The San Francisco call., 1896-12-21
ARGUMENTS NOT
BASED ON FACTS
Huntington's Plea to the
Harbor Commission
Outlined.
Southern Pacific Claims That
Expert Testimony Will
Disprove.
Shipmasters Will Strike Hard Blows
at the Santa Monica
Scheme.

LOS ANGELES, CAL, Dec. 20.-The
Government Deep-water Harbor Commits
sioners spent quiet Sunday in this city.
The real tug of-war between the contend
ing factions over the location of deep
sea harbor for Southern California will
commence tomorrow forenoon in the re-
ception-rooms of the Chamber of Com
merce building, where the first open ses-
sion of the board will be held.
1t has been agreed between Henry Haw-
good and Robert Moore of the Free Har-
Dor League, who are advocating the
claims of San Pedro, and William
CorthelI and G. L. Hood, Southern Pacific
engineers, who will present the Santa
Monica side of the question, that at the
public meeting for the hearing of evil
dence the Santa Monica advocates should
present the opening argument and state
ments and that the San Pedro claimants
will follow with the presentation of their
testimony. The Santa Monica people will
then have an opportunity for rebuttal,
after which the San Pedro advocates will
close the discussion. The board, it is un-
derstood, has agreed to accord to each
side all the time desired in presenting its
arguments.
In view of the enormous amount of
data collected it may require number of
days to go over the whole ground. The
Commissioners have repeatedly said that
they desired all the light possible regard
ing both sites, and would give ample time
for the purpose.
In their argument, Engineers CorthelI
and Hood will declare that since the big
wharf has been constructed at Santa
Monica Canyon, the experience of ship
masters has shown the wisdom of the
Location. This is true only in part. In
ordinary weather vessels successfully dis
charge their cargoes at Mr.. Huntington's
wharf, but in this respect San Pedro
possesses equal if not superior advantages.
The preference for San Pedro among
marine insurance men emphasizes this fact
They make much lower rate on cargoes
bound 1or San Pedro than on those for
Santa Monica. This bit of information
will doubtless be eschewed by Messrs.
Corthell and Hood of the monopoly.
It will be urged by the Santa Monica
advocates that the holding ground at
San Pedro is not good. A complete refuta-
tion of this statement is supplied by the
testimony OF more than forty shIpmasters,
published in the official reports, while it
was found very difficult to drum up any
similar evidence in favor Of Santa Monica.
The Southern Pacific will assent that
the water near San Pedro is exceedingly
deep, and that, therefore, the swell is
greater than at Santa Monica, where the
depth, while adequate, is much less. An
inspection of the charts published by the
coast survey shows the incorrectness of
this statement.
It will be claimed that the proposed
breakwater at San Pedro is not protected
from southeast gales; that, therefore, the
locality is not desirable for harbor pur-
poses. This subject has been carefully
considered in the official reports, and the
conclusion reached Is that no danger is to
be anticipated from southern gales.
It should be remarked in this connec-
ton that the inner harbor of San Pedro
which is conceded to be perfectly shell
tered, and upon the surface of which
scarcely ripple is ever observed, is largely
exposed to the so-called dangerous south
east gales. Yet ship within that inner
harbor has never been disturbed thereby.
Other arguments will be advanced in
favor of Santa Monica-that it can furnish
better fresh water than San Pedro; that it
presents better site for a city, and that
it is more attractive as place of resort
and residence. These are not worthy of
serious consideration, even supposing that
they were well founded. The purpose
sought is to establish deep-water harbor
for the convenience of commercial inter-
ests and as q suitable point for National
defense, not for summer and pleasure
resOPE