Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-29
THEHARBoR oUEsTIoN-~aNDRR WHICH
KING, BEz0NIANq"

KING. BEzoNTANa"
During the present week commission
oil the United States, composed of Off
GERS OF the engineers corps. headed by
Colonel Craighill. will arrive in Los An
geles, charged with the duty of investi-
eating the comparative merits of the
roadsteads Of San Pedro and Santa
Monica as to their adaptability for the
creation Of 6 harbor of refuge and COM
merce in Southern California. The ap-
preparation OF $5l 900 for the improve
ment Of what has been known as Will
mington harbor completed the original
scheme for the construction of the inner
harbor at that place. All dispassionate
people agree that the money disbursed
there, falling somewhat short of mil
lion dollars, has been well expended.
The results accomplished have been
gratifying in the extreme. The original
depth OF eighteen inches at that point
has been replaced by fourteen feet at
mean low tide, and San Pedro has been
the scene for years of great commercial
activities, although much of the busi-
ness done there has been transacted in
the open roadstead, through the medium
of lighters. The original plans OF the
engineers having been carried out, as far
as congress is concerned, by this final
appropriation, for which, by the way,
the HERALD clamored most impor-
tunately at all times, new questions
| have arisen.
1t is universally conceded that it is an
exigent duty of the government to Gre
ate harbor on large scale in South
4 ern California. Through some eecen-
trio dispensation of nature the Pacific
coast is very sparingly provided with
harbors, while the Atlantic coast has
been most generously dealt with. In
the long stretch of coast from San Fran
cisco to San Diego, there is not single
port capable of handling the immense
bueiness of which Los Angeles will be
the entrepot, for the width of a whole
continent, through e most important
zone that is being signalized now, and
which will be more and more signalized
in the future, by typical and most inn
portant development. 1t ia wise pol
icy on the part Of any great government
to provide facilities for harbors of COM
merce and for refuge on its coasts. The
inevitable early completion of the Mica
ragua canal will expand the commerce
of California inconeeivably, and it is
high time that we should begin to pre-
pare for it by the creation of adequate
harbor facilities near Los Angeles.
The people of France recognized the
necessity OF supplementing nature by
liberal expenditures. The harbor ol
Cherhourg was begun under the first
. Napoleon, and completed under the
third Napoleon at an outlay of over $780,,
600, 600. No consideration of expense
was allowed to delay this great
work. During the fifty years involved
in it's contamination there were half {
dozen revolutions in the government o
that great country, but the nationa
purpose not to give up the great work
wac never relaxed for day.
Five or six million dollars are needed
, to create satisfactory harbor in front
of Los Angeles. The government has
always been most parsimonious in its
appropriations for this coast. There are
indications that this policy is about tc
be changed to our advantage. Powerful
influences are at work to secure for this
section it's just recognition.
1t is understood that the work of the
commission that is to arrive here this
week will be narrowed down to report
ing upon the respective merits of Santa
Monica and San Pedro, and the report
will be restricted to the question as to
which should be preferred as to the
scene for the government outlaya. Moth
ing is more certain than that, if we wish
to accomplish anything, we must unite
on one OF these points. Congress will
not hear OF creating two hsrbors in this
, yicinage. If we fail to concentrate our
efforts ON one point we are in danger OF
falling between two stools.
: That this commission is composed OF
able and impartial experts admits of no
question. They will carefully examine
both roadsteads, and they will base
their decision on authentic scientific
data. They will have in their posses
sion all the official work of their prede-
cessors; and, when their judgment is
announced, all Angele1os should cordi-
ally sustain the recommendation of the
board and pull for proper recognition at
Washington. Hitherto San Pedro has
reeeivad all the attention at the hands
of our national legislators. The signs
are not wanting that powerful infu-
ences are now at work for Santa Monica.
LET US HAVE A SQUARE GRAND JURY.
The HERAID's demand for a grand iurv