Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-22
RATTLESNAKE ISLAND.
1t Will Revert to Its Orig ina
Owners Shortly.

revert to its original owners. the Domin |
guez heirs. This piece of property
very valuable for railroad purposes, as
its western extremity affords it as good
harbor facilities as San Pedro possesses,
and its distance from the mainland on
the other end is only 200 feet, which car
be easily bridged over as the water is |
comparatively shallow. Some three OF
four months ago considerable excitement
was created about its sale and readers
of the HERALD will remember the knotty
question that arose regarding who had
really purchased it. Mr.. Lester Scott
was finally given the option of the island
and since that time all sorts of rumors
have been afloat as to what purpose il
would be put, it being thought by many
that it was to be controlled by the Goulo
syndicate and used as the Pacific ter
minus of that system. Then the Salt
Lake line to be built by the Union Pacific
was said to be interested in it, and when
Mr.. CampbelPs Ocean Beach railroad
was started, everybody pointed to it as
one of the links in the chain for one oil
/ the transcontinental railroads. The Alta
dena line north OF Pasadena would also,
it was said, form part of the highway,
: but it was afterwards ascertained that
. these were merely speculative rumors
without any substantial backing what.
r ever. In the meantime Mr. Scott's
agent, who was appointed to look after
the island, found it hard work collecting
rents, etc., as the dweIlers there refused
to recognize his authority, and so affairs
went on. until the announcement
: Just made about the island re-
| 70 stc
q was known. About six weeks ago ar
ticles of incorporation were filed of the
q Long Beach and San Pedro Rail Dad
n with Mr.. James Campbell as its Pres-
dent, and the road was outlined to run
from the terminus of the Ocean Beach
e Railroad westerly to the San Pedro river,
!, which it would cross on to Rattlesnake
s island. 1t then ran along that piece of
& land, reaching its western terminus.
i, Here commences the accreted land made
by the breakwater, a description of which
y was given in these columns last week,
e and along this mile strip the new railroad
'i was located, after which it runs out
over the rock breakwater to Deadman's
e Island, its western terminus. Maps
u were fled in the County Recorders
e office and everything done to secure the
e right OF way. When it was pointed out
u to Mr.. Campbell by HERALD reporter
that this accreted land west of Rattle
snake Island was covered twice year by
high tides, he stated that the line would
be built four feet above the high.watel
IF mark and eight feet from the break.
water, and there would be no danger
a. all of any invasion of the track
70 by the sea. The line would run
along the rock breakwater at the end oi
fLn xrh oh Sc IL
quite wide enough for roadbed. As
= Deadman's Island is not large enough
q for depot to suit the requirements of
y the road, simply coaling and landing
~ ~ station will be established there and the
- principal station will be farther up or
the mainland. About four and hal
" fathoms Of water can be obtained at the
in terminus of the line, and this will bt
re protected by the breakwater which thu
al Government proposed to extend in tha
direction.
/, | NEW WHARF.
~ The wharf privileges that Captain Bar
Is rett has applied to the Board of super
w visors for, the result of which is to b,
ie announced on August 9Th. will run alon.
the west side of this accreted land fo
III 1000 feet, and it is easy to foretell is il
W tended as the starting of the enormous
- wharf that will ultimately be required
! when the new line is in operation.
is iS will, of course, be extended farther an(
40 farther along as the requirements demand
and will doubtless in course of tim,
OF extend as far as the rock break water
e, The inlet by which Kerckhoff- Gunner,
Il. wharf on the ott er side is now reached
of will have to be dredged considerably, al
4. sandbar runs through its center, as il
evidenced by the marked blackish ting
in the water. The question now is, int,
whose hands will the little road of Mr.
70 Campbell fall, for it is plain t.
- see that it is not intended fo
n local traffic. When questioned abou
y it, Mr.. Campbell acknowledges that i
will either be run by the Uniol
" Pacific or Santa Fe, but declines to sa,
Or which, or to give any further informa
is ton on the subject. At the present TIM
L. it looks as if the Union Pacific will ge
n tion of building to Los Angeles, and
~ certainly will not stop short Of the ocean
% It has already got it's men out working t,
to the Nevada State line, and, furthermore
le General Manager Tebbetts some tim
ago outlined to HERALD reporte
re the manner in which the exten
a sion would be made to Lo
- =, Angeles, full particulars of which wer,
" " given at the time. Arriving her
~ nothing would seem more probable thai
that advantage would be taken of tn,
n splendid ocean privileges of Mr.. Camp
y BELLS road and deal made to that end
l.. A rumor is now current, however, ant
ID supported by good authority, that whel
Rattlesnake Island reverts to the Domin
N guez heirs on the first of next month a,
- attempt will be made by the Southern
~ ~ Pacific to gobble it up. This is very pro
- bable, as that con ny has declared
= intention of spending such vast sum Of
money for the improvement of Sal
Pedro that it is scarcely likely that il
it can help it, it will let any formidable
le competitor come right alongside and
10 reap the advantages of its enterprise
lg "ln any case," says Mr.. Campbell
''they cannot take my right of-way privi
"" "" leges from me-" So if the Southern
&c Pacific acts as stated it will have to' bu,
IS out Mr.. Campbell's interests. The issue
d will be watched keenly, both by the resi-
Il d nts of San Pedro and those inter
t, ested in railroad mtvsn eats, ant
the question will probably be decided a
o some time during the coming month.