The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-12

ACOpCbSuf CCHdNOI Ei1b Iudu6 u
speech on the subject tavoring Santa
Monica and asking that committee of the
Senate be sent out to examine the two
points.
Our people were still more astounded
when on Saturday they learned that the
Senate Commerce Committee would visit
this section for the purpose mentioned dur.
ing the coming summer.
The history OF this matter is interesting
as showing the immense pulp which the
Southern Pacific monoToly exerts over legis
latlon affecting their interests.
For many years the Southern Pacific
Company was great friend Of San Pedro
1t was even accused of getting appropria.
tions for San Pedro for its own private
advantage, it having the only line of rail.
road there-the situation beng about the
same as at Oakland. With the creation oil
Redondo and the building of the Santa FL
10 tn at port change came about. The
cOastwise business of Rednndo has grown
at the expense If San Pedro until the
freight landed at the former place is now
greater than at San Pedro. This is &C.
counted for by the fact that Redondo is
north OF San Pedro. and steamers coming
from san Francisco get their freight into
Los Angeles hall day earlier by tina;
ront-.
Then came the Terminal Railway Com
pany. which will some day merge into
another transcontnental line. 1t built a
substantial line TO East San Pedro and pur-
chased Rattlesnake Island. where it has
constructed extensive wharVes. The South
ern Pacific seized all the water front at San
Pedro which it did not already own, but
was. for wonder, defeated in the courts
1t then commenced the construction OF o
big wharf north of Santa Monica, few
miles from the point where 1t had disnan-
tied wharf some dozen years ago in order
10 build up San Pedro.
Meantime the company began to develop
an opposition to legislation in favor OF San
Pedro. The opposition was mild at first.
but soon became holder. Last year Con-
gress was ready Ia vote an appropriation of
S250,OO0 for San Pedro, in accordance with
the recommendation of the engineers, when,
at an opportune moment, long dispatch
was received at Washington from Mr.. Hood
chief engineer of the Southern Pacific Com
paby, setting forth Hitherto unknown ad-
yantages at Santa Monica ana disadyan-
tages at San Pedro.
Our friends In the Senate were thunder
struck. The session was nearing its end
and it was too late to undo the evil which
Hoods well-time ed blow had accomplished.
The appropriation intended for San Pedro
went to Eureka. All our Senator could do
was to demand that thorough and final
investigation be made by Government en-
gineerS. This was done, and for the fifth
time that body, whose reputation is above
suSl lciOn. reported in favor OF San Pedro.
Our people then thought the matter was
settled, but thew forgot the rover behind
the Senatorial throne in the shape of the
Southern Pacific Of Kentucky.
Senator Jones of Nevada, who for some
reason unknown but easily guessed has a
place on the important Committee on Com
merce, is halloween in the Santa Monica
ranch, and has villa at Santa Monica. To
committee of influential Los Angeles citi-
Zens VINO called upon him recently he ex-
pressed himself in such a way as 10 give
the impression that he was friendly To San
Pedro, but he has shown himself the bitter
enemy of an appropriation for that harbor
II was believed that an appropriation
would be granted at the LAST session of Con-
gress, but 1t appears that the Senator from
Nevada had gone on long trip to Enr0pe,
and just before leaving had incidentally re-
marked that, in case anything concerning
Santa Monica and san Pedro came up dur
ing his absence, he would esteem it n favor
that nothing should be done in the premises
until lie returned. Senatorial courtesy"
made this request law, although many
are OF opinion that some other kind Of
courtesy should have kept Mr. Jones from
taking an active part in a matter which
concerns him so directly. However. Los
Angeles and San Pedro were again Knocked
out, and now comes this unheard-of propo-
sitlon for further junketiug trip to look
into matter concerning which boards Of
Government engineers under Culonels Mem
dell, Craighii and Benyaurd have five
times reported. always to the same effect
Mr.. Frye appears TO bear similar rela-
tion to the Southern Pacific Company In the
United States Senate that K. B. Carpenter
did in the late State Senate His remarks
on Tuesday last were disiugenuous, not TO
say untruthful, and plainly those If an in
terested advocate. Mr.. Frye says the re-
ports OF the eng neers were not decisive
This Is not true. He says he had him self
Investigated with all the care he could"
the two points. Mr.. FRYE looked over the
ocean at SanPedro for about twenty minute,
and remarked that Los Angeles ought to be
moved down to San Diego. where there was
a harbor. He then went over and spent the
night with his friend Senator Jones, at the
latteI's villa, where he doubtless gathered
much valuable information on the subject
but it was scarcely of an impartial charac-
ter.
Senator Frye ignores the fact thai the
examination by the board OF engineers was
exhaustive and complete. They held open
meetings at Los Angeles and San Pedro,
where advocates of both sides were fully
heard, the case of Santa Monica-oI rather
the Southern Pacific Company ably
represented by State Senator and Southern
Pacific Attorney r. b. Carpenter
The fact is that the Southern Pacific Com
pany has no hope of getting the harbnr's
site changed to Santa Monica. IL would be
an entirely Unprecedented move to ignore
the five times repeated recommendations
of engineers of the War Department, in
favor of the wishes of n few Senators who
have no technical knowledge OF the subject
All the Southern Pacific Company hopes TO
do is 10 tie the matter up aud so delay an
appropriation for years.
1t might be expected that the Southern
Pacifc's great rivafin these parts. the Santa
Fe, would be a strong advocate of the
claims of San Pedro, seeing it is credited
with an intention of extending its line to
That harbnr as soon as the appropriation
question is settled. That such is apparently
not the case has caused considera BILE COM
ment. l am informed on good authority
that Southern Pacific diplomacy has even
here made itself felt, the Santa Fe people
having been led 10 believe that the big
wharf OF the Southern Pacific would act as
breakwater for smaller wharf which the
Santa Re people may build at Santa Monica,
about four miles farther south. II looks as
II the Santa Fe Company world be badly
lett out In the cold on such proposition as
this. Tor there can surely be no comparison
between the advantages OF an open road
stead and a sheltered harbOr.
But over and above this there is a potent
reason why both the Southern Pacific and
Santa re companies are not anxious to see
work commenced on Government har bor n
san Pedro. 1t Is an open secret that as soon
rs such work Is commenced the Terminal
Railway, which is controlled by ST. Louis
capital. will become the Pacific Coast divi-
sion of third transcontInental route to
Southern California, by way of Southern
Utah and Nevada. lis line is soidl con-
structed. 1t has big wharves at Raitlesnake
Island (San Pedro harbor) and it extends
back to the foothills behind Pasadena. The
construction Of this road would divide the
transc0n tinental business of Southern Cali
f0rnla by three, instead of two, which OF
course would not be pleasant for the two
existing roads, although profitable for the
people.
Thus, it will be seen that the people ui
Los Angeles and the surrounding country
are in danger of being kept out of their
just claims for several years yet, unles:
they can bring public opinion to bear very
strongly on the subject. As stated, 1t is ab-
surd to suppose that an appropriation can
be obtained for Santa Monica, nor do the
Southern Pacific manipulators expect il
There are several independent Senators who
are well ipformed on tho question, and,
q G fha H..