The herald., 1895-01-01

given a reception in Los Angeles and
| taken to the harbor site. They promised
| their hearty support to the undertaking.
A strong memorial was prepared and
| sent to every member OF congress. The
| boards of supervisors, boards OF trade
| and chambers OF commerce throughout
nearly all OF Southern California passed
resolutions calling upon congress to
take action. The outlook was remark
ably favorable for the passage of large
! appropriation to inaugurate the work.
When congress met Senator FELTON,
! introduced bill calling for an initial
appropriation OF $3.50, ,000.. The depart
mens of war sent in fsport strongly
| advising that the work at San Pedro be
taken in hand. An understanding had
been reached that the committee was to
report this item, as nothing had been
done for some time for Southern Califor-
mia, where there was a long stretch OF
sea coast without any harbor, and a
growing commerce that demanded bet.
ter outlet. Senator FELTON, had made q
good fight for us-let it be forever put
down to his credit-and The desired
appropriation was almost within our
grasp. Had it passed then the
work would be half finished
by this time. The commerce OF this
section would have already increased,
and q new transcontinental railway
wonld now be running into this city,
bringing low~priced fuel from Utah and
carrying our fruit products to the min
ing sections of Nevada.
But no such good fortune was in store
for US. Up to that time in her history,
Los Angeles-blsst with active railway
competition-had known but little OF
the peculiar methods of the Southern
Pacific, and that little by bearsay rather
than experience. She was now des-
tined to understand and appreciate what
the northern part OF the state and South
ern Ariz ona and New Mexico have euf-
fered for many years.
Just as the vote was about to be
taken on the San Pedro item in the
senate committee on commerce, the
chairmnn Of the comnittee, Senator
Frye of Maine, an intimate friend of
Mr.. Huntington. and known through
out the length and breadth OF this coun-
try as corporation senator, announced
that he had a telegram bearing on this
subject from an expert engineer, Mr..
William Hood OF the Southern Pacific
company. The telegram wes read. 1t
was remarkable document; full of the
most glaring and villainous misstate-
ments about San Pedro, declaring that
stone for the construction OF the pro.
posed break water could only be secured
at great expense. that the hard bottom
of the bay would provide no suitable
holding ground for anchorage. that the
prevailing winds and currents rendered
the place impracticable for the building
OF hsrbor, and advising that the site
be located in the bay OF Santa Monica
near tho month OF the cafion.
The effect OF the reading OF this tele-
gram was electrical. The committee
hastily .eceded from its position, and
ordered that the San Pedro item be
stricken from the list. Senator FELTON,,
dumbfounded for the moment at the
unexpected treachery-for up to that
time the Southern Pacific had given no
intimation OF it's intended change of
fsont-and utterly at q loss to account
Tor the game which he cav was being
played around him, did probably the
wisest thing undss the circumstances,