George> 1. Yes, I am aware that Gertrude grew up in Fruitvale. Actually, she denied any ill meaning to her comment. 2. Yes, that proposal didn't get far beyond a bit of grandstanding. 3. Yes, San Franciscans were really ticked off at the railroad situation. The line to Oakland from the East was an instant success. There were beaurocratic issues in San Jose (and some suspected unfair dealings) that made the southern run a failure. 4. I have ancestors that were in early migrations to Oakland. Many successful and smart San Francisco workers lived in Oakland. It was once quite "civilized". 5. Yes, accounts of "Oakland defending her port from San Francisco's unwanted" caused quite a row.