The herald., 1897-09-15
SAN PEDRO
HARBOR
MATTER
Duly Considered in Cab
met Meeting
MR.. M'KENNA'S OPINION
Practically Orders Alger
to Proceed
THE WORK WILL SOON BEGIN
AND BE PUSHED FORWARD TO
COMPLETION
Relief for Reckless Klondikers and
Pacific Railroad Matters Dis
cussed-Only the Harbor
Affair Disposed Of
AND BE PUSHED FORWARD TO
COMPLETION
associated Press Special Wire.


WASHINGTON, Sept. 14.-Great in
terest attached to the cabinet meeting
today on account of the various import
ant questions pending and the fact that
Every member Of the cabinet except
Secretary Long was on hand promptly
at II o'clock, and each had with him an
unusually large number Of papers and
documents relating to matters pertain
ing to their departments.
The cabinet discussed the San Pedro,
California, harbor project, and Attor-
ney General McKenna rendered an
opinion, which will be formally promul-
gated, to the effect that Secretary Alger
should proceed under the law to carry
out the project Of building breakwater
and making other improvements at San
Pedro.
There were some differences Of opinion
as to matters Of detail between Secre-
tary Alger and Attorney General Nc
Kenna over the San Pedro project. and
it was left to those two cabinet officers
and then make statement for the ben
eft of the public.
The government will now go ahead
with the construction Of the breakwater
at San Pedro and will push the work on
the project, though some matters yet
remain open for adjustment.
KLONDIKE RELIEF
Secretary Alger adverted to the prob
able necessity of relief measures for the
benefit of Americans who have rushed
heedlessly into the Klondike gold fields,
but the discussion Of this matter was
informal and fruitless Of results. With
reference to this matter, Secretary AL
ger laid before the cabinet several tele-
grams urging relief for stricken pros
pectors, including one from the citizens
committee of Tacoma, representing that
distress existed already at Dawson City,
stating that starvation had begun and
praying that revenue cutter with sup
plies be sent to st. Michaels to distrib
ute supplies to those in need. L SOUS
sion made it evident that the cabinet
was not quite clear that government
authorities have the warrant Of the law
for furnishing supplies, but Secretary
Alger telegraphed Senator Perkins of
California, interested in that line to
Alaska, asking him If he would under
take to deliver a shipload of supplies at
st. Michaels If he found that the law
would not permit the government to
send supplies, then relief would be fur
nished by private persons.
PACIFIC RAILROADS
The session was largely devoted to
a consideration of the Union Pacific.
presumably the advisability Of taking
an appeal from the decree of the United
States court at Omaha for the sale of
the property under foreclosure proceed
ings. The members of the cabinet were
very reticent. The injunction. had been
placed on them not to talk of the matter
at this time, but they stated that a
statement relative to the course the gov
ernment would pursue might be looked
for in the course of ten days. Though
there was full discussion of Union Pa
cific railroad matters, it is learned that
no decision was reached as to the course
to be pursued by the government, and
it is presumed that no announcement
will be made regarding it until definite
conclusion is reached.
SOME OTHER QUESTIONS
The civil service decision in the Wood
case and it's effect on the law was also
informally talked over Neither the de-
cision on discriminating section % of
the tariff act nor the Cuban or Hawaiian
questions was mentioned at the meet
ing.
WANTS A VACATION
The president is clearing up all i'm
portant matters as to which cabinet
consultations were necessary. for the
purpose of taking another vacation as
soon as possible, but it was said this af-
ternoon that he would probably be de-
layed here by pending business longer
than he had anticipated when he re-
turned.