The herald., 1896-04-08

harbor question? The river and harbor
bill has passed the house of representa-
tives and is now in the senate, where it
will be approved or amended. 1t car
ries paltry $4,000 for the Improvement
of the inner harbor al San Pedro and
nothing at all for Santa Monica. A
discussion IS to what the United States
government should do in the premises
has no place here. That can be found
in its proper place on the editorial page.
No public meetings were held yester-
day, but the very atmosphere was sur
charged with the one great. almost
vital question to Southern Californians,
and the ramificationS and side issues
born of it. Those who believe ''in San
Pedro or nothing" because they know
that the government will not construct
two deep sea harbors, and that a harbor
located in the open roadstead off the
Santa Monica bluffs will not in any
sense be a free harbor-those who so be-
lieve. and they are many, watched the
exploitations of the railroad sympa-
thizers with amusement The public is
not entirely unsophisticated.
Two mass meetings will be held
tonight. Those favoring San Pedro will
meet on the east side of the county
court house. Those favoring Santa
Monica will meet in Illinois hall, and
there is no danger that those desiring
TO meet at the latter place will be ex-
up the rent Captain Steere of the
Southern Pacific city offices is said to
have engaged the hall and paid the
charge therefor by check-and South
ern Pacific check is good in these
parts According to this those
who come up from San Pedro this even-
ing for the purpose of attending the
great meeting will be "Steered" into
Illinois hall-if certain parties can sue
ceed in their plans Those certain par
ties are. however, on the list and will be
watched
Eloquent speakers among whom are
II. T. Hazard, George s. Patton, j. r.
Rush. j. r. Newberry, w. c. Patterson,
and w. l.. Moore-these and good music
will be the features of the San Pedro
harbor meeting which will be held at
1880 o'clock tonight at the court house.
Mr.. Biinn's Position
L. w. Blinn, president of the San
Pedro Lumber Company and until yes
terday president of the Free Harbor
League, was seen last night at his resi-
dence by Herald reporter in references
to his rumored resignation from the
presidency of the Free Harbor League.
Mr.. Blinn admitted that he had re-
signed from the presidency, but said he
had certainly not resigned his mem-
bership of the league. saw no reason
why he should, and had no intention
of doing so.
IN answer TO the reporters question
as to his reasons for this action Mr..
Blinn replied:
Il have resigned from the presidency
because i am not quite in harmony with
the present methods, those of calling g.
mass meeting on the subject and the
temper of the address. / think it is un-
wise to stir up strife on this subject. 1
am still firm adherent to and believer
in San Pedro, but only as an inner har-
Dor at present, because 1 believe there
is no chance of getting an appropria-
tion now for an outer. l am, as ever,
zealously in favor of an appropriation
for the inside harbor as outlined by
Col. Benyard, for the dredging of the
inside harbor and the deepening OF
the water on the bar, to which, indeed,
we We're entitled long ago. With all
the talk and all the kilograms do not
believe there will be any appropriation
for an outer harbor. without there be-
ing first a report in favor of 1t from
the governments engineers"
My personal ideas are that the ~