The herald., 1896-12-24
Before the Commission by
Engineer Hawgood
THE TESTIMONY OF The TREES
How They Face at the Rival
Sites
HOODS FORCES EXHAUSTED
Several Sea Captains 10 the Southern
Pacific Service Testify
Dut Those Others Whom Hood Long d for
Didn't Arrive
District Attorney Whittemere Of Salt
Take Voices Iytah's Sentiment in
HOODS FORCES EXHAUSTED
Several Sea Captains 10 the Southern
Pacific Service Testify
Dut Those Others Whom Hood Long d for
Didn't Arrive
District Attorney Whittemere OF Salt
Lake Voices Utah's Sentiment in
Favor Of San Pedro and Ex-
tends an Invitation.

tends an invitation.
The crewd, at the chamber OF COM
merce increases as the public hearing
of the harbor board progresses. Stand
ing room was at premium yesterday
morning, the interest evidently growing
as the time arrives for the advocates OF
San Pedro to be heard.
The evidence for Santa Monica was re-
sumed with the introduction Of Captain
Alexander, Of the steamer Santa Rosa.
Mr.. Hood explained that the captain
would not testify in favor of either har-
Dor; he was present simply to answer
any questions put by the board.
Captain Alexander stated in reply to
questions that he had sailed this coast
for thirty years; for twenty-three years
had commanded steamers, among when
he named the Orizaba, Mexico, Con-
stantine, Queen and Santa Rosa. He
had made landings at Port Los Angeles
At least three hundred times in three and
a half years, discharging both freight
and passengers He had never expert
enced any difficulty, had always docked
and left on time and had parted lines only
three times.
He did not consider it as smooth as
San Diego bay, and never having an
chored at Santa Monica could not say
ANYTHING about the holding ground.
Since landing at Port Los Angeles he
had not stopped at San Pedro. though
nra,jo,,s To that he had done so He
thought the holding ground there
neither the best nor the poorest, ana In
landing he always got as close to snore
as he could, though when he was saillns
the Ancon the jetties were not bullt.
The swell at San Pedro comes from the
south and west; there is very heavy
chop sea, but he had never seen heavy
undertow come in there. Having steam,
he had no difficulty in landing the cargo.
He makes the large ports up and down
the coast, Port Hartford, Santa Bar
hara, Santa Monica and San Diego. AT
Santa Barbara he can land better than
at any point named, and while running
there for fifteen years had never missed
a landing. He has never missed landing
at Port Los Angeles; at Port Hartford
he missed once, three years ago. he
dondo had been passed twice in the past
six years.
while the captain considered Santa
Barbara the best landing and had not
had any difficulty in landing at Port
self as to whether the latter was the
best point for a harbor, preferring TO
leave that with the honorable board to
decide.
He considered it an excellent pier;
those at other points named are not
braced, but it is still question whether
q wharf should be braced or rise ana
fall with the vessel.
There is more swell and undertow at
Port Los Angeles than at Santa Bar
bara. On the last trip down the santa
Rosa was damaged at Port Harfora,
losing all her lines. 1T was the heaVlest
swell he had ever seen on the coast, ana
there was not breath of wind, an un"
usual occurrence. There is the least un-
dertow at Redondo. The heaviest swells
come there with the summer winds, be-
ginning In April, down here, and last
until August, being heaviest in May and
June A ship lies quieter there than al
Port Los Angeles, and Is easier on ner
lines. AS to currents, they exist all
along the coast and tend with it either
up or down. He has observed them at
San Pedro, but not at Port Los Angeles.
The shore current Is up the coast in sum-
mer and supposed to be down in the Win
ter. He had lain at San Pedro when the
ship swung with the current; he had
never carried passengers by, though il
had been too rough to land freight
The Santa Rosa draws seventeen and
q half feet of water; she has dragged her
anchor at San Pedro, though that, he
thought, was because she had not chain
enough, and not the fault of the hold
ing ground. When asked at what place
in the San Pedro coast he thought
wharf should be built, the captain de-
clined to say; the board had come here
t. decide that If constructing one for
himself he would probably build it
where he had the largest interest.
He thought it difficult to decide where
Wharves should be built: that can only
be determined by experience.
When the wharf at Port Los Angeles
was built he thought he could not land
there and told his people so, but he has
landed there every four days. He would
not be afraid to land there in two and a
half feet with the swell, twenty feet
under the ship, and would not fear to
anchor in four fathoms at San Pedro,
CAPTAIN JOHNSON TALKS.
Captain johnson of the ship White
spur was then introduced by Engineer
Hood. The captain has sailed this coast
some thirteen years as master Of
steamers carrying lumber. He had
landed at Port Los Angeles a dozen
times, and had never experienced any
Ainiculty in dischargng freight. nor met
with any accidents.
He has been to San Pedro probably
Aalf dozen times, but landed on the
inside. The Whitespur draws thirteen
and a half feet Of water when loaded,
her freight being railroad ties for the
Southern Pacific. At this admission an
audible "smile" was heard through the
room. The Whitespur also carries lum-
ber to all points on the coast. The cap
tain has experienced currents at San
Pedro. but none at Port Los Angeles.
PILLSBURY OF THE MINEOLA
Mr.. Hood here remarked that there
were two other captains, not in any
way connected with the company. who
he hoped would be present but they had
not arrived. He would, therefore, pre-
sent Capt. Pillsbury. an employe of the
Southern Pacific, ard would like to have
him so considered. Capt. Pillsbury
commands the Mineola. a coaler; has
been running on this coast four years
between Port Los Angeles and San
Francisco. The Mneola is an English
built steamer now Americanized. draw
ing twenty feet of water. He had never
had any difficulty in landing at Port Los