The San Francisco call., 1897-08-01
SAN PEDR0's UPHILL FIGHT.
Senator White Tells of the Futile Ef.
forts to Speed the Work on
the Hdrbor.

LOS ANGELES. CAL, July Ex-senator
Stephen NJ. White is disguised. He saws
it IN a way that leaves no doubt of his
earnestness. He was talking on the San
PEDRO harbor question at his home in this
city to-day, few hours after he had ar
rived from Washington.
He is disgusted with the way tho vital
matter has been treated. He said:
have avoided making any attack upon the
administra tion, but I am forced in candor te
say to my constituents, who have right to be
advised that the root of the whole difficulty
is the influence of the Sou uthern Pacific Rail
way Company.
The remarkab BILE solicitude which has been
displayed in various remote quarters regard
ing this work, and the drastic tests to which
everything regarding San Pedro has been sub
mitted, are calculate ted to astonish the impair.
tial observer, who has moi learned that the op-
position is inspired from private sources and
does not rest at all upon wish to serve the
public interest.
1 was and am as anxious as any one can be
to see the work proceed and / have done
everything that it was possible to accomplish
under the circumstances. Secretary Alger has
entirely msStated and oOscured the s!tua-
tion. He asserts, wholly without reason, that
the board OF which Admiral Walker was chair
man made report which. provided tor the
expenditure of the total appropriation for a
harhor wall when the hill demauded harbor
"
of refuge and commerce.
The Walker report, as I showed in brief
statement which l made in the Senate, spe-
officially states that the seawalI alone will,
when constructed, form a harbor OF refuge
and of commerce, but the board pointed out
the fact that the proximity of the inner har-
Dor, which has already been greatly i'm
proved, was most important, and that by an
additional expenditure a perfect commercial
feature could be added to the main harbor
and that in this way all OF the expensive piers
would be obviated.
Had the board decided in favor of Santa
Monica 1t was the intention to go on in any
event with the work on the inner harbor.
When the Walker board located the harbor at
San Pedro and de termined upon the character
and size of the seawall, and stated that such q
construction would make a harbor OF COM
far as discretion was concerned. and Ager
had nothing to do, If he chose to act within
the law but to advertise for bids.
The resolution which / introduced and
which was passed in the Senate was designed
to meet General Alger's peculiar require
the fate of all legislation outside of the tariff
ana appropriation bills, viz: it was sat upon
by the Speaker. 1t was intimated that General
Alger desired or at least was willing that af.
firmative action should be taken. dou bted
this at the time and am convinced that a
would have removed Mr.. Reeds opposition.
The Senator said he had little hope that
anything would be done in the matter un-
til a provision was introduced in the river
and harbor bill which must be passed at
the next session, imperativeiy providing &
for the commencement OF work.
I'VE will have our harbor yet" said he,
"but there must be more fighting for it,"