The herald., 1895-02-07
THE SAN PEDRO HARBOR.

'hould look upon q harpor at San Pedro
rom the stan dpoint of local interest. It
q OF the utmost Importance to this city
md all Southern California. The con.
'truction OF sufficiently modioue
hsrbor there will bs beneficial to the
whole nation, and more especially to
the southern half. and it is upon the
ground Of national im portancs that con-
gress sooner or later will make the ne
cessary appropriations.
The HERALD Is for San Pedro because
the engineers Of the government have
repeatedly declared, after the most ex-
haustive examinations, that the build
ing OF harbor there is more feasible
than ct any other point, as an engineer
ing question. and that it will be very
lees expensive. 1t may be
said that congress never undertakes an
improvement of that character except
it has the approval and recommended
ton of the engineers department. 1t Is
now few months over 70 years since
government entered upon the work OF
rivers and hsrbors, and dur
ing ell that time ths advice and recon-
mendations of the government engineers
have been almost undeviatingly fol-
lowed. This 10 q sufficient reason why
there should be . united effort on the
part of this psopls Of Los Angeles and
Southern California to secure action In
congress favorable to San Pedro. were
there no other reasons. We are not,
and the people should not. be welded
to any locality. and mono, in the facs OF
this great work, should be controlled
or influenced BY personal interests.
The local Importance OF the work is
thoroughly understood by every adult
person. but the national Importance
may not have been studied. The great de-
mand today Is for cheap and speedy
transportation. ehsapness being Of the
highest confederation. Steam trans
porsatiop ON the water is not very ma
terislly slower than on the land, and it
is materially cheaper. From San Pedro
to Galveston 10 the shortest line in the
United States from tide water on the
west side to tide water on the eastern
side of tho continent. The distance by
rail 10 but 1850 miles. Steamships run
from New York and other Atlantic sea-
ports to that gull port. Congress sev'
eral years ago passed an act authorizing
the construction OF hsrbor at Galveston
at cost of over SO. 100000 the work to
be done under Q continuing contract.
and the hsrbor 10 In process Of rapid
that work was undertaken was to sc-
commodate Pacific coast traffic with the
gulf and Atlantic seabosrds. As we
have said, 1t is the shortest land line
from one ocean to the other, and it should
be added that tho route of the Southern
Pacific railroad between the two points
10 the most feasible one for the con truc-
tion of q railroad. and also the least ex-
pensive to operate.
The grades are comparatively easy
and the cost Of fuel 10 not much greater
than on other transcontinsntal routes.
1t Is q line never interrupted by SHOWS
and no moro intsriered with by wash
outs than the other transoontinental
lines. The grades are 80 much easier
that larger trains can be hauled with
tho same power. and the time Of transit
for an equal distance il appreciably
less.
II the Nicaragua canal were con.
structed, this southern transcontinental
line would transport from Southern CAL
ifornia to all parts OF the nation lying
south OF the Ohio and the Potomac, and
it Is not certain that the canal routs
could successfully compete with it in
traffic to New York. Baltimore. Phila-
delphia and Boston, for the distance by
the southern route il 5000 miles less
than by the Nicaragua route.
The bulk of the Pacific coast oom-
msrcs with the southern states and New
York IL from points north of San Pedro.
China. Japan and tho most important
commercial countries in Asia are far
north Of the equator, and the Same il
true "a to the islands In the Pacific
ocean. Ships from countries and
islands lying north OF the equator
and destined to the ports on our
coast proce,d diagonally northwsrd
and eastward till they reach midocean
in order to avoid the greater circu mier-
ence OF the earth, and hence bsfore they
steer directly to the port OF destination
they have gone north Of the point OF de-
parture. This, together with the fact
that most OF the important commercia
countries ofsAcia are in latitudss as high
as ours. tends to bring large part at
least OF Asiatio and oceanic com msrce
to points not below San Pedro. Through
this city and to Galveston or New Or
leans, over the railway line. the greater
part Of our Pacific coast and oriental
commerce seems destined to pass, with
or without the Nicaragua canal. and be-
cause it probably can be transmitted as
cheaply and certainly in several days.
less time.
A harbor at San Pedro is essential TO
the welfare of all California lying south
OF the halfway line between this city
and San Francisco, to Arizona, New
Mexico, Utah, Colorado. Kansas, Okla.
homa, Indian territory, tbs great state
Of Texas and all the country lying south
OF tho thirty.seventh parallel, north lati.
tude; 1t may be added, and to Chicsgo
and the whole Atlantic coast.