare of the City. WILL LEND HIS HELP IN EVERY WAY Executive Very Enthusidstic Over “Freeing City From Monopolistic Control.” SAYS THE CONDUIT IS VINDICATED “If Mr. Claus Spreckels can see his way | determine its probability of accomplish- clear to carry out his great purpose,” | ment, save that his offer, known a8 he Arouses Enthusiasm, # IMPROVERS, ARCHITECTS. AND of the United | and Improvement of San Francisco was olicy of in-|emphatically approved after a full dis- lley system | cussion.. The = following declaration, San Fran- | adopted by the Association for the orpora- |‘Adornment and ‘Jmprovement of San Fran- lsan Franeisco, was approved when Tead conduit ' electric | by James D. Phelan: communication | “An attempt was made during. the year of The Call Mr. |.(1%5) to ereate a public sentiment in fa- here' shall | vor of erecting poles and. $tringing trofley m in Ban | wires on Suttér and Markét streets, when prevent it | your board, on the broad publlc*trmlfi; t development at the | of saving the city from . disfigyre 5 the controversy De- | guooesatyily protested to the late Bokwa; tween the United Railroads and the 1 of Bupervisors. It was shown to the izens of San Francisco relative 10 spa¢ troljey poles and wires ‘were not only: er in which the strects of Ban | o giefgurement but a danger and that all be treated could not'| New York ‘and Washington®hafl oh their gined. In & commuuication | principal streets the underground con- on Thursday of the pres- | duit, and the cars were o equipped that y instruction of President | the trolley.wires could be used: when the e United Rallroads to the | carg entered the subutbs, where there was et Improvement Club, tihe| less objection. The dignity and beauty of tatements were made: our principal streets should be our- es- structed to inform Jou that| pecial care. To save them is our first nited Railroads propose to im- | guty” ’ cable road on Butter street | The communication from Claus Spreck- ge of greatly accentuated degree—as the great- said Mayor Schmitz last evening, “the fact standg that he must be kngwn—as he has been known in the past, but In a tor o Bprecketa: has snnounced he accomplish. Not only is his the deter- mination, but within his contrel is the momey to carry out his determination, and T have yet failed to find the man that can say that any object can fail of accomplishment when deétermination and money walk hand in hand. “If Mr. Claus Spreckels can carry out his announced desire to network San Francisco with railroads operated by the underground conduit system, I can only say that through his wonderful ambitien of purpose San Francisco will take a stride forward that is most wonderful to contemplate. Such action on the part of Mr. Claus Spreckels would place San Francisco not only in advance of any city in America, but would place it in advance.of any city in the world in the battle for public control of utilities ope- rated for the public benefit. »"This offer is one that must not only awaken the amazement but the approba- tion, of every public-spirited citizen. While the rest of the great cities of the world is for his energy, seems to dispel Aty | doubt of probability that may exist. As an exponent of municipal ownership I herald his offer with delight, “And again 1 will say that as chief [tgaflvc of this city T will ‘glkdly worll and lend my timé in Krn-nm of | proposition, sudden. surprismg and | fraughie with hooe of advancement for 1 San Franecisco. In his statement to the press Mr. Spreckeis says: Jf the United Railroads persists in its present polley I will be one of the incorporators of a com- pany to give to San Francisco an up-fo- date, conduit, electric strest railroad sys- tem.” it HOPES CAI HOUN WILL PERSIST. “'As to this I can only hope that some- thing will come up that will cause the United Railroads to persist in its pres- ent policy. Such action on the part of the United Railroads will then erystal- lise the determination of Mr. Spreckels to carry out his gigantic offer. If there is any one that doubts that this offer is gigantic it is only because that person has not given il consideration to the ship of public utilities. A& pe: upon the part of the United Rallroads to carrv out its present intenfion to cable until given the privilege y of San Francisco to operate re overhead trolley system.” stetement the intention of the ent of the United Raflroads to a road on Sutter street with 4 trolley as soon as permission ned was clearly expressed. roperty on Pacific ave- through which the present Sutter- t railway system runs, are strong- ed to the institution of the ley. APITALISTS CONFER. ng of the Pacific-avenue prop- owners and other capitalists was held yesterday in the law offices of Page, Mc hen & Knight to consider the situation. The statements author- ized by President Calhoun of the United Rallroads formed one phase of the matter. Before the meeting wis was found that general re- existed regarding the atti- the raljroad present. - Men of expressed willingness to invest apital to give Ban-Francisco a finst- rate conduit street rallway system. The views of the Sutter-street Improvement Club, as expressed in a communication addressed to the piblic published yess terday gmorsing in The Call, found tavor. The Interest of the public in the street rallway proceedings will be greatly intensified as the result of Claus Ppreckels’ communication, which. is published in The Call this morning. The prompt expression of willingness on the part of other capitelists in San Frepcisco 0 put money in an up-to-date condyit electric raflway sys- tem for Wbis city &t the meeting yes- terdey is @lso of much more than pass- ing interest and will be so regarded generally. Other earpest citizens met in confer- ence_yesterday in oppesition to the overhead trolley system. Jomes D. Phelan presided 2t g meeting at which representatives of the Association for the Adornment pud Improvement of San Franeiseo, the looal chapter of the American Jpstitute of Architects and the Oytdoor Art League of Sap Fran~ cieco were represented. The position ! tinue the operation of that| .js and the conferences of local eapital- | | ists that took place yesterday in opposi- tion to the institution of a general over- head trolley system on the streets of San Francisco furbiished strong evidence of | | the rapid crystailization of public senti- ment as well as of réadiness to act inde- pendently in behalf of 8an Francisco. The next step to be taken may be the | incorporation of a new street railway company. There is ample avallable cap- ital in the city to construct a conduit system of raflways. In his communication Claus Spreckels writes: “I belleve the law and the peo- ple will permit & sufficlent use of the streets for that purpose (the construc- tion of & conduit system) if the municipal ownership ides is properly protected.” The meaning of the last part of the paragraph is that provision may be made fully that the city may be enabled to acquire the raflway in ten years.” Mr. ||’ Spreckels and others propose to construct the rad and turn it over to the city in ten years. ATTITUDE OF CITIZENS, Rudslph Spreckels, one of the members of the Butter Street Improvement Ciub who signed the address by the club to the people, said last evening that the senti- ment of the club against the position l adopted by the United, Raliroads was strong. said also that it was considered by citizens to be ridicu- n accord with the senti- | Dy the Butter Street Im- b o the . addrets 1o the " continued Mr. ©f it. Now the about expending spend its At _constructs | nr i e e Head of United Railroads L i ] i e i lidlii‘l' ‘ i i | F H i | i i i ! i needs the those things that are e g g ‘the offer of Mr. Spreckels can b 1 READY TO CONTRIBUTE . e out, and T see no reason WhY mm OF 1T BL o RAILWAY THAT “There i3 no question that before the battle is ended. Not ST RSO EQUIFPED méde this offer he looked well inta the R e e questfon, for he is not known as a man u—n.u-m-.n-n.z who would seek to accomplish what oth- unmarred. her rallways SETEREEE CALHOUN WRITH k. - Citizens’ Committee Pltrlekuw‘. “:. udhl s ¢ g g ¥ £ i i l | ] : ! ! | | ! B ] ] : ¥ H i 31 i ¥ i fi i il sREifsd ; i HH é ] i a7