The herald., 1897-03-25
SAN PEDRO
is SAFE
Specific Act of Congress
Settles the Matte.
BEYOND ALL DOUBT
Pr0craslinati0n of Government
Officials Will Not Avail
CALL FOR BIDS Immediately
THE NEXT STEP ACCORDING TO
SENATOR WHITE
THE NEXT STEP ACCORDING TO
SENATOR WHITE
Contractors Ready to Compete-Com-
pliments of Gear Reed-Explan-
alton Of Morgan's Har-
Dor Interest

Stephen NJ White, United states SEN
ator from California arrived home from
Washington, D. c., last evening
A representative of the Herald board
ed the overland on the Santa Fe at
Pasadena and thus was the first news
paper man to welcome the champion of
the peoples rights
The senator was busily engaged in
conversation upon business matters
when the reporter introduced himself
do you want to see me?" said Mr..
White. "Oh, yes," reading the card
handed him.
Here's some matter relating to the
harbor at San Pedro In this mornings
Herald 1t is based upon Washington
dispatch received In San Francisco"
said the reporter, handing him the Her
aid.
20 yes" replied the senator. / have
seen it. But then the matter is really
old. 1t is substantially correct, how
ever. You'd like to know about it?"
THE REPORT FINAL.
"The situation in the harbor matter is
about this: The river and harbor act,
as is generally known, contained pro-
vision for the appointment of the late
board, and made the report of that board
final. When Admiral Walker and the
other members, except Mr.. Morgan, filed
their report in favor of San Pedro, SEN
ator Frye and others who advocated
Santa Monica. including Hood, the en-
gineer of the Southern Pacific road, and
other friends of Mr.. Huntington, visited
the secretary of war and protested
against the decision and demanded that
the affair should be held up.
ON HUNTINGTON'S TRACKS.
II heard that something of this kind
was in progress, and l visited the secre-
tary, who received me very courteous
ly, and stated that he had been informed
that 1t would cost ten millions of dollars
to complete the proposed work, that
he knew nothing about the Details that
he wished to look over the record, and
would notify me If he had any criticism
to make He likewise referred to the
fact that Senator Frye had been to see
him, ana also mentioned objections made
by others, without. however, giving
names, but I assumed from the con-
versation, that Mr. Huntington personal
ly had been there.
MORGAN'S INTEREST.
'I stated to the secretary that we
We're becoming quite tired; that twI
boards of army engineers, coming fror
department of the government, re-
sarding which there had never been IL.
any case the slightest suspicion Of want
of integrity or capacity, justified the
community in expecting commencement
OF the work; but that Mr. Huntington
had nearly succeeded in substituting
Santa Monica in the river and harbor
bill in lieu of San Pedro; that he had
heen defeated in this, and compromise
effected, providing for the creation of
the recent board; that the report now
filed constituted the third consecutive
decision favoring San Pedro: that Mr.
Morgan's dissent ought not to affect the
subject, because he had previously acted
for the railroad company in preparing a
report on fares and freights in Califor-
MIA, after which his son Dwight had
been employed by that corporation; and
that his personality was so we'll under
stood that l had filed a written protest
against his retention on the board.
DECISIVE
II went over the subject quite fully
and Secretary Alger listened to me at
tentively and promised to consider the
subject thoroughly. That there might
be no Misunderstanding as to our po-
sition, l wrote him letter, which has
objected to the filing of any minority
report by Mr.. Morgan, upon the ground
that the board was created for a special
purpose; that there was a provision CIV
ing the majority the right to decide as
to the harbor cation, and provided that
such report should be filed; that as O
majority of the. board had filed such a
report. the function of the board there
upon terminated, and 1t had no longer
any legal existence.
ADVERTISE FOR BIDS
II notice in today's dispatches that
the secretary agrees with me substan-
TALLY as to this, but will forward Nor
gan's report to congress as affording in
formation with reference to the case.
Il suggested to the secretary that the
only proper plan to adopt for the purpose
of ascertaining the cost Of the work,
was to advertise for bids, and that If no
responsible bidder could be found it
would be time enough to extend the
limit. procured passage of a reso-
luton In the senate calling for the re-
port. Several maps are embodied there
In, and l presume we will not be able to
obtain the document for some days
Il observe that 1t is stated in the Ex-
aminer that as l am in California 1 will
not know of the action Of the secretary
until too late to take any immediate
steps. believe that understand this
case pretty thoroughly. If the secretary
refuses to let the contract there can be
no immediate steps taken.
THE CZAR IN THE WAY
Mr.. Reed seems to be of the opinion
that no legislation shall be had during
the present session except as to the tar
If bill and the passage of the appropria-
tion bills which Mr. Cleveland declined
to approve. If the speaker pursues this
course to the end, nothing whatever will
be done by this congress outside of his
can pass the house of Representative