Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-16
s. P. IMPROVEMENTS.
official investigation What Is
Betng Done.


Mr.. J. A. Fillmore, General Superin-
tendent of the Southern Pacific, accom-
panied by Mr.. w. G. Curtis, Superin-
tendent Of Track, and Mr.. J. H. Wallace,
Assistant Superintendent, are in this
district on tour of inspection. They
were met here by Mr.. H. j. Small, the
recently appointed Superintendent of
Machinery, whose arrival here in a
special train was chronicled in yesterday
mornings HERALD. After short look
about the depot and roundhouse they
departed for San Pedro and stopped en-
route at tie Wolfskill depot, where they
made thorough investigation of the
manner in which the work was proceed
ing on that structure. They went to
the seaport town and looked at what
has been done on the new wharf, after
which they were hauled over to Long
Beach, where they stopped short time.
They then went over the Whittier branch
and the new line between Polhemus and
Tustin, after which they visited Santa
Ana and then returned to this city. In
the evening they were conveyed to
Santa Monica, where they remained
over night, and will proceed some time
to-day to Santa Barbara.
As the Southern Pacific is doing con-
siderable work at San Pedro it may be
interesting to state fully what is going
on there. The new line which has been
built around Timm's Point to the new
wharf is about two and half miles in
length. After leaving the present main
track the line ascends the bluff and fol-
lowing the coast runs along an elevated
plateau from which a gradual dip is
made from the wharf, cut having been
necessary to reach the beach. This
plateau of 700 acres of fine land is owned
by Messrs. Croker and Pearson, the
railroad magnate possessing the control
ling interest. 1t is intended to establish
q town there, and as the location is a
very fine one, and the Southern Pacific
will have boundless opportunities to
boom the place, there is little doubt but
that the desired object will be achieved.
A law suit for one-sixteenth of this land
has been brought within the past two
weeks by Mr.. O'Brien, formery Pear
sons secretary. who makes his claim for
services rendered in obtaining the prop
erty. Mr.. O'Brien is a son-in law of
George O'Brien, the shipping agent. It'll
is thought by many that Mr..
Pearson will shortly be retired from
his position as manager of the
owing to the fact of his recent
trouble in the suit brought against him
for $4,000 for alleged embezzlement |
while manager OF the Phil Sheridan Min
ing Company, for although Mr.. Pearson
has satisfactorily cleared himself of all
charges, the fact will naturally initiate
against him. On this townsite the
Southern Pacific is now drilling for arte-
sian water with Pennsylvania oil-well
boring outfit. AT forty feet water was
but the fluid was oily. brackish
md impregnated with alkali. Other
streams were found at different strata.
and at the 160 foot depth, in which the
is Low working, a much better
quality of water has been obtained. In
structions have been given to the borers
10 go GOO feet if necessary in search
Of the element required. Regarding the
wharf, everything is progressing salts
[actorily and the inward piles are now
being driven. A vast number OF 75.foot
piles are doomed in just off the inner
harbor, and are to be subsequently
treated with creosote when the works are
ready. This will be very expensive
as the piles have first to be
put into tub until the fat is extracted
md then creosoted, and this means a
cost OF about $40 to each pile. 1t is.
however, very necessary, as is evidenced
by looking at the uncreosoted piles on
he long trestle between Wilmington and
San Pedro. They are very shaky and
yreat diligence has to be used in running
'ver them in spite of the fact that this
'iece of track is being continually
Itrengthened with new timbers. When
he wharf is completed, then attention
viii be turned to the construction of the i
and this work will have to |,
. aided by the Government. Ship cap.
lins are Of the opinion that if the money |,
, be spent at Point Firmin had been |,
sd on the present hsrbor, the work
ould have been done for about half the
xpense. When the Southern Pacific
'hszf is completed, large ships and
'aacrs can come right up, as it will end