The herald., 1896-04-08
THE PLAIN TRUTH

THE PLAIN TRUTH
About Huntin rton's Cinch of Santa nonIca's
Water Front
Messrs. Corthell and Hood, engineers of
the Southern Pacific railroad, in their re-
cent addresses before the house committee
on rivers and hsrbors at Washington made
the following statement, quoted from page
of Mr.. Corthell's address with reference
to the holdings of the Southern Pacific on
the harbor front at Santa Monica: "Under
the bluff at Santa Monica. back of the pro-
posed harbor, there is, besides the South
ern Pacific right.of-way, extending to
the high water line, strip of land
from 100 to 200 feet in width where a
number of railroad tracks can be laid, and
which land Can be procured from the own
ers Of the tract who sold the fifty-foot strip
of land to the Southern Pacific company
for it's right of way and were not willing to
sell any more, as they preferred to retain
it for the benefit of other railroads which
might wish to have the benefit Of this har-
bor." Upon this matter the following col
loquy occurred between Mr., Hood and Mr.
Hermann, member of the committee,
while Mr.. Hood was making his address.
"Mr. Aood-rhere has been some misun-
is room for. seven or eight more
Santa Monica Mr.. Herman-'That
answers the objection, understand, that
the narrow strip of land there is monopo-
lized by one company. and that it would
be difficult for any other line to get access
to this proposed breakwater?
Mr.. Hood-Yes, sir. And further than
that, we would like to have secured right
OF way of 100 feet, but we could not get it.
The land owners only allowed us so feet,
because they wanted to leave the remain
der for some other roads. See page 10 of
Hoods address.
Mr.. Hood again in his article published in
the Evening Express of this city on the
4th instant. in which he says, "Between
Santa Monica and Port Los Angeles, the
proposed deep water harbor site, the
Southern Pacific owns narrow right of
way, fifty feet wide. the remaining availa-
BILE land, with room for at least seven rail-
road tracks, being especially reserved by
the original land owners for the use of
other railroads: and at Port Los Angeles
the Southern Pacific railroad owns the
franchise for one wharf near the west
erly end of the proposed deep water har-
bor, the remainder of the harbor being
available for franchises for wharves of
other corporations or individuals who wish
to avail themselves of the privilege" Now
for proof of the falsehood of The forego-
ing statements. The accompanying map
shows the water front extending from the
town of Santa Monica to and beyond the
Southern Pacific wharf, and was taken
from the official records of Los Angeles
county. The locations of the wharf, and
the breakwater with relation to the wharf,
are taken from the map prepared by the
government board of engineers of 1892.
The lines showing the protected area ex.
tending from the ends of the breakwater
to the shore are also from the government
map; 80 that this map is made up of
official data and is absolutely correct. By
comparing this map with the one printed
in the Express of the 9th inst, it will be
found that the tract of land marked "Santa
Monica Heights" on the above map, is
marked Jones and Baker on the Express
map. Mr.. Hood, the engineer Of the
Southern Pacific Co.. tes.:ied as a witness
before the government board of engineers
of 1892, which decided in favor of San Pc
dro. His testimony as to the ownership of
the water front at Port Los Angeles or
Santa Monica, quoted from page "a, of
by the board of engineers to Congress
is as follows: He was at that time
testifying from msp showing
the ownership of property on the water
front, which he had before him. He said,
indicating points on the map, land here is a
known as the Santa Monica Heights tract
to the best of my knowledge that property
belongs essentially and ia fact to G. P.
Huntington. Wsare willing to let it stand
as railroad prepesty if you like. 1t makes
Question by Mr. Gibbon-"1t carries title
| to the water 'front.'"
Mr.. Hood-''It carries title to the water
| front to the usual limit"
! 1t will also be observed from the above
! map that in place of having sim.
| ply fifty-foot right of way al one
| the other portions of the harbor front, as ID
i testified by Mr.. Hood and Mr.. Corthell
ming q short distance inside of the pro.
| tected area of the proposed harbor has a
| ght.of-way 100 feet wide, which prac.
| tically monopolizes all that part of the
| water front of the protected harbor which
is not monopolized by Huntington's own.
| Further, it will be observed that the South.
ern Pacific wharf. being situated in the
center Of the proposed protected area, en-
| joys the maximum protection to be at
tanned in the harbor. 1t is a well estab-
lished fact that the topography of the
| or west, and in front of the har-
bor absolutely prohibits a direct
| approach across the country OF line of
| railroad to any part of the water front
! west of the wharf, no. to mention the fact
| that the whole water front is dominated
Dy ciIHs over 1OO rect ulRn, tDe only pos
sible approach to the water front of the
protected harbor being along narrow
| strip of beach from the direction of Santa
Monica. The ownership by Mr.. Hunting
| ton of the Santa Monica Heights tract cuts
of all approach to any part Of the harbor
lying west of the easterly line of that
tract or the line next to Santa Monica.
1t will appear, therefore. fom tho map
that not one.fourth of the protected
area can ever be utilized by any other
company or individual, either for railway
purposes or for wharf franchises. The an
swer to this made by the advocates Of the
Santa Monica harbor is that the right of
way can be acquired by condemnation.
That is not true in this instance. If the
harbor appropriation for Santa Monica
were granted, the Southern Pacific could
Immediately occupy all the beach front of
the Santa Monica Heights tract with the
tracks of its railroad, and while tho laws of
the state provide for the condemnation of
. right of way for another railway across n
railroad track, there is no law providing
for the condemnation lateraily along q rail-
road track. So that the public would