Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-09
MERITS or OUR HARBORS.
Continued from Third Page.
to and beyond the wharf OF the South
ern Pacific company.

ern Pacific company.
The wharf Of the Southern Pacif
company, OF which 750 feet is now col
structed, will be, when completed, owe
J 5000 feet in length, accessible to vesse
from all parts OF the world. The SAINT
Fe company has also q line constructe
and in operation to this point. 1t cor
templates constructing wharf at a
early day. There is also another lin
between Los Angeles and Santa Monies
known as the Los Angeles and Pacifi
railway, which is not now in operation
Santa Monica has safe and open ap
proach from the sea. No shoals, rock s
or dangers of any kind exist. Iusuranc
in the cost of pilotsge at this poin
would, therefore, be at a minimum
The holding ground for anchorage i
uniformly good, both inside and OUTSIDE
OF any breakwater that might be con
structed. The ocean at this point shoal
gradually and uniformly.
The trade-winds blow regularly from
the west about $50 days in the year
This wind forms for Santa Monica wha
is known in the West Indies as a lazy
mans wind. That is, wind which
permits sailing vessels to approach Oh
depart, north or south. without tacking
This favorable condition would place
the cost of towage at this point at. 6
minimum. The report made in 1876 by
| Patteson, of the coast survey, says
'The use of the lead ineures safety, foi
the shoaling is ''gradual and a vessel
can approach the shore anywhere in
this vicinity. to within four and hall
fathoms without danger" The large
commerce transacted at Santa Monica
wharf in 1875-76-77-78 was not attended
by wrecks or disasters, euch as have un-
! fortunately and frequently occurred at
every other wharf and landing in this
county.
At Santa Monica range of mountains
comes down to and juts out into the sea.
These mountains, from the beach to
their submits, are composed of various
kinds of rock. They consist mainly OF
the following: Granite can be found at
Cold Water cafion, back of the Soldiers,
home, at Sepulveda hills; at Tunic
caflon, and also Declezville. All these
points are easily accessible. The ocean
bottom is as nearly perfect as it could be
for the construction of a break
water at Santa Monica.
The slope of the shore is very gradual.
There are no quicksands to swallow up
material and there is no stream such es
the Los Angeles, San Gabriel or Santa
Ana rivers to bring in debris to choke
up harbor when completed. The
soundings chow that the ten fathom line
OF depth runs at uniform distance from
the shore of about one mile and half
for some ten miles from the old Santa
Monica caf1on south. The peculiar sit
uation Of Santa Monica, and the pre-
vailing westerly trade-winds and swells
would, by breakwater constructed
here, provide considerable protection to
the entire stretch of Santa Monica bay
to the south. Consequently e break
water constructed here would protect
more coast than If constructed at any
other point on Santa Monica bay.
The government holds at present two
reservations at Santa Monica, one at
the coast on the west side of the town
OF Santa Monica, of about ten acres.
There is also reservation OF 500 acres
back of the town of Santa Monica, part
OF which is now occupied by national
soldiers home. These government
lands could be utilized by the govern
ment in any defenses or other opera
tions in connection with a deep sea har-
Dor. Water in abundance and of good
qdality is in our days of steam not an
essential for extensive shipping inter-
ests. The Santa Monica mountains fur
nish and contain large supplies of fine
water. Rustic, Temeecal and Santa
Ynez cafIons all contain fine perennial
streams, and the Malibu csfion very
large stream. We believe that no place
upon the line of coast designated for
your inquiries contains supply of
water equal to that available at Santa
Monica.
MORE ARGUMENT.
The senator then introduced Captain
Stothard, who said: II can only speak
from standpoint of mariner of s,me
experience on the coaet, with regard to
Santa Monica. have discharged freight
at the old wharf in Santa Monica in
very bad weather, and went to San
Pedro in the morning, and could not
discharge there on account of the sea,
and had to 60 to San Diego. never
saw dangerous sea there. One night q
bark at anchor there got under way.
The only reason was she hadn' t. room to
veer her cable-too near the wharf.
tThe Santa Barbara channel has
quieting effect on the sea. know q
vessel can go to SantaM Monica and hold on
in all sort of weather. don't know any
vessel anchored there that ever rode out
a storm. I was running to Santa Mon
ica with asidewheel steamer, but would
have no hesitancy in going into ten
fathoms of water there with sailing
vessel"
Captain Thompson said: "a ship
coming from either south or north
would have to pass Santa Monica to 20
to San Pedro. have anchored off Santa
Monica in eoutheaster and stayed
there till it blew heavy, then went out.
don't know of any large vessel ever
having ridden out storm there.
Mr.. Gillette, engineer of the Southern
Pacific railroad, explained number of
borings made to ascertain the character
OF the bottom, from which he sought to
show that the bottom was good holding
ground. He exhibited borings for foun-
dation of the new wharf.
Major Handbury-What is the dis
tance between shore line and high water
mark?
Mr.. Gillette-I think about 150 feet !;
from that to 200. 1t is 150 at the new
wharf.
Capt. Ellis--It is not necessary to have
an artificial harbor at or near Santa
Monica. Even in southeast gale. a
vessel can get out easier than from San
Pedro.
By member of the board-What ex-
perience have you in Santa Monica, 80