The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-09
MERITS OF HARBORS
Senators White and Perkins of Cali
fornia Oppose Santa Monica.
SOME BILLS DISPOSED OF
The Missouri Dam Near Helena
Brought Up by Carter - The
Crees in This State VIII
be Sent to Canada.

washington, May S.-With the bond
resolution out of the way the senate
gave its attention to the accumulation
OF minor measures before going on with
the river and harbor DILL. Mitchell. re-
publican, Oregon, gave notice that
when the last appropriation bill was
passed he would press the joint resolu-
tion for the election of senators by the
people, not for the sake of having fur
ther speeches, but of actually adopting
the resolution.
A bill was passed to establish
classification in United States patent
| offices; granting permission for the
erection of monument at Washing
ton in honor of Samuel Hahcmann, and
appropriating $4,000 for the foundation.
The river and harbor bill was then
taken UP on the point of order by Cor
man. The committee amendment was
stricken out, providing that all persons
employed on river and harbor works
Shall be selected and hired by officers
of the corps of engineers in local
charge of those works, in order that
the officers may be held to strict re-
sponsibility for proper execution of ths
work in their charge.
The following individual amend
ments were made: BY Gray, to per-
NIT retired army officers to engage in
river and harbor works; by Mr.. Car
ter, for a dam across the upper Mis-
souri, river at Stubbs' ferry to develop
water powers; by Lodge, for a survey
of Portland channel, Alaska. This dis
posed of the entire bill, except the re
served amendment for a deep water
harbor at Port Los Angeles, in Santa
Monica bay, CAL, and authorizing con-
tracts not aggregating $685. 900 for the
work.
A vigorous contest was promised on
this item, the California senators.
White and Perkins. being opposed to
1t. White offered an amendment pro-
viding for a board of three officers to
report on the relative merits of Santa
Monica bay and of San Pedro harbor
for the purpose of a deep water har-
bor. Large easels were brought into
the senate and maps OF the Pacific
coast placed on them. With pointer in
hand, White then called attention
to the main points of the contest. The
senator said that people of the Pacific
coast wanted a good deep water har-
Dor. Most of the harbors were poor
| ones; that at San Diego was too re-
mote for a large element Of commerce.
This demand for better harbor facili-
| ties led to the development OF the
| Santa Monica project, and Senator
| Jones of Nevada built a railroad from
| Los Angeles to Santa Monica, with a
view to an ultimate eastern extension
| But the road fell into the hands of the
| Southern Pacific railroad. White
then pointed out that board of army
| engineers had recommended San Pedro
| as the desirable point for harbor and
| that this recommendation was endorsed
| by Chief Engineer Casey
Objection was made to this report,
| and through the efforts of Senator
| Frye, another board headed by the
present chief of engineers was appoint
| ed. Three points-Redondo, Santa
Monica and San Pedro commended be-
| fore this board, each element being
ably represented, the Southern Pacific
railway being represented by one of
| the best lawyers in California. This
| board, made up of eight of the fore
most engineers of the service, recon-
mended San Pedro harbor When this
report came before congress nothing
was done. Taking up the presen,
status, White urged that the two Cali
| fornia senators and the representatives
| from the sixth California district did
not ask for the amendment inserted in
| the bill for a harbor at Santa Monica,
and said the overwhelming sentiment
| of the people of the locality was
| against it.
White commented on the "extraordi-
nary and peculiar" conditions by which
| the senators and local representatives
| to the proposed appropriation. II indi-
Gated that some extraordinary in
| fluence had been brought to bear on
| the question" The senator comment
ed on the "persistency" of the Southern
| Pacific railway and declared that this
accounted for the extraordinary action.
White spoke of the surprise with
which he learned that the paragraph
| for the Santa Monica appropriation
| had actually been printed for incorpo-
| ration in the river and harbor bill, al
| though the understanding had been
| that there should be no appropria-
| tion beyond that for an inner harbor
at San Pedro. The senator commented
| severely on a communication from 'Nhe
third house" written by Civil Engineer
| Corthell, an employe of the Southern
Pacific railroad. The senator repudi-
ated the claim made by Corthell that
| he made an unofficial investigation"
at the request of some senators and
members. 1t was Huntington whom
| he served and yet. White said. 'the
committee had set aside the recon-
| mendations of army boards and ac-
cepted the Recommendations of paid
| employees of the Southern Pacific COM
| pany."
Gray asked IL there was not some on
| cial recommendation in favor OF the
| Santa Monica harbor.
| NONE On cal ei'
"and. further this Appropriation OF $3.-
| O9s. 900 is proposed without an estimate
/ or recommendation.
George added further questions. DO
| I understand" he asked. that two
boards OF army engineers. sworn to the
performance of their duties, have re-
I ported against the appropriation which
/ the committee recommends to the SEN
4 ate?"
| You do"
| And do / understand that the two
/ California senators and the representa-
| tives from the district oppose the ap-
preparation which the committee recon-
/ mended?"
| Yes"
rs il fact that no evidence exists
in favor OF the project except that OF
the two men in the employ Of the
Southern Pacific railroad2"