Mike Mulligan and More: A Virginia Lee Burton Treasury Read online

  Slowly and steadily

  Katy started to plow out the city.

  "Help!" called the Chief of Police.

  "Help us to get out to protect the city."

  "Sure," said Katy. "Follow me."

  So Katy plowed out the center of the city.

  "Help," called out the Postmaster.

  "Help us get the mail through."

  "Sure," said Katy. "Follow me."

  So Katy plowed down to the Railway Station.

  "Help! Help!" called out the Telephone Company

  and the Electric Company.

  "The poles are down somewhere in East Geoppolis."

  "Follow me," said Katy.

  So Katy plowed out the roads to East Geoppolis.

  "Help!"

  called out the Superintendent of the Water Department.

  "There's a break in the water main

  somewhere in North Geoppolis."

  "Follow me," said Katy

  and she plowed out the roads to North Geoppolis.

  "Help! Emergency!" called out the doctor.

  "Help me get this patient to the hospital

  way out in West Geoppolis."

  "Sure," said Katy. "Follow me."

  So Katy plowed out the roads to the hospital.

  "Help! Help! Help!" called out the Fire Chief

  "There's a three alarm fire way out in South Geoppolis."

  "Follow me," said Katy.

  So Katy plowed out the roads to the fire in South Geoppolis.

  On the way back a plane signalled for help.

  The airport was snowed in.

  Katy was beginning to get a little tired

  but she wouldn't stop....

  not Katy.

  She hurried over to the airport

  and plowed out the runways

  so the airplane could land safely.

  Then after she had found the broken down truck plows she started home.

  The Fire Department had put out the fire.

  The doctor had saved his patient.

  The Water Department had repaired the main.

  The telephone and electricity were on.

  The mail could go through.

  And the Police could protect the city.

  Thanks to what Katy did.......

  Katy finished up the side streets

  so traffic could move in and out and around the city.

  Then she went home to rest.

  Then.....and only then did Katy stop.

  MAYBELLE

  THE

  CABLE CAR

  BY

  VIRGINIA LEE BURTON

  HOUGHTON MIFFLIN CO.

  Way out in the far Far West

  there is a city of many hills ...

  a city with water on three sides round ...

  a bay city ... a sea port ... a gay city ... a friendly city...

  a city of flowers and cable cars

  THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO.

  To

  the people of this city

  who love their cable cars and

  especially to MRS. HANS KLUSSMAN, leading light

  in the fight to save them from extinction,

  I dedicate this book

  Foreword

  The first of the cable cars was born in San Francisco August 1, 1873 ... the invention of Andrew S. Hallidie. Born because Hallidie was fond of animals and could not bear to see the poor horses struggling and falling down when they tried to climb the steep hills which were so slippery when wet. So successful was the first cable car that soon there were many more ... as many as eight different companies were formed and operated in San Francisco in the days before the earthquake and fire of 1906.

  After the fire many of the cable lines were converted to electricity. Then as the city grew and changed "Progress" in the form of streetcars, gasoline buses and trackless trolleys took over all but two of the remaining cable companies—The Municipal Railway Company, owned by the city, and the California Street Cable Railroad Company recently acquired by the city. For lack of space and to simplify matters I have used only the Municipal cable car, but the story of their survival is much the same.

  For further information on cable car history I recommend Cable Car Carnival by Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg, and if you want to know what makes them go read Frank Parker's Anatomy of The San Francisco Cable Car.

  Maybelle was a cable car

  a San Francisco cable car

  Cling clang ... clingety clang

  Up and down and around she went.

  Maybelle had a bell on top

  Ring two to go ... and one to stop.

  Underneath she had a grip

  to grab the cable under the street.

  She had three different kinds of brakes

  one for the wheels ... one for the track...

  and an emergency brake to jam in the slot

  so she could stop whenever she ought.

  Maybelle had a Gripman and a Conductor.

