Show FORMER MAYOR PHELAN CALLED AS A AS I I S WITNESS AGAINST PATRICK CALHOUN Tran T andICO isco May Ia 11 For the first firstin in n p the inception of the bribery S 11 t investigation in this city cit James one of the central figures in prosecution of the th cases mayor of it I t y for three terms and perhaps perta the thet theS S 5 i t urgent advocate of the of ct f the city both before and after e disaster of iM 1 was called caned to the I stand In the trial or of one of the i when hen he be appeared before Judge P Lawler today tody to give evl evi d ire Ile Iee in the trial of ot Patrick Calhoun of the United Railroads His examination was wag u carried on by Assist Assistant ant District Attorney Francis J Honey Heney and ana the controversies over oer the ion tion of overhead or underground eke Iii K propulsion systems on the lines of h Railroads prior to the fire r 1911 was wa the only subject t of o Inquiry r before fore court adjourned I Franchise Rejected Mr Mt Phelan Ph lan stated that as u president the City Adornment anso lion tion he had bad met with the committee fn I streets of the board of or supervisors In 1 to protest pret again agam t the ng of a ai overhead fortne for the SutI Sut w ti Street St t lir Hr aked kd bv b the United roads M MF uri and anil others of f t te rii of ais as were rp present on those occasions and after lengthy de debates debates debates bates as to the practicability of install installing Installing ing the conduits system the petition of the company was rejected by the board in November 1906 Mr Phelan what hat were the grounds lot foe your objection to the overhead trolley trolley ley icy system asked Mr Heney Hene First because the wires and poles were unsightly secondly because we believed San Francisco to be as good goodas as Washington or Sew New York and cot entitled entitled tied to as modern transportation transport Uon third thirdly ly because we saw no good argument In III favor of overhead outside of the lesser cost of construction to the com corn company puny pen a matter with which we did not think it necessary to deal dea Vice President Examined Previous to the calling of Mr Phelan several serenal other witnesses had been becil exam examined examIned ined load the most Important being Charles Holbrook vice ke president of the United Railroads who was first summoned to tote testify te yesterday esterday and Henry Rook who designed de and constructed the original Market larket street cable system The inter interrogation rogation ro of or these witnesses went into till the of the various roads roa s after he frt re and the merits of overhead and ana underground electric systems systems Ii It ms I |