Los Angeles herald., 1890-11-11
The Government Commission
Inspects the Harbor.
A Large Amount Of Work Done
During the Past Year.
The Visitors Have an Instructive and
Enjoyable Trip.
The Personnel of the Company-At the
Harbor-The Engineers GO to Re-
dondo-Future Prospects.

Ballona harbor yesterday. The direc-
tors provided special train, which left
First-street depot at s O'Clock in the
morning. The Ballona Harbor and I'M
provement company was represented by
President l.. Mesmer, Juan Bernard,
vice president; Secretary Treasurer
Eagles, General Manager James Camp
bell, and Director Joseph Mesmer.
Sheriff E. d. Gibson was also of the
party.
The chamber of commerce was repre-
sented by Messrs. M. L. Wicks and Kas-
par Cohn, and the Santa Fe company by
Mr.. Dan Freeman. At Inglewood
the train slackened long enough
to permit the latter gentleman, who is
indirectly largely interested in the en-
terprise, to step on board. A short dis
tance further on, the party of inspectors
were found in carriages, having been
driven from the Soldiers home by Gov
ernor Triechel.
Soon the ocean appeared, and in
short time the train stopped at Ballona.
To those who had not recently visited
the place, the great amount of work
which has been done by the reorganized
company was remarkable. The basin
has been nearly entirely surrounded by
piling, which has been planked, forming
perfect protection against the en-
croachments of the sand. The ease with
which the basin can be excavated is
shown by the way the tide has, by Its
action solely, cut down and carried out to
sea large banks of sand which were left
originally inside of the piling.
The party, under the guidance of Mr..
James Campbell, walked along the north
side of the basin on top of the sand
dunes. Mr.. Campbell explained how
the work had so tar been prosecuted,
how it was proposed and was feasible by
means Of flood gates at each end and the
side, to scour the basin and deepen it
by means of the tidewater to be admitted
from the lowlands adjacent. He outlined
the proposed inside harbor; described
the formation of the soil, showing that
it could be dredged very cheaply, and
clinching his arguments by proving that
dredger could make a berth for line
of battle ships every week. He also
showed that it was much more practical
BILE to make a harbor by digging a
big hole, than to build one by construct
ing wall in the ocean," a proposition
none of the company could combat.
Boats were provided and the party in
spected the the inside basin thoroughly,
observing the depth OF the water, which
in many places was from fifteen to
twenty-five feet.
A landing was made at the creosote
works, which are as complete and of as
large a. capacity as any on the coast.
The members OF the board made mi
mute inspection of all this machinery,
the engines, boilers, air pumps and all,
and expressed high opinion of the
plant.
opening to the ocean. The bulkhead-
ing on both sides Of this is particularly
strong. The depth on the bar is now
such that the sea hardly breaks over it,
and at high tide vessels OF ordinary
draught can readily cross it. The cur
rents are such and the position of the
channel opening so located, that, with
out any artificial aid, nature is con-
stantlv deepening both the bar and the
basin.
The members OF the board, in a
guarded way, spoke in commendatory
terms of the enterprise and the work
done. They, OF course, expressed no
opinion as to any advantage Ballona had
over any other point, if any, but it is
impossible to see how they could be
anything but favorably impressed with
its possibilities.
Boarding the train again the trip to
Redondo was quickly made, and Cap
tain Ainsworth appeared in a few mo-
ments and was introduced by General
Manager Campbell, who said that he
would turn the inspectors over to the
captain; he had brought them on his
special train, but as Captain Ainsworth
had his own railway, his own steamers
and his own harbor, he would not ven
ture to volunteer any further efforts, as
they were now in a location a rival OF
his own. He could assure the gentle
men that Captain Ainsworth was able
to, and would treat them in a princely
manner, prediction which was soon a
was served at the hotel, and every facil-
ity offered for the study OF all the ad-
vantages of Redondo.
The Ballona people prepared every
thing possible to make the occasion a
pleasant one to their guests. Mr..
Campbell had charge of the special train
and with Secretary Eagles saw that the
turkey was plentiful and the cham
pagne properly iced Mr.. Dan Free
man, as representative OF the Santa Fe,
looked carefully after everybody, IN
Guiding the press representatives, with
the success which always crowns his
efforts. A delightful episode occurred
on the return trip, when the train
stopped on the siding at Inglewood, and
Mr. Freeman made the whole party the
recipients OF his hospitality at his new
house.
EThe old Ballona Harbor company was
a boom-time creation, and had the
orthodox accompaniment of townsite
and brass band sales of lots. The pro-
jectors then spent good amount ol
money at work at the harbor with indif
ferent results. Within the past two
years, however, the company has been
entirely reorganized and put on a most
substantial basis. In the train yester
day were men connected with it repre-
senting many millions. 1t is the inten
ton of these gentlemen to build har
Dor which will take care of any amount
of business and safely shelter a navy
They have evidenced their faith by theil
works, and if they succeed, as they
doubtless will, whatever personal gair
may accrue to them will be insignificant
as compared to the advantage which
twill give all of Los Angeles county.
WHERE is CHARLEY?