The morning call., 1894-08-18
DEEP SEA HARBOR.
Senators to Visit the
Coast.
WILL MAKE 1T A JUNKET.
Although the Matter Is of Vast
Importance.
AN PEDRO OR SANTA MONICA.
TO Be Taken as to Which
Is the More Desirable
Point.

to-day Jones OF Arkansas reported from
The Committee on Contingent Expenses
the following resolution:
ResOlUed, That the Committee on Commerce
be and it is hereby authorized and directed to
sit during the recess Of Congress and visit and
examine the Pacific Coast between Points
Duma and Capistrano with view TO determin-
ing the best location for the construction OF a
deep-water harbOr. Said committee is also
hereby authorized to visit and examine such
other works of river and harbor Improvement
of the Pacific Coast, existing or proposed, as in
Its judgment the interests Of commerce may
demand and shall have power 10 subpoena wit
nesses, TO administer Oaths and take testimony
TO employ steDograpbeT ana to appoint SER
geant-at.armS from the messengers of the SEN
ate, and that the actual necessary expenses OF
said committee properly incurred shall be PAID
out OF the contingent fund OF the Senate in the
usual manner.
Cockrell protested against the proposed
junket, and Senator White said: Il think
my friend from Missouri does not fully
understand the situation. 1t is proposed
by the Government, upon the recommenda-
tion of the War Department, to establish
an extensive bIeakwater for commercial
purposes on the Pacific Coast between the
points designated. The Government en-
uUOu Uu6 uduhs uhN6 TAKEN Do
sition, and certain Senators. who are
familiar with the subject, have taken an
other position. Personally, though living
in that part of the State affected by the
measure, l do not agree with some of my
felow-Senators upon the committee. The
leading business men in that portion of
California came here and appeared before
the Commerce Committee. There was a
great deal of evidence taken, and after it
was taken and the full committee had con-
sidered the matter carefully, half of its
membership were unable to express an
opinion, and declared that they could
not vote until they saw the ground.
l care nothing about the pleasures Of the
trip, for l shall be on the ground myself
and 60 there before the committee can
reach the State, and pr badly shall have
to leave at different t..ae from that when
the com mittee will leave. This is a mat
ter of great national Importance and is so
regarded by the War Department The
affair has been hung up already for two
years awaiting definite report from the
committee. As to the expense, if the
Government of the United States cannot
stand 1t, although there is an outlay con-
templated of over $4,000, 600, l am satisfied
that could in little time raise the money
by subscription in my own State. The
Senate will recollect that even an item of
$4,000 that was inserted in the River
and Harbor appropriation bill with refer
ence to the stretch of coast included
within the two points mentioned in the
resolution was eliminated because of this
discussion and because it was impossible
to tell where the appropriation could be
placed at this time"
81 recognize the propriety of this resolu-
tiOn," said Chandler, land wish to call
the attention of the Senate to the fact that
there was discussion in the Senate in
reference to this harbor of refuge. which
1t was expected would cost many hundred
thousand dollars"
1.-TWO Million" corrected Stewart.
Certainly if II is to cost $4,000, ,000."
Chandler went on. "the money of the
United States will be we'll expended in
allowing the Committee on Commerce to
see the ground and the water which are to
constitute this harbor of refuge"
The pending resolution should be
adopted" remarked Mr.. Blanchard. "The
question of establishing a deep-water har-
Dor upon the coast of Southern California
has occupied the attention of Congress for
the last four or five years. Several boards
of engineers have been authorized by diff
ferent acts of Congress for the purpose of
examining this coast and determining
where is the best place to construct the
proposed harbor. / am not satisfied N.Y.
self that the particular locality which the
boards of engineers have recommended as
the best place for construction is the one
that Congress should adopt. | believe
there is so much doubt about the matter
that il would be wise on the part of the
Senate to send a subcommittee of its Com
mittee on Commerce to investigate the
merits of the port of Los Angeles, known
as Santa Monica, and the merits of San
Pedro harbor. Congress cannot be too
careful to avoid a mistake about this har
Dor. The Government will be called upon
to expend millions OF dollars in its con-
struction. 1t is to be harbor for the ac-
commodation of deep draught vessels of
the ocean. We do not want hastily to
make up our minds as to its location"
81 do not know the exact nature of the
objection which is made to this resolu-
tiOD," said Mr.. Dolph, "5ut / desire to saw
that if the Committee on Commerce of
this body and the COMMITTEES on Rivers
and Har bors of the House could be author
lied and induced to spend the recess be.
tween every session of Congress in az
aminng the great river and harbor i'm
provements in the United States. every
dollar expended in that way would. in nv
judgment, save hundreds OF dollars to the
Government So far as this resolution is
concerned no one need fear that too MANY
mem bers of the committee will make the
examination proposed. 1t will be very
difficult indeed to get sufficient pum ber
of mel bers of the committee to leave their
homes and their own affairs to make the
"trip 1t is understood that the inyestiea-
tion will not be made until after the No
vem ber election.
There is great necessity for a deep sea
harbor near Los Angeles. The Govern
ment has improved the inner harbor for
light draught vessels at Wilmington. and
an Improvement at San Pedro for deeper
vessels has been recommended. Members
of The committee and others who have Wis
tied San Pedro and Santa Monica E>ua,.