Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-07-20
HERE Is ANOTHER GRAB.

Huntington Attempts to Get His Hand
Into the U. 8. Treasury.
WASHINGTON, July 100. P. Hunting.
ton, who has taken up quarters in this
city to further the passage of a Pacific
railroad funding bill favorable to the big
corporation in which he is interested, is
not content with demanding that the
government shall make the Pacific rail-
roads present Of $50, 900, 900 in the re.
adjustment of their debt. He now ap
pears before the senate committee on
commerce with demand that "a, 900 900
be appropriated to create an artificial
harbor of the coast OF California for the
exclusive benefit OF another of his cor.
porations, the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company. In the effort to enforce this
demand Mr.. Huntington has enjoyed the
active co operation and assistance of Sen.
ator John P. Jones, of Nevada, whose
interest in the enterprise is lust coming
to light under circumstances that threat
en- senatorial scandal. The record in
the case is altogether documentary and
speaks for itself.
Mr.. Huntington's proposed enterprise
ls the construction Of an artificial hsr-
Dor at Santa Monica, Calf, by means
OF stone breakwater, in order that the
Southern Pacific railroad may secure an
outlet from Los Angeles and one which
can always be maintained as al exclu-
slve terminal, guaranteed from COMPETE
ton by natural surroundings and the
ownership OF neighboring property. In
his new project Mr.. Huntington encoun.
tiers the opposition % the entire Califor-
MIA delegation in congress, who favor the
building OF a breakwater at San Pedro.
the terminus of several lines of railroad
but the multi-millionaire is not easily
discouraged by opposition, and expresses
the utmost confidence OF being able to
"convince" congress that his plan is the
only feasible one.
The history of this contest over the
location of a breakwater is both peculiar
and interesting. San Pedro is the nat
ural port of entry for Los Angeles. For
a quarter OF century no one thought of
any other landing for this locality. The
Southern Pacific made terminus there
more than twenty years ago, and for that
length OF time 1t owned the only railroad
Los Angeles with the Pacific
ocean. For long period freights were
handled by means of lighters plying be-
tween San Pedro and the deep sea yes.
sells at anchor outside.
In 1875 the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company bought up the Los Angeles and
independence railway, which had been
built by several capitalists, including
Senator John P. Jones, for the avowed
purpose of destroying the Pacific railroad
monopoly. This road extended from Los
Angeles to wharf at Santa Monica, an
old Spanish grant then owned almost ex-
clusively by Senator Jones and Arcadia
b. De Baker. This tract extended sew.
eral miles along the coast, and fronted
on the ocean in series of bluffs, at the
base OF which was narrow strip Of land
averaging less than seventy. five feet in
width. The north end of this strip ended
in an inaccessible cliff. and the only ap-
proach to 1t was from the south. In his
purchase Mr.. Huntington got the ex-
elusive right Of way throughout this en-
tire water front, which would effectually
shut out competition for all time to come,