Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-12-18
Eos Angeles Atmla,
The Harbor Question.
Los ANGELES, Dec. lG, 1873,

l.OS ANGELES, Dec. 10, 1910.
EDITOR HERAID:-The Express of
this evening is so extremely absurd
on the subject of our harbor, ! will not
resist the temptation of "putting in
my oar" if you will allow me. 3lJ
" Replying to the wordy knock dow n
assertions, which in the editorial col
umps of the Express pass for facts and
arguments; but which in reality are
neither; | beg to say, first, concerning
the contradiction of your statement
that a vessel drawing six feet of water
would often find it difficult to find her
way out frem the wharf at Whining
ton. A short time ago lighter, inad-
vertently loaded to something less
than S feet 8 inches, could not be got
away from the wharf at certain high
tide when it was intended she should
be sent out, although the tug broke
her towing bit in the attempt to pull
the lighter out of the mud.
The little steamer :" Los Angeles"
cannot always get away from the
bar, and she draws about three feet of
water.
"NOthing is truer" ('' more nearly
true'' would have been better English,
Mr.. Express), sin the whole range of
physical facts than that we are now
compelled to submit to the burden of
lighterage on our freight simply be-
cause no ocean going. steamer with a
800 ton freight capacity can be built
that can run in three feet of water, or
where there is none at all, as is often
the state of affairs off Wilmington
wharf. ~ ~
"NO one who is acquainted with our
harbOr facilities now will for one mo-
merit think seriously of 'putting on q
line of small, swift, double engine
steamers and contracting to bring
them to Wilmington wharf each trip,
The EXPRESSES idea about the style OF
steamer wanted sis good: "swift," so
they may get in or out while there is
water enough; "with double engine"
so they may be able to make the short
turns in Wilmington creek, and
"small" so they may turn round after
they get to the wharf.
The Express says these steamers
should take advantage OF the tide.
Another good idea. 1t is not advisable
for steamships to attempt going over
land. But does he know what "taking
advantage Of the tide" means in this
ease. 1t means no regular hour for
sailing or arriving, at all hours OF the
day and often ut night and when at
night the weather must be clear and
moonlight.
q" AS to the eXuItation about the
schooner Wilmington (?) coming to
the wharf, and the attempt to prove
- hnt /, i,s 10 1V,
1t is q fact that larger vessels have
been to the wharf before the break
water was begun; and instead of the
Wilmington being 200 ton schooner,
AS the Express said, she is So tons re-
gister. hihao 1i,!ho.
= You are accused. by the Express Of
trying to ruin this locality. Did it
never occur to you that the Express is
working to build up Wilmington at
the expense of Los Angeles: 1t is a
fact. Every cent our merchant have
paid the l.. A. & S. p. r. r. Go. for
lighterage has been a special tax,
levied to make Wilmington and keep
it in existence.
This city paid money for a railroad
10 San Pedro, and by swindle the
terminus was made ut Wilmington.
Had the road been carried to old San
Pedro and q wharf put out there, we
would have had landing superior to
|. that Santa Barbara now has, and
would have reaped IL rich harvest in
consequence; but then Wilmington
would not have been; somebody would
not have sold his land to the railroad
company alta big price, and would
probably "have gone where the wood
bine twineth." And rs if Los Ange-
les had not suffered enough already,
the Express in behalf of certain Will
mington interests wants the harbOr
brought to the railroad at Wilmington,
instead of the railroad to the harbor.
The United States Government is to
be asked to pay for this little job OF
harbor moving. Los Angeles is to
continue for years, until the job is
completed, to pay tribute (lighterage)
to Wilmington.
If the bar can be dredged away and
kept away the harbor will be where
there is now good depth of water at
,all,tides, and that is not nearer VIII
mington than Rattlesnake Island.
The completion OF the breakwater
will not deepen the water in Whining
ton creek, and don't think anybody
expected it would; moreover the class
ofvessels that are suitable for the nayi-
cation of that inlet as 1t Is to-day, can
not do the business eff the port and
needed no breakwater to help them
o,,artho k.r p#M&~##Z$#M#A*