Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-01
SAN PEDRO.
A Petition to Congress About
the HarbOr.
The Chamber Of Commerce
Memorializes Congress.
Points From Document Advocating
More Work.
A Showing which Ably Sets Forth the
value of the Harbor-Appropria-
tions Already Made-Facts
in the Case.


resentatives OF the United States:
Your memorialists, the chamber Of
commerce of the city of Los Angeles,
California, very respectfully and earn
estly represent:
That between the bay of San Francisco
and the bay of San Diego on the Califor-
MIA coast, distance of about 900 miles,
there is but one port where any foreign
commerce of consequence has ever been
conducted, and that port is San Pedro
Officially known as Wilmington harbor).
That upon the reports and recon-
mendations of goveInment engineer Of
fcers over twenty years ago, San Pedro
was selected as the most favorable point
for harbor between San Francisco and
San Diego, and the first appropriation
to that end was made in 1871 of 5000, 900.
That whea the work of creating the
harbor was commenced there was a
depth of but IS inches of water on the
bar at mean low tide.
That as result of the work performed
by the government under the direction
of Col. Geo. H. Mendall, U. S. A., Col.
w. H. HI. Benyaurd, U. s. a., and other
government engineers, this depth was
luCIcdbcQ W lOCb Al LOW w lV lCcb III
1887, to 12L in 1890, and at the present
time there are over IA feet OF water on
the bar at mean low tide.
That the rises of tide above mean low
water vary from 2 to feet, and average
about AZ feet.
That vessels drawing from IL to 1917
feet of water now come to the wharves
at San Pedro and discharge their car
goes, in a thoroughly safe and absolute
ly land-locked harbor.
That nearly all the foreign commerce
at San Pedro is carried in ships of
greater draft than 18 feet, and that all
such ships are still compelled to anchor
in the San Pedro roadstead, and dis
charge and receive their cargoes by
lighter.
That such method of discharge is
very expensive and adds heavily to the
cost to consumers of merchandise, and
is a tax as well upon our ocean COM
merce.
That the work heretofore performed
by the government under the direction
of the engineers in deepening the "inner
harbor," depending largely upon erosion
by confning the ebblng and flowing
tides in narrow channel, has been sue
cessful beyond all anticipation, and
mittent character of the appropIiati
by congress is considered.
That the total amount appropriated
for this work in twenty years aggregates
1904, 900, and that the government has
received back in duties collected at San
Pedro in the last nine years alone about
100000.
That while the work of bringing San
Pedro harbor to its fullest state of use
fulness is of great local Importance to
the rapidly growing agricultural, manu-
featuring and commercial interests of
Southern California, it is of still greater
importance from a national point of
view. The shortest route between tide
water on the eastern and western shores
OF the United States is from Galveston,
Texas, to San Pedro, California, and the
latter on the Pacific is the natural COM
plement to the former on the Gulf of
Mexico. The least grade on any trans
continental railway route-a fact of i'm
mense importance in considering freight
traffic--is between these two points.
San Pedro is the nearest port On the Pa
cific ocean to Salt Lake City and Denver
and their surrounding country, and OF
great future Importance to the COM
merce of these communities by reason
of the light grades between them.
That the construction of the Nicara-
qua canal will greatly increase ocean
transportation to and from the Pacific
coast; and the completion of San Pedro
harbor will be great assistance to AM
erican shipping interests.
That The peculiarly favorable location
of San Pedro with reference to trans
continental commerce, and it's accessi-
bility by reason of the absence of the
heavy grades which must be overcome
before approaching any other harbor on
the Pacific coast, caused its selection as
the first Pacific coast terminus of the
Southern Pacific railroad, which has
constructed extensive wharves there.
The Terminal Railway company has
recently built from the city of Los An
geles to the east shore of San Pedro
harbor, and is at the present time con-
structing wharves opposite those of the
Southern Pacific company. This line
will doubtless ultimately form the west
ern terminus of an overland railway
route.
That the inner harbor of San Pedro is
capable OF being deepened to twenty
two feet or more at mean low tide,
equivalent to depth of from twenty
six to thirty feet at high tide, by con-
ClnuatlOn OF tn6 WOIk VI JeCCylug anu
dredging.
Your memorialists therefore earnestly
petition your honorable bodies to cause
report to be made by the engineer
corps of the United States army OF a
project" for improving the harbor OF
San Pedro, now known officially as the
larbor of Wilmington, to its fullest de-
yree of usefulness, together with an esti-
nate of the amount of money required
herefor, and that such an appropria-
ion be made by congress as will be ade-
Iuate to the Importance and national
iharacter of the undertaking.
In support of their petition your
nemorialists respectfully present the
tnnexed statements and statistics, show
ng the character of the work which has
,een done by the government at Sar
'edro, and the shipping business thai
las been transacted there during 9
erm of years.
ii. q. OSBORNE, Chairman,
HENRY T. HAZARD,
VIM. HI. WORKMAN,
HERvEY LINDLEY,
JAMES GUNNER,
Committee.
A full showing Of the imports and ex
4 torts at the port is then given. which
4 oncludes with the following note: