Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-01
SAN PEDRO.
Site Selected for Deep Water Harbor
for Los Angeles.

Site Selected for Deep Water Harbor
for Los Angeles.
[By e. b. Scott, editor OF The San Pedro Times
Since the days when the Puritan,
made famous in Dana's Two Years Be-
fore the Mast, sailed UP and down the
coast of California in quest of hides, San
Pedro has been the seaport for Los An
geles, the only natural harbor between
San Diego and San Francisco. In the
earlier days the entrance to Wilmington
bay was shallow and for years only the
smaller coast vessels could enter. In
1S72the government appropriated money
to improve the harbor, and the building
OF breakwater was commenced to con-
meet Rattlesnake and Dead Mans islands
and jetty was put in on the west side
to contine the ebb and flow of the tides.
From a depth Of scarcely two feet of
water on the bar at that time the chan
mel has been deepeued by blasting and
by the securing of the tide until at the
present time vessels drawing 8 feet of
water can enter the inner harbor. The
amount OF money expended has been
about 5000, 900, and the revenues have
amounted to nearly as much.
As is well known, the board of engi-
neers appointed by the government to
investigate San Pedro and Santa Monica
bays to determine which point offered the
best facilities for deep water harbor,
recently reported Gas several boards had
previously done) in favor of San Pedro
The proposition is to form deep sea
harbor by inclosing portion of the ex-
cellent roadstead with breakwater, at
a cost of $2,750,000, whenever congress
shall decide to appropriate money for
the work. The details and Importance
of euch harbor have been outlined in
the HERALD and do not come within the
scope of this article.
San Pedro is connected with Los An
geles, 25 miles distant, by two railroads,
the Southern Pacific and the Los
Angeles Terminal, and all the steamers
of the Pacific Coast Steamship company
stop here. The Kerckhoff Gunner, the
w. H. Perry and the San Pedro lumber
companies have their main yards here,
and there are two planning mills. Fish.
ing is also an important industry, there
being more men engaged in this busi-
ness than at any other point between
San Francisco and San Diego. The
chief business of the port is it's ship
ping, lumber and coal being the chief
commodities handled. A comparative
statement of the arrivals is shown in
appended table:
v.s..,. 1885, 1890. 100 1891. 0e
Lumber. Lumber 40 ,4ss oos 42ss5M4 457 M 5s,sos'27esSs 2eS
SSs Hdss TONS SaG2s sa12s 1886 1856 9Sssa 1Sse
Feet.
The decrease in the amount of mer-
chandise is due to the fact that subse-
quent to 1889 the business was divided
with Redondo.
San Pedro has population of 1900,
and is provided with good schools and
churches. 1t is growing in popularity as
a seaside resort, and in addition to the
regulation attractions affords excellent
facilities for boating. The residence
portion is favorably located on the hills,
above the business center, and COM
mands a fine view of the ocean. There
is one large hotel, the Clarence, and a
number OF smaller ones. The local in
terests of the town are represented by
the San Pedro Times.
The final determination to make San
Pedro the harbor for Los Angeles will do
much to advance the commercial inter-
ests Of that city, and should unite all
hitherto rival factions in an effort to
secure an adequate appropriation to
carry forward the proposed improve
ments. San Pedro already feels the
stimulus, and affords fine opportunities
for business and investments, for with
the work once inaugurated the town will
rapidly increase in population and busi
mess importsnce.