Page:Upbuilders by Lincoln Steffens.djvu/301

 Mr. Calhoun

would leave the cable there for the present, at least, and, if he ever did apply electricity to that line, would use the underground conduit. Mr. Spreckels understood the proposition perfectly, as his reply showed. He said that no concession to him or to his street could break his allegiance to the other property owners. Mr. - Calhoun went away disappointed. But he tried again.

The third meeting was again in the Canadian Bank building, and Mr. Calhoun had a witness present, his brother-in-law and manager. Mr. Spreckels had none, so I must be careful. Mr. Spreckels says that Mr. Calhoun explained that he couldn’t put in conduits all over the city. But he could put in some, and he told where. Also, however, he would tunnel the Powell Street hill and make Powell and Sutter the most valuable transfer-point in the city.

“Is that because I own property at that point?” Mr. Spreckels asked.

“Why, no,” Calhoun answered. “Are you interested ? I didn’t know that.”

Besides this offer, Mr. Calhoun bid to remove street-cars altogether from Pacific Avenue and take the parallel street, Broadway. That would make Mr. Spreckels’s street more attractive, and as for the convenience, Mr. Spreckels and his friends used automobiles and carriages. And