The herald., 1894-04-07
VOTING FOR A HARBoH sits.

!
for the site of a deep-ses harbor. The
contest lies between Santa Monica and
San Pedro. What effect this election
will have on the Blsin question, the
passage of an appropriation through
congress for the construction Of hsrbor
near Los Angeles, it requires 70 prophet
to foretelI. Wedoubt very much whether
it will have any. Congress is not in an
sppropriating mood, and even if it were
that body is very careful to do nothing
for this coast it can escape from doing.
In harbor matters it is but family
moved by the wants of the Pacific coast.
| Until all the representatives from the
! Pacific states come together and adopt
a policy OF united procedure in congress
upon all questions of national improve
ments in this section OF the union. the
congressman from the populous states
will ignore our claims and daily with our
just demands.
We are now told that congress can
only be got to make practical move in
our harbor question when the people
here are united on the selection of the
site. This is as much as to say you
shsll have no deep-sea hsrbor at all.
There are two points adjacent to Los
Angeles at which such hsrbor can be
constructed. Tney beth have friends
in this city, and some of our people are
deeply interested pecuuiarily in each
place. How can these people be har-
monized in their choice of sitter The
election of the members of the chamber
OF commerce today will show that there
is no unanimity OF opinion on the ques-
tion.
When we come down to the main sub
ject, both places have good claims for
the selection. San Pedro has the ad-
vantage In the report of the United
States engineers of being the point at
which the breakwater can be built for
less money than at Santa Monica. On
the score OF accessibility to railroads
the two candidates are on equal terms.
The Southern Pacific and the Terminal
have the inside tracks to the proposed
harbor at San Pedro; and the former
road has the inside track at Santa Mon
800. D-~a-<o=ae -2ov- cvneiuer tnat tpese
claimed advantages cut any figure in
the contention, for in either case no
railroad will be permitted to shut out
other railroads from approaches to pub
lie hsrbors.
Stress is placed on the fact that the
Southern Pacific has it's track laid along
the beach to the site of the Santa Mon
lea harbor, and that that will exclude
other roads. But this would be impos-
sible as there ia room enough for the
tracks of several other roads to be laid
along the beach above the reach OF high
water. Bat were this not the case, the
proposed harbor can be easily reached
by keeping on the table land and reach
ing the port by way Of Santa Monica
canon.
Whilst the mass of the people OF Los
Angeles would be satisfied with deep
sea harbor at either point, they would
undoubtedly, if required to make q
choice, select the Santa Monica cite for
the reasons that it ia considerably nearer
to our city than San Pedro; would save
sailing distance to our present principal
cosstwise commerce. and is practically
located close to suburb of Los Angeles
which in time will become continuoul
part Of our city.
At least one OF our contemporaries
takes a narrow view of this controvers!
when it opposes Santa Monica simpl.
for the reason that the Southern Pacif
railroad fayors it, and has spent mil
lion dollars to construct the creates
wharf in the world. which would parti
cipate in the protection government
breakwater would afford. 1t would b
E impossible at this day to build harbo
anywhere that would not be benefica
} to some railroad and in this age of raj
wav transportation it would be foil
! to construct hsrbor anywhere with
/ view to the exclusion of railroads.
9 harbor without railroads would be lik
= a harbor without ships. We must nc
= confound the fulminations of persons
a spite with reason or argument. Wher
- ever our proposed harbor may De locate
q the Southern Pacific as we'll as all othe
o roads will have access to it, and this
8 ae it should be. Nothing can prevent i
e Today's election will serve to sho
y the views of an intelligent and repre-
d sentative class OF our citizens on tt
" question OF hsrbor site selection. b
d that it will effect any practical result
congress we very much doubt.