The herald., 1894-03-25
ABOUT SANTA MONICA HARBOR
A Country Editors Opinion on
the Matter.
A Strong Argument for the Bay
With the Big Wharf.
Santa Monica the Best Place foI
Los AngsIss-An Object Lesson
frcm MAnchsstsr-A Strong
Showing.


ern California are watching with inter
est the discussion which is going on in
Los Angeles between the friends OF
Santa Monica and San Pedro, as to
which point should be selected by the
government for the construction Of a
breakwater, thus creating hsrbor that
will not only afford refuge for vessels
but be a commercial port as well.
Why the people Of Los Angeles should
study to build up any point to the detri-
ment of Los Angeles is q puzzle. The
interests OF that city should be the frat
consideration, and prejudice or seli-in-
terest should not come into play ut all.
II breakwater can be built at Santa
Monica. it seems to thu writer,
looking at it from Los An.
geles point OF view, that Santa Mon
ica is now, and certainly will be In the
future, the best place for Los Angeles.
The belief is growing that Los Angeles
is destined 20 become the largest city on
the Pacific coast, and il such expscta-
tions are realized, certainly the growth
OF Los Angeles will be towards Santa
Monica. and the distance between the
two points will become less and less.
The great city of the future will be on
that stretch Of level land between the
present town Of Santa Monica and
the city OF Los Angeles. The slope
ia gentle, and specially adapted for
good system.of sewerage. There is
no better place in the world for villa
sites than the slope of the hills between
the two points. That there is great
81 A.Is s1f
boundary line of Los Angeles will be
the ocean front ut Santa Monica is evi-
denced by the fact that capital is look.
ing around as to desirable route for an
electric railroad between the two cities.
A drive to Santa Monica is Ru every day
occurrence. Daily, numbers can be seen
going in either direction on wheels, and
not a few take a constitutional walk
from one place to the other.
Mr.. Crawley of the Southern Pacific
company, in his address before the
directors of the chamber of commerce.
made one Of his best points when
he referred to the proximity OF
Santa Monica to Los Angeles, and
said that it would indeed be an
anomaly for city stretching from the
present site to the ocean, with every
harbors on tho coast, to be compelled to-
point to San Pedro, 80 miles south, and
say, "All our importations reach this
city via San Pedro"
Itlooks to us that the chamber Of
commerce should indorse Santa Monica
as the place. above all others, where a
harbor for Southern California should
be created. Ii the report is true, (and
it has not been denied) that Mr..
G. p. Huntington would give $780,
600 il another 100000, was ap
propristed by the government for pre-
liminary work. in these days when the
unemployed are paraiing the streets OF
Los Angeles seeking work, but finding
none, with little or nothing to eat, the
wisdom Of Los Angeles should be united
in giving encouragement to any such
proposition.
The chief, and in fact the only argu-
ment that the Los Angeles advocates OF
San Pedro make, is that it would be in
consistent for the chamber OF commerce
to go back on their record in this re-
spect, they having at one time endorsed
San Pedre as the proper place. They
did this simply because the board of en-
gineers reported in favor of il. This is
to be regretted; but it is a mistake that
can be reCtihed. 1t is far better to cor
rect that error than to commit q blum
der which can never be rectitied, in or
der to be consistent with their past rec
ord. As the Los Angeles HERALD truly
puts it, both sides ''stand pat," and il
Los Angeles can be assured of receiving
from the government speedy appropri-
alton for the purpose, it is far better to
yield point than to stand pat ii by the
latter course the appropriation will be,
as is believed by many in Los Angeles
with whom we have talked, indefinitely
postponed.
As We read the engineers report, the
principal point which caused them to
recommend San Pedro was that the
break water could be erected there
cheaper. Certainly ii the govern ment
is willing to bring about the same good
result by an appropriation larger at
Santa Monica than at San Pedro, the
citizens of Los Angeles should not OBJ
ject. There are hundreds in Los AnRe.
lee without work, and Ii such break
water will cost $500. 900, or even 81 ,O00,-
900, more than breakwater at San
Pedro, every dollar of the extra amount
will find its way into the pockets OF
the merchants of Los Angeles. Why !?
Because Los Angeles is today the great
distributing point for Southern Caliior-
MIA, and all purchases will be made
there. II it is not considered neces-
sary, other things being equal, that
harbor would best serve Los
Angeles at the nearest point to Los
Angeles, what is the matter with San
Diego? We always labored under the
idea that Los Angeles would be glad to
have the harDor, it's shipping and the
interchange of commerce at it's verv
doors. Such has always been the wish
of every would be commercial communi-
ty. Liverpool was considered too far
away by the merchants and shippers OF
Manchester, and the result has been that
the people OF Manchester built at their
own expense @ canal from Liverpool to
their own city, All cities that aspire to
anything like commerce want the ex-
change made at q point as near TO the
city as possible, and it 10 not an obiec-
tionsble picture for a merchan. TO see a
forest of ships fringing the city at all
times. 1t certainly should not be obiec.
tionable to the progressive city Of Los
Anffeles.
1t did not satisfy Manchester with its
present population of nearly half mil.
lion people. and certainly it is reason
able to suppose that Los Angeles will
reach that figure in the future. Vixen
that time cemes, the citizens OF Los An.
geles Will have as much enterprise as
those of Manchester today. And while