Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-11
WEDNESDAY, JAN. II, 1855.
A Port for the Largest vessels.

A Port for the Largest Vessels.
The HERALD has from time to time
editorially called attention to the fact
shat Los Angeles is being gradually
put into the position of dependent
upon San Diego in commercial mat
ters in which ocean carriage figures as
an element.
We could, as business community,
control in the interests of our city a
seaport at point as close as Whining
ton or San Pedro, but We cannot con-
troll the port OF San Diego. 1t is too
far of. Far enough away for sepa-
rate community and city. having its
individual and independent interests.
Some months ago a small coterie of
our leading citizens purchased
. thousand or more acres OF
the San Pedro Rancho, fronting
on Santa Monica bay at point about
twelve miles southeast of Santa Mon
lea, with the view of making it a
pleasure resort. This spot is in the
extreme southeastern corner of the
roadstead named, and where the shore
line commences 10 trend off sharply
towards the southwest and west to-
wards the rocky headland known as
Point Vincent. Near the northern
limit of the tract is salt lake, where
from the earliest times considerable
quantity OF salt has been made. The
purchasers of the tract thought to
clear this lake out for pleasure pur-
poses, and to build a pier out from
The beach for limited commercial and
pleasure uses. At this stage Of
the planning they called on
State Engineer VIM. Ham. Hall
to advise them, as consult
ing engineer. By his advice a
very careful sounding was made OF
the water frontage for mile out from
shore, which revealed the existence
Of very remarkable deep canon in
the bottom, heading close up to land
about opposite the middle of the tract.
The existence Of inshore deep water
at this locality had been before known
by . few persons, in a general way
only, from tho United States Coast
Survey soundings (Which, by the way,
have never been published) of the
roadstead; but it was not known how
very close in it headed, nor was its
importance realized until this local
private survey was made and its re-
suits came into the hands Of the con-
sulting engineer. On the basis of this
survey and other examinations, Mr..
Hall reported privately to the otfi-
GERS of the company that the
possibilities for commerce at the point
were greater than had been counted
on by them, and recomm ended that
their general plans be altered 80 as to
look to the development Of CONNER
cial interests as matter of primal
and present Importance, and not as
feature for the future, and secondary
to the pleasure resort project.
About a month ago the matter came
to the ears Of a member Of the Board
Of Trade, and this resulted in letter
from Mr.. Eugene German, President
of the Board. addressed to the Presi-
dent of the Redondo Beach Company,
and asking for information on the SUBJ
ject, as matter of public interest. This
letter was not answered until few
days ago. 1t now appears that the
managers of the company, by the
advice of their consulting engineer,
have called into the consultation Col.
G. II. Mendell, whois at the head of
the United States Government engi-
neers on this coast, and who for years
has been in charge of harbor works,
and have obtained from him An opin-
ion on the projects outlined by Mr..
Hall for the commercial development
Of Redondo Beach. Copies of Mr..
Halls report and Of that OF Colonel
Nendell have been transmitted to the
Board of Trade in answer to their
Inquiry, and now we have to consider
: tangible proposition, we'll put
by the best engineering authorities
On tho coast. Consulting Engineer
Halls report is the longer and more
axplicit document, and one which we
will hereafter treat. To-day we else
where present synopsis Of Colonel
Aendcll's report. which is the more
important because its author is an ac-
knowledged leading authority in the
specially of harbor works in the
United States.
The Government Engineer considers
|two propositions formulated for the
|company by the consulting engineer: !:
The one for outside piers and wharves
- the edge of the deep water in the