  The Gripman pulled the levers

  pushed the pedal and rang the bell

  for Maybelle to stop or go.

  The Conductor collected the fares

  called out the streets and

  helped with the rear wheel brakes

  when the hills were very steep.

  Fares please ... ting ting ... Let's go.

  Not too fast ... and not too slow ...

  Stop at the crossing ...

  Wait for the light...

  Then ride the cable

  right up to the top ...

  Stop ... and look at the view.

  Down we go

  on the other side.

  'K out for the curve.

  HoooOOOLD ON

  Down again

  to the end of the line.

  Turn around and do it again

  Fares please ... ting-ting ... let's go.

  No hill too steep...

  no load too heavy...

  Always cheerful ...

  and most polite...

  She rang her gong

  and sang her song

  from early morn

  till late at night.

  From late at night

  to early morn ...

  Maybelle rested

  with her sisters

  in the big green barn.

  Born in San Francisco long ago

  they had watched their City change and grow,

  the new come in and the old go out

  while they remained the same.

  At night while the City slept

  they exchanged the news of the day

  or played the game "Remember when..."

  until it was time to go out again.

  "Remember when the City was small

  when everyone knew everyone else

  and nobody hurried and nobody worried.

  Those were the good old times.

  "Remember when mansions crowned the hills

  when our family was large and rich and famous,

  the pride of the City and joy of the people.

  Those were the gay old times.

  "Remember the Sunday afternoon rides

  out to the public parks and beaches

  and the all-day outings on holidays.

  Those were the merry old times."

  They seldom remembered the terrible fire

  which destroyed the City overnight.

  Instead they remembered how quickly the City

  rebuilt and grew some more.

  They remembered when many of the cable lines

  were changed into electric lines

  and they remembered the first horseless carriage

  and how people laughed and yelled "get a horse."

  Now the streets were crowded with traffic

  and everyone hurried and seemed to be worried.

  Electric trolleys and gasoline buses had

  replaced almost all of the old family lines.

  Maybelle and her sisters worked for the City.


  The City had been so busy growing

  she had neglected her little cable cars

  and they needed a new coat of paint.

  Maybelle was always first out in the morning

  and last to come in at night.

  She loved her City ... she loved her work

  and most of all she loved the people.

  Maybelle's hill was very steep

  and very slippery when wet ...

  Even taxi cabs stayed off this hill

  in damp or foggy weather ... BUT

  No hill too steep for Maybelle ...

  No matter the weather ... wet or dry.

  She could not slip ... she had her grip

  and three kinds of brakes besides.

  When visitors came from the rest of the world

  to see the sights of the City ... they admired

  the beautiful views ... the two big bridges

  the public buildings and parks and zoos

  but what they liked the most of all

  was to ride on a little cable car.

  They paid no attention to the trolleys and buses

  because they had plenty of those at home.

  This made Big Bill, the bus,

  just a bit jealous.

  "After all," he boasted,

  "I'm bigger and stronger

  and newer and faster

  and more economical."

  His route ran by the City Hall

  and he knew the City Fathers.

  One day as Maybelle was going along

  taking her time and singing her song

  Big Bill honked his horn and hooted

  "Out of my way ... out of my way...

  you little old cable car ...

  I just heard the City Fathers say

  the cable cars must go ...

  that you're too old and out of date

  much too slow and can't be safe ...

  and worst of all YOU DON'T MAKE MONEY.

  What they want is Speed and Progress

  and E-CON-O-MY ... and that means US.

  Ho ho ... poor little old cable car ...

  Too bad you're not a bus,"

  and he ground his gears

  and shoved his way into traffic

  leaving a trail of gasoline fumes

  and Maybelle sad and unhappy.

  "Oh me ... oh my ... oh dearie me ...

  If this is true what shall we do.

  Anyway I'd rather be me...

  a little old cable car

  than a great big old...

  clumsy old ... stuffy old ...

  and yes ... smelly old bus."

