The herald., 1896-04-19
SANTA MONICA SHR|EKERS
Charge in Force on the Com
merce Committee
HUNTINGTON'S HIRELINGS
Make the Most of Very Poor
Make the Most OF Very Poor
Case
Specious Arguments Promptly Punched Full
Of Holes by Senator White-senator Nell
son Asks Staggering Questions
Special to THE HERALD.

VanIaSeS OIL Odutd lnOliIS1 eN' {. NNNP
water harbor were misrepresented To-
day before the senate committee on
commerce by rive of Mr.. Huntington's
representatives. The delegation i'll
favor of the harbor of San Pedro had
their inning yesterday and made gooo
argument why the deep water harbor
for Southern California should be To-
Gated at San Pedro--or Wilmington har-
Dor. as 1t is officially known. -Their
statements were fully substantiated by
reports of engineer officers who have
been directed from time to time by the
secretary of war to make examinations
of the two sites and report thereon. Ev-
cry one of these reports was in favor of
San Pedro, and the Huntington delega-
ton today devoted its time to efforts to
prove that the engineer officers who are
strictly non-partsan and not bound by
The neck, as are the members of this del
egation, were suffering from mental ab-
beration in SO reporting. The state
lnents made today were specious, and
Senator White, who did most of the
cross questioning on the part of the
committee, punched holes in them as
fast as they were made. Senator Elk
ins aided White in his efforts. but Sena-
tor Frye, chairman of the committee
who is All avowed Huntington man and
corporation attorney, did all in his
power to belittle the efforts of Califor-
mas Democratic representative in the
higher branch Of the national legisla-
tllre.
Other members of the committee oues-
toned members of the delegation from
time to time.
Senator White opened the session of
the committee today by making the
statement that no member of the Cali
fOrDfa delegation in congress knew any,
thing Of tbp efforts 1Noin To
cure an appropriation for the establish
ment of a harbor at Santa Monica, and
that such action was a surprise to
them. Mr.. Mitchell of Los Angeles,
l1untington's principal representative
In this delegation, was the first wit
ness. He made barefaced statement
TO the committee that at the present
time nine-tenths of the people Of South
ern California are in favor of an ap-
preparation of about 100000 for the in
ner llarbor at San Pedro and 81, 800 900
Tor Santa Monica. He also attempted
to cast siur upon Senator Whites and
Representatiye MGff -aIil atIieir If constitu,ssqfge
HTef We're nlisinformed as to the true
sentiment. He started to talk to the
committee as though he were arguing
petore a jury on murder trial and
dweit upon the change of heart that
nad been experienced of late by the
people of Los Angeles and vicinity on
this question, but was brought to earth
again by Senator Vest of Missouri who
Informed him sarcastically that the
committee wanted facts and not senti-
ment.
What the committee wanted to know
said Senator Vest. was which was the
best site for a harbor, San Pedro or
Sarta Monica. He was supported in
this statement by Senator Nelson and
other members of the committee.
Sen .t9r White at this point intro
duced number of kilograms as part of
the record of the hearings before the
committee. They were on both sides of
the question.
James Il. Lankershim, the next mem
per or the delegation to testify,
took these dispatches as the text for
his sermon. He said that they indicat-
ed the Importance of the question.
that he had studied it for. long time;
but had only recently been able to
make up his mind on it, He attempt-
ed to belittle San Pedro as a good har-
Dor and said that it was only good for
light draft vessels. He said there
was no turning ground for vessels in
the inner harbor of San Pedro, while
tnere was plenty of room at Santa
Monica. He said that what the peo-
pie of Southern California wanted was
good harbor"for big ships, and that
the deepening of the inner harbor to
eighteen feet would not lessen the
present danger in the least.
Senator Nelson, on his admission
that San Pedro was a good harbor for
light draft vessels, asked If it would
not be better to have a big harbor
outside of lood inner harbor than
70 make division and have one harbor
for big and one for small ships
This rather staggered the witness
and he could not make satisfactory
answer
Another statement he made was that
there was no wharf room at San Pc
1rn rI,f1 of anti iao
plenty. He was probably referring to
Mr.. Huntington's million dollar wharf,
which will probably be done before
he gets an appropriation for making a
harbor at Santa Monica.
He also made the, statement calcu-
lated to give those who are conversant
with the real sentiment of the people
a tired feeling. that nine -tenths of the
people of his section were in favor of
Santa Monica and San Pedro jointly.
J. S. Slauson was the next member
of the delegation to speak He branched
out and argued that an appropriation
was wanted on the ground that the
whole people of the United States would
be benefited by the establishment of a
harbor at Santa Monica. He declared
that he came here in the interest of
double appropriation, that is, for the
inner harbor at San Pedro and an outer
harbor at Santa Monica. If he could
not get both he was in favor of taking
only one, and, that one was Santa Mon
lea.
Judge d. p. Hatch made a short
statement in favor of Santa Monica.
hut did not give the committee any new
facts He attempted to jolly the COM
mittee and make the members laugh.
but his efforts fell very fiat. This con-
cluded the testimony by the Hunting
ton faction.
Then the San Pedro delegation had
another inning, and good use was made
of 1T. =
. Engineer Hawgood who was made a
member of the delegation for the ex-
press purpose of disproving the state
ments OF southern Pacific engineers,
Vas recailed and again examined by
Senator White. He explained the rea-
son Tor the accumulation of sand at one
point In San Pedro harbor, and gave a
black eye to the testimony of Hunting
TONS engineers that the harbor at San
Pedro would soon fill with sand if a
breakwater were constructed. He also
stated to the committee that an engine