The herald., 1896-05-09
AN INVESTIGATION is ASKED
OF The Relative Merits OF San Pedro
and Santa Monica
Maps Are Provided That the Senator's May
Understand the Matter
Attention Is Called to the Pact That No Cali
forn!a Senator or Representative Has
Asked Appropriation for Hunt
ington's Harbor
Special to the Herald.

Special to the Herald.
WASHINGTON, May s.-This morning
II was announced that the committee on
rules had refused to give any time for
the consideration of the funding bill at
this session, and this great attempted
steal of Huntington being thus killed and
buried so far as the first session of the
f1fty-fourth congress is concerned, his
whole immense lobby was left with moth
ing to do but to concentrate their atten-
ton upon saving his Santa Monica theft
from the untoward fate threatening it
from the attack which Senator White
was known to have prepared. When the
senate convened at noon the Hunting
ton lobbyists converged upon it and
swarmed about it like flies about a mo-
lasses jug. little after o'clock the
reading of the river and harbor bill was
completed and it became In order to
take up amendments. A renewed ac-
tivity on the part Of Huntington's man
Boyd and colleagues gave warning that
Senator Whites amendment was about
to come up. The Venerable senator
from Nevada and Santa Monica could be
seen busily trailing his white beard over
the shoulders of his senatorial collea-
CUES as he pleaded with them to Increase
the value of his thousands Of acres at
Santa Monica by voting three mil
lions of government money for harbor
which the experts of the government had
condemned. The amendment was called,
Senator White took the floor. Some
easels were set out in front of the presi-
dents desk, upon which he hung maps
IN in ~
statements. A package of large photo
graphs of the rival sites was put IN the
hands of pages to be at the service of in
vestigating senators. and the most IN
tensely exciting battle of this session
OF congress was on little before O'clock.
Frye, who appears as the sole speak
er for Huntingtons job, occupied his
seat fronting White. and about two
desks from him. Before an hour had
passed he evidently wished he wasn't
there, il a mans facial expression goes
for anything. AS White began cool
and measured statement of the history
Of the harbor matter. the investiga tions
Of government experts and their uni
form decisions in favor Of San Pedro,
number of senators, some of whom will
speak for the people of Southern Califor-
MIA before the matter ends, gathered
around him. AS he proceeded in a busi-
ness-like statement of the harbor case,
pro and con, and marshaled the evidence
recently brought out before the COM
merce committee, numbers of the SEN
ators appeared to feel only a languid in
terest and subdued conversations were
on between some of them. When the
10 =; l,I,
bying and Grove johnson celebrated his
release from his funding bill job in the
house by strolling into the senate and
attempting to give his master a lift,
thereby lobbying with Cannon of Utah,
whose outspoken support of San Pedro
was not changed by Mr.. JOhnSOn's eff
forts, but in half an hour the cold facts
had been stated by the speaker and the
discussion Of them began. He took up
Mr.. Corthell. and careless senators stop
ped talking and pricked up their ears as
a biting arrow of sarcasm went straight
home Presently a statement from Cor
thell, contained in printed reply which
he had assumed to make to Whites mi
nority report to the effect that he felt
that he was acting in an official capac-
ity as adviser of the senate and house
committees, called forth from the speak,
er burst of Indignation at the presump-
tuous impudence of this hired expert of
the Southern Pacific. For ten minutes
sarcasm that pierced like needle, burn
ing irony and denunciation that scathed
and scorched, were piled upon this fell
lows purchased opinions with their pre-
tended fairness, until there was nothing
left of those so glibly uttered romances
and their author, of whom your CORE
spondent had full-faced view as he sat
in the gallery, and who had the grace to
appear heartily ashamed Of his exposed
and exploded tricks.
There were now no more whisperines
and asides. The Nevada senator had
quit his lobbying and was seated at his
desk, head on hand. crouching before
the storm. Mr.. Boyd had crept into a
gallery seat and with cadaverous, hired
countenance looking more hireless and
hungry by several shades, was bending
forward to catch each word that con-
demned his cause and branded it fraud
and Doodle in every part. Every sena-
torial eye in the chamber was on the
speaker. and a dropped pin could have
peen heard when. during pause. sena-
Tor Gray of Delaware obtained leave to |
ask a question.
Who are Mr.. Corthell and Mr. Hood, |
upon whose reports the commerce COM |
m1ttee acted in recommending an appro- |
pr1at1on for Santa Monica?"
me answer came slowly and distinct |
": The hired engineers Of the Southern |
Pacific company"
With satisfied smile the senator
from Delaware took his seat and Mr.. |
terrogator.
Has any expert Of the government |
ever recommended Santa Monica as fit |
place Tor harbor?" he asked.
no was the answer; ION the con- |
trary' Two boards of government engi- |
hsers Oh the highest character, eight in |