The record-union., 1896-04-18
Engineer Carthell Says the Former is
the Only Natural Harbor.
The Bill of Representative Loud of
Mail Service by Providing for the
Economic Postage Service Ordered
Favorably Reported by the House
Committee,
Committee.


ate Committee on Commerce, which
has the river and harbor bill under
consideration, devoted to-day to hear
ing arguments upon the respective
merits of San Pedro and Santa Monica
to become a deep water harbor, near
Los Angeles, Cal.
The claims of San Pedro were first
presented by a large delegation from
Los Angeles, consisting of President
Patterson of the Chamber of Com
merce, A. NJ. Stephens, H. G. Hazard
and H. Hawgood, who were reinforced
by Representative McLachlin and
General Graighill, Chief Engineer of
the United States army.
The Los Angeles delegation con-
tended that San Pedro harbor pre-
sented innumerable advantages as a
harbor over Santa Monica, and urged
that adequate provision be made for it
in the bill
General Craighill stated that he had
made an inspection of the two places
in 1894 in connection with the Govern
ment Commission, and then concluded
and was still of the opinion that San
Pedro was preferable place for deep
water harbor.
Majors Raymonds and Haynes, Gov
ernment engineers and members of the
beard which investigated the re-
spective advantages of the two har-
bors, also spoke in favor of the San
Pedro harbor
They said that San Pedro had a
natural inside harbor that Santa
Monica did not possess and could be
more easily defended in case of war
than could Santa Monica.
c. P. Huntington and Engineers E.
L. Carthell and William Hood pre-
sented the advantages of Santa
Monica.
Mr.. Huntington said in reply to
questions as to the interests of the
Southern Pacific Railroad in the two
harbors that the railroad company
came nearer controlling the waters at
San Pedro than at Santa Monica, and
while his company controlled the right
of way at Santa Monica, he would
.2gree that any number of competing
fines should have access to the harbor
in case it should be selected by the
Government
Senator Jones of Nevada. a member
CT the committee, and largely interested
ir. property at Santa Monica, said that
no company would have difficulty in
putting in tracks.
Mr.. Huntington said the Southern Pa
cific Company spent 81 100000 trying to
make harbor at San Pedro, and had
been compelled to abandon it because
the place was not suitable for the pur-
pose, as it had no outer harbor. It was
exposed to strong southeast winds,
which did not affect Santa Monica
The engineers favorable to Santa
Monica also contended that San Pedro
was more exposed and showed from the
configuration of the coast why this was
true.
The committee took no action to indi-
cate preference for either side. 1t wa )
apparent, however, from the questions
asked that there was division of opin-
ion upon the relative merits of the two
places.
In both the Senate and House the
opinion prevails that the Santa Monica
harbor ought to be improved Engineer
Carthell appeared before the Senate
committee this afternoon and in an ex-
tended argument proved conclusively
that Santa Monica was the natural har-
Dor and overthrew the arguments of the
Government engineers against it.