Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-06
SANTA MONICA DESTINED TO BE A FINE
HARBOR.

headed by Col. Craighill, who are
charged with the responsible duty of re-
porting upon tine best site for deep
ocean harbor in front of our county
coast line, is of special Importance to
our people, and. in truth, to the COM
merce of the United States. 1t is inn
possible to disguise the fact that, with
the appropriation Of $51 900 by congress,
which was procured through the ener-
getic action of the chamber of commerce
and the earnest efforts of Senator
Charles N. FELTON,, there is a rapidly
growing sentiment that San Pedro
has had her deserts; and that,
to some extent, the investment
there has failed to realize the expecta-
tions of those who saw the great need OF
harbor for refuge and for commerce on
the shortest line between tidewater
and tidewater within the limits of the
United States, for such certainly San
Pedro. Redondo or Santa Monica would
be. There was an old time and senti-
mental idea that railway on the direct
route from the bay of San Diego via
Milquatay and the mountains which
align the Mexican boundary to Yuma
would some day be built, but when it
was abandoned by Col. Thomas A. Scott
the declaration that the shorter route
across the continent commercially"
was via the San Gorgonio pass. the op-
portunity of San Diego to figure as the
great and exclusive harbor of the
Southern California coast passed away
forever.
The appointment of the commission
which has juet arrived in Los Angeles,
and which went down to Redondo yes
terday, is the last official recognition of
this fact. Influential statesmen, who
are quite capable of accomplishing the
ends they aim at, are determined that
the commercial needs of Southern Cal.
ifornia shall be recognized by congress,
and the report of the present commits
sion will doubtless form the basis Of ap-
propriations which will reach the large
but really, under the circumstances
moderate sum of six or seven millions
| of dollars.
Where will the lightning strike?
We have always had only one rule
with our readers, and that is to treat
them fairly, and we frankly answer the
question which we ask. The HERALD
firmly believes that the commission
which is now entrusted with this work
will select Santa Monica.
We have several reasons for this view.
The first is that we think San Pedro is
completed proposition. That much
has been acco onplished there cannot be
doubted. This journal has taken pleas
ure for years in holding up all the mer-
its of the government work at San Pc
dro, but the fact remains that that port
has failed to impress visiting Statesmen
and others with its capacity to meet the
needs of the expanded commerce that
is growing up in Southern California.
That this is true is shown most con-
spicuously by the action of the Southern
Pacific railway, which is now engaged
in building wharf on large scale at
the mouth of the old Santa Monica
canon, to which they are preparing to
remove their immense business. This
action of this great corporation, whether
one approves it or no, is most signifi-
cant. The engineers of the South
ern Pacific railway have deliberated,
given their preference to this site, and we
understand that even the Banning broth
ers are preparing to make Santa Monica
bay the scene of their operations. That
a great influence is behind these changes,
probably embracing the Hon. Leland
Stanford and the Hon. John P. Jones,
two of the most powerful members of the
United States senate, cannot be doubt
ed. Senator Jones has been remarkably
modest in pushing Santa Monica, where
he has such large interests. but he prob
ably feels, now that San Pedro has had
all the appropriations originally recon-
mepded by the first government board
of engineers, that he is at perfect liberty
to push the claims of the beautiful bay
that aligns his splendid possessions at
Santa Monica. Senator Stanford will
undoubtedly work for the creation of
great harbor at a point where the great
transcontinental business of his Sunset
route will ultimately be done.
Without discriminating against any
other roadstead of the Los Angeles
coast, believing, as we do, that the
great port of this immediate region will
lie under Point Dune, it is pleasant to
know that the expenditure OF six or
seven million dollars at that point will
create superb harbor, ample for the
transaction of all business of Southern
California, north of San Diego and south
of San Francisco. 1t has every advan-
tage for its transformation into port
that any roadstead could have. It's
waters are as placid as those OF the Mis-
sissippi river, except on the rare occa-
sions of storms that rise in the south
west. AS is well known, these are in
frequent, and breakwater would be
a perfect protection against them.
The anchorage is unusually good
even without government improve
ments, and the coast line of the South
ern Pacific will undoubtedly pass the
mouth of the cafion via Hueneme and
the Malibu ranch, thus admitting Of