Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-04-21
Brcakwatcr mt SANTA Monica
From the Santa Monica Outlook.

From the Santa Monica Outlook.
Capt. B. D. Halves, of San Fran
cisco, spent last Monday at Santa
Monica, carefully sounding the
water aroundsethe wharf, and in.
specting the situation generally as
to the advantages offered for trans
ferring large quantity of coal
from his vessels to the cars. The
vessels draw about twenty-five feet,
and the water is twenty.four feet
deep at the end of the wharf at low
tide. The Captain left yesterday
morning, with all the necessary
data, and we suppose he will de-
termine in a little while as to what
he will dO-whether he will dis
charge his cargoes at this point or
at Wilmington. He, however, ex-
pressed a preference for this place,
because, he said, there would be u
difference of at least $500 in the
cost of discharging each cargo.
Now, it seems to us, here is q
basis for a potent argument in favor
of making Santa Monica bay u
thorough harbor. This coal,
amounting to 10000 tons, is for the
Southern Pacific Railroad Com.
pany. The difference between
handling it once here or tWice at
Wilmington, will be nearly SIC, 900.
Yet this is only one invoice, and
one article. Ard it must be re-
membered that this county, in
point of settlement and business, Is
in its infancy. Hence, any one
who has faith in the great progress
of this end of the State, can readily
see how immense the shipment
must necessarily be at the seaboard
somewhere in this section. This
county now has within its limits
the great railway center of South
ern California; upon Its borders
are all the important mountain
passes through which the great
lines of railroad must be built; it is
the principal agricultural region of
this end of the State it Is geo.
graphically on the great southern
track of trans-continental and
trans-oceanic commerce. Then it
is impossible to consider any ex-
tended plans of trade and travel
without regarding with special in.
terest the advantages appertainipg
to Los Angeles valley. 1t cannot
possibly be cleft out in the cold"
If we are correct In our views, it
must be apparent to the most casu-
al observer that the Government
will be justified in making the nec-
essary appropriations to construct a
harbor at the most eligible point
on the coast Of Los Angeles coun-
ty. tits equally plain that Santa
Monica is the place. 1t is the natu-
raj entrepot to all this back coun-
try; the depth of the water is suffi-
cient; the area for anchorage will
be ample without requiring the
breakwater to be placed in water
beyond the depth of six or seven
fathoms; and, what is of special
Importance, there Is an abundance
of the best material in convenient
proximity.
Captain Halves, who Is seaman
of long experience, and who has
carefully observed nearly all the
artificial harbors In the world, is
strongly impressed with the i'm
portance and feasibility of con-
structing breakwater at this
point. He thinks about three mil
lion dollars would make Santa Mo-
MICA bay one of the best harbors to
be found anywhere on the coast
one that would be accessible at all
times, and never liable to shoal.
Hence, when once constructed, it
would be permanent improve
ment that would never again SUBJ
ject the Government to the expense
of dredging or repairs in any way.
And he placed special emphasis on
the advantages of the situation-it
being, as he said, the place, above
all others, that afforded the most
convenient connection between
ship and rail, on the borders of
Southern California.