The herald., 1894-10-30
A TRAITOR SHEET.

Last April when Mr.. Huntington
thought things were ripe in Los Angeles,
after months OF buttonholing, legrolling,
subsidizng of papers and brow beating
and buldozing of individuals, he caused
Mr.. j. M. Crawley, his traffic manager
at this point, to address letter to the
chamber of commerce asking that q
vote be taken OIL the harbor proposition
by that body. The vote was taken on
April 9TH, and on the day previous the
folio wing editorial appeared in the
Evening Express. Mr.. Huntington
attached great Importance to the fsvora-
bic action OF the chamber OF commerce,
and the reader will see how we'll the
Express attempted to further his inter.
ests:
The chamber OF commerce OF this
city will, tomorrow, take vote OF It's
members upon the question OF their
preference tor location OF a deep-sea
harbor. Ii there were nothing more TO
do than to ascertain the preferences OF
members iE order to secure harbor at
either San Pedro or Santa Monica, 1t
would be very easy solution OF the
queetion but unfortunately there are
tar more serious obstacles to overcome.
Ii every man, woman and Child In Call
fornia, snd every corporation, railroad
and otherwise, were to demand with
one voice the construction of break
water at either Santa Monica or San
Pedro, the financial straits OF the
government, the reluctance of congress
TO enter upon new enterprises, and the
greedinsss OF the representatives OF the
powerful eastern and southern states
to keep all government expenditures in
their own neighborhoods and conse-
quently away from this Pacific coast,
would render it very difficult to obtain
the necessary congr essional action.
To such of our people as have no
property interests at either Santa
Monica or Ssn Pedro il makes very little
difference at which place the break water
10 built, go long as it is built. Nor does
the question ss to which would require
the larger expenditure cut any special
figure with Los Angeles peopie. There
is no great amount OF difference in ex-
pense, according to the board OF en-
gineers' report, and what there is, is in
favor OF San Pedro. But should the
government decide to expend tine larger
amount, there would be no reason Tor
complaint in the community among
which the larger share of the money
would be expended.
Taking the United States engineers
report as authority, 1t may be assumed
that good harbor can be constructed
at eithe- place. ample for all the require.
mente of an unlimited maritime trade.
1t may aloo be assumed that railroads
can have access to either place on equal
terms. Aside from the statement of Mr..
Huntington, that he has invited other
railway lines to share the Port Los
Angeles wharf with his company, the
general law will not permit single rail-
way corporation to monopolize the front.
age of national harbor. A provision
TO that effect should, and undoubtedly
would be made part Of any bill for
such work as that intended. The
frontage at San Pedro is now owned by
two companies. But We have no doubt
that third or fourth company could
get ia to the water front did they really
wish to. And at Santa Monica the sit
uation is equally simple.
The question which the chamber is to
vote upon tomorrow may be divided
two heeds
Frst-At which port would a break
water be most advantageous to the in
terssts OF Los Angeles?
Second-W hich port combines the
strongest Influences to secure the COM
mencement Of the work.
The first branch of the question must
certainly be answered in favor of Santa
Monica. IT, is eeveral miles nearer Los
Angeles than is San Pedro. Tns line OF
the city's growth is in the direction OF
Santa Monica, and with seaport there
an almost continuous city from the linn
it's OF the two places, which ara but IL
miles apart. would be one of the may
nificent results. This 10 hardly possible
in the direction OF San Pedro, owing to
the conGsuration OF the country. the
frequent high water in the rainy season
and the greater distance.
Upon the question OF greater probabil-
lily of success in obtaining favorable gov.
ernmental action, it would seem that
Santa Monica aleo has the advantage.
Notwithstanding the report of the board
OF engineers giving preference to San
Pedro. tney did not report against
Santa Monica in the sense that it was
impracticable to make harbor there.
1t has been a standing complaint
Tor the past ~ years that the inAnence
OF that corporation in the distribution Of
the appropriations for California harbor
improvements has gone in favor of dis
bursing it almost entirely at Oakland
and San Francisco, and thus leaving
Southern California unprovlde6 for. II
the charge was a just lie, 1t certainly
does not exist now, for that
corporation is now very much in
earnest in desiring that har Dor
be made at Santa Monica. The
interests of no corporation should be
considered, except as they 90 to forward
or retard general interests. In this in
STANCE they lie with the interests OF the
city OF Los Angeles, and whatever help
they can give to the general cause of a
harbor for Southern California, it would
be poor policy to rejsct.
In favor of preferring San Pedro much
has been said upon the score OF consist
elcy. But the enterprising people who
built up Rsdondo utterly changed the
situation es to the utility of hsrbor for
Los Angeles. They demonstrated the
fact that Redondo could do great mari.
time business without any harbor at ali,
as against San Pedro's very excellent in
side harbnr. Santa Monica, still further
north, and still nearer Los Angeles, waa
the inevitable result. And there 10 no
more Inconsistency in an enthusiastic
advocate OF San Pedro of few years
ago advocating Santa Monica today, than
there would be in the builders of the