Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-09
MERITS OF OUR HARBORS
Its Advocates Heard at the
Commerce Chamber.
The Deepwater Port Conven-
tion Yesterday.
The Board Of Government Engi-
neers Listen to Arguments.
.Claims of Santa Monica, Redondo and
San Pedro Considered-A Large
Amount Of Information
Is Advanced.

pcOpl6 lrOm MI phttn Va oAo Couuuys "
meet the board of army engineers, de-
tailed by the secretary of war, in pur.
suit of an act Of congress, to look up
and determine upon safe hsrbor Of
refuge for Southern California, and re-
port prior to the next reassembling Of
congress.
The commission comprises Col. W. P.
Craighill, chairman; Lieut.. Coils. H. M.
Roberts and G. P. Hams; Majs. G. w.
Raymond and Thomas w. Handbury,
of the U. s. A. Engineer corps.
The rooms, which we're oppressively
hot, were crowded with prominent per-
sons OF Southern California, comprising
lawyers, merchants, railroad officials,
and many others.
On the meeting being called to order,
President Wells, introduced the five
members of the engineer corps to the
audience, and vacated the chair in favor
OF Colonel Craighill, who is tall and
well-preserved man OF about go years.
Colonel Craiehill said that interested
parties should be allowed to speak. in
the following order: San Pedro, Santa
Monica, and Redondo, each to speak
exclusively in favor OF the place repre-
sented; and then, after this was con-
cluded, each interested party should
have the right of interrogating witnesses
by way of cross. examination.
DIR. wIDNEY's VIEWS.
The first speaker, in behalf of San
Pedro, was DR.. J. P. Widney.
The doctor was unquestionably the
smoothest and most pleasant speaker
that appeared before the board at yes.
terday's session. He said, in substance |:
We have large coastwise commerce
between San Diego and San Francisco.
about 800 miles. Vessels have no
refuge between San Diego and San Fran.
cisco, no harbor from southwest winds.
This shows the Importance of harbor
of refuge.
There is coming great deep sea
commerce. 1t comes from southern
points. These vessels have no shelter
from southwest winds. They must
run to Catalina. San Pedro gets the
first half and Santa Monica gets the sec.
one half of the storm when the wind
whips into the west. In an ordinary
westerly wind the shore gives shelter.
So much for the general need of a har-
bor which would justify spending much
money.
With the coming of the Nicaragua
canal revolution in trade will occur.
Now vessels coming in from the south, I,
go out and get in the trade winds and 90
to San Francisco. When the canal
comes they will find no shelter on it.
San Francisco is opposite the highest
point of the Sierra Nevada mountains
1t is abreast the backbone OF the con-
tinent.
The region south is away from all
mountains, the easier grades being on
the side OF this mountain. Railroads
will seek to avoid San Francisco, and
coming from the east will take the easy
grades and come this way, seeking a
seaport down here, fanking this range
OF mountains. The port of the future
will be in the south because of this fact.
There is time coming when the
government must have port on the
Gulf OF California. 1t is the commerce
of the future we are looking to; we can
get along for the present with what we
have. Vessels coming here from abroad
must have places to refit where there is
calm water; they can't put docks down
in the surf. Hence we need q break
water. These six southern counties will
in twenty years have, say 5000, 900 pop
ulation. The railroads will come here,
through the low grades and passes OF
Nevada and Arizona. believe have
said all necessary regarding the needs
of general harbor.
HON. j. DE BARTH sHoRB's ADDRESS.
J. De Barth Shorb, OF San Gabriel,
was the next speaker. He spoke from q
,>ror,,oar,c cto - Il posrt ouI xpo. 1;cto,aJ
to with profound silence. He said:
''I don't know as can add much to
what DR.. Widney has said. have been
for years the largest producer and ship
per of wines and brandies in Southern
California. These are products which
require much transportation, and they
are products upon which much OF the
future prosperity of Southern California
hinges. The freights on this commod-
ity have always been very high. /
have been paying railroads 10 to IS
cents per gallon for. transportation. /
can get transportation to a port for 4
cents a gallon on deep-water ships.
There were 288,000.000 OF gallons OF
wine and brandy shipped into this
country last year, coming from Algeria,
France and Italy. Multiply this by ten
pounds, the weight of each gallon, and
you have some idea OF what the carrying
OF this product means in the United
States. I think the harbor should be
located where it would benefit fortifca-
tions. Governor Stanford once said to
me that if the government would per-
NIT him to finish the Southern Pacific
railroad, the government might take the
railroad and operate it across the Sierra
Nevadas.
THE DISCUSSION.
Judge Widney again took the floor,
and contended that San Pedro was much
more suitable for harbor than Santa
! Monica. He said $4,000 feet Of water
front was needed at either San Pedro OF
Santa Monica. In the present condi.
ton of San Pedro this could be obtained
for about $4,000. 600. At Santa Monica
1t would cost $25. .000, 900.
The breakwater would have to ex,
tend one and one-half miles from shore
A harbor at Santa Monica would divide
our commerce; the deep water vessels
would go to Santa Monica, those o
light draft would 60 to San Pedro.
j. De Barth Ehorb wanted to know
why it was that after 60 much had beer
done by the government which the
Southern Pacific largely got the henefi,
Of, that road wants to tear up and eet !
new place for the government to spend
its money!