The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-23
PLEADING SANTA
MON|CA'S CAUSE
Southern Pacific Engineers
Tell of the Harbor's
Advantages.
One of Their Own Witnesses
Contradicts Ex-senator
Cole.
Huntington Promises Not to Maxi
Use of His Special Privileges
if Successful.

Dor contest were SheQ this forenoon Oy
Chief Engineer Hood of the Southern Pa
cific. Hood resumed his presentation of
the Santa Monica case before the Harbor
Commission at the Chamber of Commerce
rooms at 10 o'clock. He explained how
easy and even delightful it would be to
build wharVes in Santa Monica Bay after
q suitable breakwater were constructed
there. He assured the board that "in
building our wharf we builded better than
we knew, and very much better than was
necessary. II we had only known what
still and placid waters we we're in we could
have saved much money"
Hood has happy faculty of turning
the most unpropitious circumstances into
good account and of making the worse
seem the better. When he was forced to
acknowledge that there were at long in
tervals dangerous swells at Port Los An
geles he said:
"WelI, there has been trouble on few
occasions at the wharf, will allow, but it
was perfectly satisfactory. 1 was actually
glad to realize that there was some activ-
ity to the sea at that point" His conclu-
sion was that if there never had been
trouble there, then. of course, no break
water would be necessary. with break
water there" he concluded, sail seamen
will be satisfied with the port"
Hood is very unlike his confreree and
associate in this fight, Engineer Corthell,
who mod estly conceded that he had been
retained" Hood speaks of the work of
the Southern Pacific as "ours," so that his
presentation was literally punctuated with
s'our," 'us" and "we." He had, according
to his statement, on many occasions as
serted himself in manner to make people
understand who and what he was. Wharf
Superintendent Jamison, who at one time
was trying to assist his superior, got into
deep water in recounting the trouble
which the steamer Corona had encoun-
tered there. Hood went to his assistance,
saying:
al can explain the whole matter. The
fault was in her master, Captain Hall,
who disobeyed my instructions and tied
his vessel too short on a falling tide and
as his ropes could not sustain the weight
of the steamer they were, of course,
snapped TO pieces. Then I notified Good
all, Perkins & Co. that if their seamen
could not do as I said l should compel
them to keep away from our wharf. After
this observed that Hall paid attention
to what 1 said, and with this Mr.. Hood
took his seat with the air of conqueror.
Pathos, however, is Engineer Hoods
speciality. At infinite pains this gentle
man explained what he and his company
had done at Santa Monica Bay how they
had gone forward digging tunnels, buying
land, securing right of way, building
wharyes-doing all these things, not for
al hr7A hat h.
should share in the benefits. And now
himself and his company had agreed to
let the commerce of the world right into
''our" bay and harbor and 1--WE" were
compelled by this bill 10 let in rival rail-
ways and competition OF every kind. In
voice husky with emotion Hood said:
why, gentlemen, this is almost pater-
nal"
The speaker pictured himself and Mr..
Huntington as the noblest of philanthro-
pists of the age. There was one other in
stance in Hoods long recital where his
philanthropic feelings got the better of
him. When the Corona had its trouble at
Huntington's long wharf the engineer
was particular to state that it had not
dared to make landing at Redondo on
account of the dangerous swells. During
that storm portion of the wharf there
had been washed away; ''and," said
Hood, his voice again indicating deep emo
ton, 81 was very sorry for this mishap to
our friends down there" This was too
much for the spectators, who laughed
aloud.
It was evident to-day, as on yesterday,
that the Huntington people have been
poorly coached for their several parts.
Ex-senator Cole upset the catsup yester-
day in telling Engineer CorthelI that he
did not know what he was talking about
when he asserted that the residents of
this city had no business projecting them
selves into this fight.
Hood promptly called him to his seat,
and the ex-senator acknowledged that he
was glad of it. To-day Captain Dornfield
got back at Senator Coles frightful
sou easter, which, according to the speak
er's statement yesterday wrought such
havoc at San Pedro during the past few
years. Dornfeld, who has been coast
seaman for many years and in charge of
the Long Wharf as pilotmaster ever since
it was constructed, took the floor. The
members of the commission began plying
MIN with pointed questions regarding the
winds from the southeast. Dornfield de-
scrlbed them at great length, and con-
cluded by asserting that the real southeast
winds did little or no damage to shipping
in any of these southern ports. The
swells occasioned by the western winds
accompanying the natural sea waves was
what seamen most dreaded along this
coast. This was complete knockout for
Cole, who looked daggers at the ship
master.
During his talk Hood sneered at petit
tions. In view of the Southern Pacific
agents discontinue in forging sig
natures to petitions last spring and
getting caught at it, it is not to be won
dered at that they eschew such annoying
documents. Notwithstanding the atti-
tude of these gentlemen there are petit
tons mile long ready to be submitted,
but they are all in favor of San PEDRO and
are unpleasant reading for Huntington's
retained men.
Hoods moods are changeable. From
the feelings of deep sympathy for the
Redondo Beach Railroad. which had lost
part of its wharf, he exclaimed in high
dudgeon that Port Los Angeles had come
to stay, no matter where this appropria-
ton was expended. But" said he, 'if
our offer is rejected now we can make it
interesting for opponents, who may want
our facilities in the future. The fact that
the Southern Pacific Company enjoys
certain privileges there does not mean
monopoly"
In referring to marine insurance, Hood
said the rates were uniform all along the
coast south of San Francisco. Insurance
NADIA M aYpanfious az tn YES