The San Francisco call., 1896-03-29
Southern California Opposed tc
a Monopoly of Shipping
Privileges.
TO STAY HUNTINGT0N'S HAND
Delegates in Washington Urged t
Defeat the Southern Pacitic'S
Scheme.

LOS ANGELES, CAL, March 2S.-The
action OF the House Rivers and Harbors
Committee in bowing to Coils z. Hunt
ington by deciding to report an appro-
pration for Santa Monica Harbor had the
effect of squirting TO spirited action the Los
Angeles Free, Harbor League, which was
organized il opposition TO the attempt OF
the Southern Pacific Company to monop-
ollie harbor privileges and facilities ada
cent to Los Angeles. Al Il meeting OF the
league at the Chamber of Commerce this
afternoon. called 10 head off the machina-
tions of Huntington, the following resolu-
tions. proposed BY Colonel II. q. Otis We're
adopted after an animated discussion:
WHEREAS The matter of the securing OF an
adequate harbor for the Los Angeles coast is
OF the first Importance to all the people and
the commercial, interests OF this city and South
cru California; and whereas we believe there
is no prospect that Congress viii appropriate
money for two har6or sites on this coast within
a few miles of each other: and whereas. the
harhor site al San Pedro has been repeatedly
officially and exclusively recommended by the
boards OF United States army engineers rs the
proper site for permanent haroor for Los
Angeles. aud is the site for which Congress has
appropriations are not granted in Congress
sional Districts in the face of opposition by the
representatives of such districts;
Resolved BY the Free Harbor League of Los
Angeles that we restiirm our allegiance 10 san
Pedro As the true and proper site, as the peo-
pies as wen as the Governments site for
further harbor improvements. and that we are
opposed TO all legislation, ii any such is con-
templated by Congress, inconsistent with this
purpose SO supremey essential 10 the business
Interests and commercial advantages of
Southern Californis.
RcSolrtd, That copy OF. these resolutions be
officially transmitted 10 the California Sena-
tors snd Representatives in Congress. with the
request that they act in accordance to The full
extent Of their powers
\ letter from Representative Hermann
Of Oregon TO President Patterson of the
Chamber Of Commerce was read in which
that gentleman, writing under the date of
March 16, said:
Al This hour I have succeeded in securing
for Wilmington the continued system, which
means the immediate securing for that place
Of the entire $500 500 and the prompt COM
pletion of the whole project. . Santa
Monies secures the same advantage. The
amount foe completion. however, is much
larger. for one desire to bring 10 q
happy CONCLUSION the autsgoniSm between
your I'VE harborS, which hiss grown out OF the
apprehension that one place might be reeog-
niEed by the Government TO discrimination
against the other. wish that both shall have
the same friendly treatment 10 the full extent
OF the maximum estimates OF both.
This sohcitude on the part OF Mr.. Her
mann 10 heal the breach between san
Pedro ana Santa Monica created some
what OF breeze, as II was underS TODD by
the committee recently sent &c Washing
ton in behalf OF San Pedro by the Free
Harbor League that Mr.. Hermann fully
understood the situation here and would
use his best efforts 10 help San Pedro, be-
cause il Is the peoples harbor. Colonel
Otis, speaking on this subject, said:
Mr. Hermann was, We thought, one of
our warmest friends. He questioned us
closely and drew out our best presentation
OF the case. He said nothing about Santa
Monica before the committee, but az our
hotel asked rs if we were fighting Santa
Monica. We said we could not believe
that an appropriation could be made for
two contiguous places; that San Pedro
was the peoples site and the Govern
ment'S site.
He said nothing, but il seems that he
later took the greatest interest in securing
money for both places, although We ex-
planned TO him that is not what the people
here wanted. The Huntington infia nee
has been strong enough 10 work this
through. One or both OF the appropria-
tions viii be attacked. What the outcome
Will be l know not
General Charles Forman, Hon. T. E.
Giobon, vice-president of the Terminal
Railway, and others spoke on the resolu-
tions offered by Colonel Otis. Mr.. Gibbon
said that ii Santa Monica was given any
appropriation the game was up; that il
any such appropriation was secured il
could be done only through fraud and
chicsnery. After the resolution was
adopted sn adjournment vas taken until
explanations supposed 70 be on the way
from Senator White and Representative
McLschlan are received.