The herald., 1896-12-25
An Experienced Old Salts
Opinion
rs PER GENT Of THE SAILING TRADE
Of the Pacific Coast FavOrs San
Pedro
SAN FRANCISCO SHIPPERS
Are Unanimous for the Peoples
HarbGr
Interesting ami Convincing Evidence OF John
A. Hooper
Captain Polhemus Makes an Impression
Upon the Large Audience at the
Interesting ami Convincing Evidence OF John
A. Hooper
Captain Polhemus Makes an Impression
Upon the Large Audience at the
Harbor Commissions Delibera-
tions--Adjourned.


The fourth days public hearing by
the harbor commission attracted
the same interested crowd of spectators
as on those preceding.
Mr. Hawgood requested the privilege
of -resuming his testimony, interrupted
on the day previous. for the gentleman
from Salt Lake.
BY comparing the charts of 1896 with
those of 1886 he found there had been
slight increase of sand deposit near
Deadman's island. He would file several
charts from 1852 to 1896 with the board,
which would answer fully questions
which he had not been prepared to an
swer the day before. MIR. Hawgood ex-
planned that he had not known until two
weeks ago that he should nave to appear
before them. After the breakwater was
built the scour occurred to the eastward
1t is high tide at San Pedro at the same
time as at Point Dune, though there
is a slight difference at some other
points, which was pointed out on the
map. This he advanced as one of the
reasons for the moving of the sand in
the direction named. He would ask the
board, at their convenience, to compare
the distances from the shore to deep
water between San Pedro and Santa
Monica.
In reply to questions by Mr.. Morri-
son. Mr.. Hawgood stated that he was
not prepared to state the difference in
the expense OF oXoavating the basin at
San Pedro and building piers a Santa
Monica, but will support his state
ments later.
Concerning the amount of material
deposited in Wilmington harbor by Win
ter freShets and the area of Los AnEC les
county having its drainage there. upon
which Mr.. Morgan desired information.
Mr HaWgood was rot pre- pared to state,
but would bring forward expert testi-
mony on that subject later
SAN FRANCISCO SENTIMENT.
Mr. John A. Hooper, Il lumber mer-
chant of San Francisco. was introduced
and read a petition to the board. drawn
up and signed by a list of firms repre-
senting Is per cent of the sailing trade
on the Pacific coast. San Pedro the
petition stated. has a land locked har-
Dor, that could be made deep sea har-
Dor at a comparatively small cost, and
in their opinion was the n.cst suitable
place for that purpose, 1t would be
impossible TO make a harbor Ok Santa
Monica without enormous expense and
it would in no sense be open to compe-
titen.
In reply to questions by Admiral
Walker, Mr. Hooper stated that vessels
drawing twenty-five feet Of water would
accommodate the bulk of the shipping
or the world at present Ihey are using
vessels drawing eighteen feet and
half to carry a million feet OF lumbe
and they can enter al San Pedro very
easily.
,c l,o I, ,,1,.,
to be very hard; they had some dre6g-
ing done eight years ago ard wer. OBJ
liged to use dynamite. as the dredger
could not work. They found sand and
shells but no rock, They had done busi-
ress for years at San Pedro, in prefer
ence to Santa Monica, and he did not be-
lieve the latter ever could be made a
commercial harbor; it has no facilities
for repairing ything has
to be done over a track. The sediments
of the ship-owners of San Francisco are
unanimously in favor of San Pesira.
The results of the dredging spoken of
were permanent; there has been no
change in eight years.
In answer TO Mr.. Morgan Mr.. Harper
said he could not hardle a molion feet
of lumber at Port Los Angeles and
should not attempt to do the business
there. If compelled to build yards in
land it would increase the cost of hand
ling from one dollar to one dollar ond
fifty cents per thousand feet, or from
$50, 900 to 800, 1000 year for his firm alone.
San Pedro is the distributing point,
end thought the proper place for that
purpose was at the ships tackle, as
lumber is sorted as they receive it.
Comparing the cost of providing equal
facilities for doing business at hoth
Places, the expense in his judgment
at Santa Monica would greatly exceed
San Pedro. His firm have made repairs
fhnir a,,tx txin ae,i,,
of that has been on the land side-not
on the piles. A pile at San Pedro will last
from four to six years. 1t would not
cost any more, he thought, to build a
pier for his business at Santa Monica
than the outer harbor at San Pedro.
He knows nothing of a rock spoken of
by Mr.. Hood at the entrance to the inner
harbor that would interfere with deep,
ening the channel,
CAPT. POLHEMUS,
Capt. Polhemus of San Diego was this.
next one called upon to testify. He has
been on this coast for thirty-siX years.
acting as pilot. commanding tugs and
lighters, and knows the coast from Point
Dune to San Diego When asked what
the effect of a breakwater would be a.
San Pedro at the point marked on the
map, he replied that the map was mis-
leading. San Pedro is protected ON ev=
cry side, which is not shown, and he
refused positively to have anything to
do with it, Illustrating his points on the
county map. The captain graphically
described a sou'easter at the request of
the board, in characteristic sailor terms,
and what he lacked In flow of language
was more than made up in gestures and
facial expression. When the wind passes
the eastward point of Catalina island
there is an instant change at San Pedrc.
When a telegram was received from
San Francisco that sou east gale was
coming down the coast blowing 36 miles
an hour, he would make everything snug,
There is very little wind from the direct
shore line: at all seasons the trend is
downward, following the coast range of
mountains, Light anchors will hold ves-
sells IN San Pedro bay II the chains are