The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-17
PRAISES OF TWO
HARBORS SUNG
The Santa Monica San
Pedro Fight Is
Begun.
Government Commission Opens
lis Session at Los
Angeles.
Friends of the Peoples Site Conf.
dent That Huntington Will
Be Beaten.

LOS ANGELES: CAL, Dec. 16-The
Government Commission, the duty of
which, under the act of Congress creating
it, is to determine which of two sites-that
at San Pedro or that at Santa Monica
shall be chosen for deep-sea harbor for
Southern California, held its preliminary
meeting in secret session at the West
minister Hotel to-day. The session began
at 10 A. NJ. and lasted until 8 Pm. Every
member of the board was present, with
Secretary Pratt in charge of the various
papers and minutes. and Admiral J. G.
Walker, U. S. N, in the chair. The session
was dev oted principally to an examination
of documents, charts and other data bear
ing upon the important subject under
investigation. Soon after the close of the
meeting this afternoon, Secretary Pratt
formulated the following bulletin TOR the
press and public:
The board Tor locating deep-wster harbor
in Southern California at is session to-day oe-
termined to commence its public hearings on
Monday next the 21st inst, in the meeting
room Of the Chamber of Commerce. The hear
ing will begin each day at 10 A. NJ. and close
at 1 P. NJ and will be devo ted solely to the con-
sideration Misunderstanding upon the merits of
the two locations (San Pedro and santa Monica)
as harbors. 1t is the desire OF the board that
the advocates of the two locations shall de-
termine between themselves as to which shall
open the argument. The bonrd also decided
that it was inexpedient to accept free trans
portation TO the various points which ii may
desire to visit in connection with It's investi-
cations; all services and facilities Afforded the
board will be paid for at reasonable rates.
The interim between now and next
Monday will be employed by the board in
secret sessions. in visits OF inspection to
the two sites and in the examination of
data collected by competent engineers
and marine officers who have in years
pas made observations respecting the
character and direction of winter storms
at these places. The commission will as
q whole make a thorough personal exami-
nation OF San Pedro and Santa Monica
the United States Geodetic Survey
st amer Gedney to be used for the pur-
pose After all this has been done, the
COMMISSIONS report to the President will
be formulated The commission expects
to be in this vicinity for at least six weeks.
Everybody is in quandary as to the
nature of the fight which Huntington
proposes putting up in opposition to the
splendid and formidable array against
his private harbor scheme. His bench
men and lawyers. usually SO active in
emergencies of this kind, seem to be TAX
ing no interest in the matter at issue.
There seems to be no explanation for this
apathy anywhere, hence the general ex-
preston of surprise in all quarters.
The personnel of the commission has
made very favorable impression on the
few business and professional men who
have met its members. They are conceded
to be able, efficient and of high character.
The friends of SAP Pedro are sanguine as
to the result of the investigation. The
perpetual falsehoods, forged petitions,
packed meetings and a weak and vacillat-
ing Common Council, which we're used
last spring in favor of Santa Monica, can
no longer be utilized now that the issues
are to be fought out on the ground, where
swift exposure would follow misdeeds and
bring the perpetrators into immediate
disgrace.