Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-21


About Big Pacific Coast States-What
San Pedro Has Had to Fight Against
Peculiar Facts.
The presence of the Huntington party
in Southern California has naturally
caused discussion to revolve around rail-
way topics. A HERALD reporter yester-
was one of those who received Stanford
and the senatorial party last year, and
who was also one of the committee of
the chamber of commerce to tender the
same compliment to the Messrs. Hunt
ington, Crocker and their associates yes
terday. The HERALD will reproduce
this morning portion of this conversa-
ton.
Difficulties Environing San Pedro.
"When Stanford was elected United
States senator he was profuse in his pro-
testations of his desire to do great things
at San Pedro. No man could have been
more unreserved and even enthusiastic
in his devotion to Southern California
and to the great entrepot OF the Southern
Pacific railway in particular, San Pedro.
1t was noticeable fact that, just in in
verse ratio to the senator's professions
was his performance. From the mo-
ment Stanford got into his seat at
Washington till this day everything that
looked to carrying out the government
plans at San Pedro experienced an un-
accountable but most decided svncope.
''You will ask why this was so. Well,
there are several reasons, and l will give
you one of them. Under the specious
name of creating a harbor at Oakland
the government of the United States is
engaged just now in building, at an out
lay of $4,000,000, great pri-
vate dock for the convenience
of the Southern Pacific railway.
Gov. Stanford told me plainly on his last
visit that he would do nothing for San
Pedro until the Oakland Improvements
had been completed. | understand that,
in addition, a San Francisco stock OPP
orator, named John w. Pearson, had the
sagacity to secure large frontage of the
inner harbor of Wilmington, running
outward from Timms's point. For fifteen
years it had lain there neglected, and
could have been secured for mere song.
| believe the company has since been
compelled to buy it at an outlay of
$250,000. Mote. This property is still
owned by Mr.. Pearson.-EDToR HER
AID.
''Another great difficulty encountered
by Wilmington harbor in securing the
appropriations to which it is entitled is
the lack of unity of sentiment in the sea-
side resorts of Los Angeles. They all
want recognition as ports. Redondo
Beach, the new fiedgling har-
Dor of the Messrs. Ainsworth
and Thompson, has a great friend
in Senator Dolph, of Oregon. Those
enterprising gentlemen have been
largely instrumental in developing that
country, and they quite naturally have
great influence with the Oregon sena-
tors. Then, as to Santa Monica, Senator
John P. Jones, of Nevada, is a three
quarter owner of the Santa Monica V
San Vicente rancho, and roadstead
which he thinks ought to receive gov
ernment aid, and very naturally he is
averse to seeing it extended to San
Pedro. This can be reasonably assumed,
while conceding that Senator Jones has
been remarkably modest and self-re-
specting in the premises.
Another Drawback.
"That leads me again to the visit of
the senatorial party to this section last
winter. That party embraced Senators
Stanford, Hearst, Frye, Morgan and
others, and as | was one Of the commit
tee appointed to receive them, had an
opportunity to exchange views very freely
with most of them. Portions of conver-
sations had with several of the eastern
senators impressed me very much. They
said that the great difficulty with our
people out on the Pacific coast was that
we had too few states, and consequently
too few senators. California should be
cut up into several states, and SO WELD
greater influence. The real amount OF
the appropriations for public improve
ments was determined in the senate.
Our senatorial representation was not
large at the best. Referring to the ap-
preparations for San Pedro, these east
ern gentlemen called my attention to the
undeniable fact that both the senators
from California were from the northern
portion OF the state, and that they were
on the most cordial terms with the sena-
tors from Oregon, also from the north
and with the senators from Nevada, and
Stewart was notoriously most cordial tc
Jones. Thus there were six senators
from this coast, every one of whom
was naturally opposed to any
large appropriations for Wilmington,
notwithstanding the fact that three sep
arate parties of government engineers
had reported in its favor. OF course
this difficulty has been greatly increased
by the addition of two senators to the
northern coterie by the creation of the
new state of Washington. My eastern
interlocutors added that substantially
owing to the senatorial courtesy, one
state received about as much of the gov.
eminent money as another-Delaware as
much as California, big as the latter
was. They suggested that it would be g
highly expedient thing either to divide
the state or to obtain for Southern Cali.
fornia an occasional representative in
the senate of the United States.
True Cause of Falling off of Business al
WilmingtOn-Facts.
L.. II