The San Francisco call., 1896-05-09
outer harbor be at San Pedro or at Santa

oah IeurO nad been IN the past uSeu py
nayigators for landing purposes. 1t was
called the embarcadero. Through it the
small commerce of that time had been
transacted. But the population OF Los
Angeles had grown from 1000 In 1880 to
about 100000 now, and the demand for
better water facilities grew. Some years
ago the Senator from Nevada (Jones) built
a railroad from Los Angeles to Santa
Monica, with the intention OF extending 1T
TO Salt Lake, but that road had fallen into
the hands of the Southern Pac1hc Com
pany, which built an expensive wharf at
santa Monica. Under the influence OF the
senator from Maine (Frye). then, as now,
Chairman of the Committee on Commerce,
who had the opinion that San Pedro was
not the better place for the harbor, Sec
ond commission of army engineer officers
(known as the Craighill board) was ap-
pointed to examine the question. That
board had before it the report OF the Men,
dell board and held public meetings in Los
Angeles, where it heard the arguments of
business men and of experts. There were
then three places competing for the loca-
ton OF the deep-sea harbor-Redondo,
Santa Monica and San Pedro.
That board filed a report favoring the
location at San Pedro, as the Mendeil
board had previously done. When its re-
port came before Congress no action was
taken. l. was not satisfactory to the advo-
Gates OF the Santa Monica proposition.
White quoted from the minority report
OF the Committee on Commerce (signed by
himself and Senators Berry, Caffery and
Pasco), stating that the committee amend
ment had not been inserted at the instiga-
ton of the Senators from California, or of
the Representative of that district. On
the contrary, they had objected to it and
the overwhelming sentiment of the COM
munity was against it. It would be rather
singular, White said, that Congress should
find 1t necessary to make an appropriation
of public money in the face of the desire
OF the local Representatives and of Official
recommendation. It was utterly impos-
sible that such condition of things could
ever exist until there was some extraordi-
nary influence brought to bear. This lex
traordinary influence" White subsequently
indicated as the potential persistency of
the Southern Pacific Railway Company"
While some States were forced to solicit
appropriations for public causes Califor-
mia found itself specially favored by the
Senate Committee on Commerce, for in
this case the large appropriation for an
outer harbor at Santa Monica was not
only unsolicited but unwanted. He OPP
posed the com mittee amendment because
he did not feel au uthoriZed to vote one cent
of money unless he believed it to be for a
public purpose and for the public interest.
He did not hesitate to assert as between
the locations OF San Pedro and Santa Mon
lea, if the people OF that section were per-
mitted to make a choice. there would be
an overwhelming vote in favor OF San Pc
dro. But there were those who thought
that under prevailing conditions they
could never have what they wanted and
that they had better accept the situation
such as they thought it was without fur
ther contest and worry. That situation
could not affect him. 1t should affect no.
body. The question before the Senate was
where the money should be expended, il 1t
was to be expended at all.
White dissected the statement made be-
fore the committee by Mr.. Cothell, civil
engineer-the drift OF his remarks being
that Mr.. Cothell represented Mr.. Hunting
ton and the Southern Pacific, and had not
acted in an official capacity, as he inti-
mated he had done. The enate Commit
tee on Commerce, White said, had set
aside the views and recommendations of
the army engineers, with General Craig
hill as their head, and had taken the opin-
ions of Mr.. Hood, the chief e ngineer of the
Southern Pacific, and of Mr.. Cothell, an
engineer in the employment of that CON-
rI hoI cd he uiorr -
who were personally and financially inter-
ested in favor of Santa Monica.
George CD of Mississippi-Is there no
other professional statement in favor of
Santa Monica than that of the engineers
of the Southern Pacific?
White-None on earth. Not only that
but the committee recommends $3098, 900
for this Improvement while there is no Of
fetal estimate of the cost and no official
recommendation for it.
"Is it a fact" George asked, "that two
boards of army engineers have reported
against the location for which the appro-
priation is to be nader
Eyes, sir" White replied.
us it fact" pursued George, "that
there is no other evidence on which the
Senate is asked to act. except the state
ments of two men who are in the employ
ment of the Southern Pacific Company ?"
ITO be fair White answered, Il will
say that there is other evidence. Gentle
men testified before the committee and, in
addition to that, there is personal knowi-
edge on the part of the chairman of the
committee (Frye) and some members of it
who have seen the localities and formed
their views"
Bates (D.) of Tennessee inquired about
the views of the commercial boards at Los
Angeles; but before White could make a
full reply he pleaded indisposition, and
asked to have the matter go over till to-
morrow.
The request was complied with, and the
Senate at 5:15 adjourned until tomorrow.
CLERKS FOR CONGRESSMEN.