  She said as she choked

  on the gasoline fumes.

  Of course she didn't say this out loud

  because she was much too polite.

  The rest of the day

  seemed long and dreary

  Maybelle's heart was

  sad and weary ...

  The hills too high

  the load too heavy

  Her bell rang wrong.

  Soon the news leaked out from City Hall

  what the City Fathers planned to do.

  Some people said, "Too bad ...

  Hate to see them go ... Progress, I suppose."

  Others sighed and said, "We'll miss them ... What a pity

  for our City to lose her cable cars ... We'll be like any city."

  And one person said..."Why do we have to?

  We, the people, are the City.

  Why can't we decide?"

  So they called a public meeting

  in the Public Library

  of all the friends of the cable cars

  and called themselves

  THE CITIZENS' COMMITTEE TO SAVE THE CABLE CARS.

  Letters and telegrams

  poured in from all over the world

  begging the City Fathers to keep

  the cable cars.

  The Citizens' Committee stormed City Hall

  demanding a chance for the people to vote,

  to answer the question YES or NO,

  SHALL THE CITY KEEP HER CABLE CARS?

  "Pooh pooh,"

  said the City Fathers,

  "Just sentimental talk ... besides

  you need to have a petition

  to put the question

  on the ballot."

  No sooner said than done.

  The people signed a petition

  and presented it to City Hall.

  So the fate

  of Maybelle and her sisters

  was put on the ballot as Question One,

  The Citizens' Committee got busy

  with posters, parades

  and publicity.

  Every day there were speeches

  and people started taking sides.

  Some said "YES", and some said "NO"

  but nobody said perhaps or maybe.

  The "No" people had facts and figures

  and the "Yes" people answered with more.

  The "No" people made more noise

  but the "Yes" people worked harder.

  Big Bill, the bus, was sure he'd win

  so late at night while the City slept

  he crept out to practice climbing

  Maybelle's hill ... up and down ...

  stop ... and start...

  "Nothing to it," boasted Bill,

  "What's all the fuss about this hill?"

  Then came one damp and foggy night

  when big Bill tried to stop half way down.

  He slipped ... he slid ... he turned around.

  "Whew, that was close," groaned Bill.

  "I don't think I like this hill."

  At last Election Day arrived

  when the people would decide by vote

  whether the cable cars would stay or go.

  The polls opened at seven in the morning

  and closed at eight at night.

  No more speeches ... no more talking ...

  just one vote from each and everyone

  and no one could tell what the answer

  would be until the polls were closed

  and all the votes counted.

  The people stood around quietly and waited

  for the votes to be counted ... Maybelle waited ...

  Big Bill waited ... the whole City waited

  to see what the answer would be.

  Nine o'clock ... ten o'clock ... eleven o'clock ... midnight.

  "Hurray," shouted the people. "The answer is YES.

  The cable cars have won ... three to one.

  Hurray for the cable cars ... Long may they live."

  They gathered around Maybelle

  and covered her with flowers.

  They turned her around

  and all climbed on.

  "No fares please ...

  Ting ting ... let's go

  This ride's on me

  and free for all."

  It reminded Maybelle

  of the "good old times"

  when everyone knew

  everyone else...

  and life was gay

  and friendly.

  On her way back Maybelle met Big Bill.

  "Congratulations," he honked, "I'm glad you won.

  Your hill's too steep for me and

  much too slippery when wet."

  "Thank you," rang Maybelle,

  "and let's be friends."

  "Okay," said Bill, "and by the way

  I just heard the new City Fathers say

  that you and your sisters each would have

  a new coat of paint ... also they have named

  one day each year to celebrate

  as CABLE CAR DAY."

  Home went Maybelle ... clingety clang ...

  Ringing her gong and singing her song.

  Good news ... ting ting ... good news she sang

  Our day's not done ... it's just begun.

  lligan and More: A Virginia Lee Burton Treasury