The San Francisco call., 1897-03-03
Five portant Points That
Mean Much to Los Angeles
Commerce.
CONVENIENCE CT APPROACH. A
TELLING FACT.
Residents of the Southern California
Metropolis Promptly Celebrate
the Good News


Deep-water Harbor Commission, Admiral
John G. Walker chairman, appointed to
locate a deep-water harbor in Southern .
California, has submitted its report to the
Secretary of War The board reported in
favor of San Pedro as the location for
deep-water harbor to be used for commerce
and for refuge. The other place mem
toned. over which there has been long
drawn-out contest, was Port Los Angeles
in Santa Monica Bay.
The commission reported In favor OF
San Pedro for the following five reasons:
Convenience of construction of accessory
works, convenience of approach from the
sea. convenience of approach from the
land, availability as harbor of refuge,
ca pacity of extension and enlargement.
The commission recommends the .imme-
diate construction of harbor breakwater
OF $500 feet, TO cost over 50, 100000.
The decision of the commission was, ac-
cording to the act establishing it, to BIZ
final, and when the report was presented
il became the duty of the Secretary of
War TO start improvements to cost not
more than $500 coo.
In making the selection the report says
the physical advantages of the San Pedro
location naturally led to its selection,
and the advisability of that choice Is
materially strengt hened by the considera-
tion of the extensive improvement of it's
interior harbor, already made, condition
ally provided for or contemplated, as the
object of future appropriations. If the
choice of the deep-water harbor site were
TO fall to Port Los Angeles the present
statute would then authorize improve
ments at the San Pedro location to fhe
amount of 1892 900, and the same statute
unquahfiedly directs the Secretary OF War,
at his discretion, to cause survey and
estimates to be made for furt her improve
ments at this location, so as to secure a
depth of twenty-five feet at low water in
the channel and interior harbor. There
fore it must be assumed that the improve
r,ent of the channel and interior harbor'
at San Pedro would be continued.
II the expenditure of.public money is to
be devoted to harbor purposes in that Sec
ton, it's division between the two points
con sid cred will fail to secure that efficiency
in results which would be attained by the
same total expenditure at one of the two
locations. 1t is the judgment that the best
policy in the interests of the country TO
maintain a deep-water harbor, for cop,-
merce and for refuge, demands that the
concentration of expenditure at one point
with the corresponding cumulative excel
lence OF results, rather than the DISPOSE
ton and weakening of results by divided
expenditure at the two locations.
This conclusion gains considerable force
through the fact that section of the San
Pedro harbor will involve materially less
ultimate appropriations.
The board intimates the cost of the
breakwater at San Pedro harbor at ST.
9O1, 1877.
The commission appointed consisted
of John G. Walker, Rear-Admiral, U. s.
NJ; Augustus f. Rodgers, assistant U. s.
Coast Survey; William H. Burr, Richard :
P. Morgan and George S. Morrison. ADJ
miral Walker was made chairman OF the
board.
The board crossed the continent to in
spect the two proposed harbors, and con-
Quoted long and thorough investigation
at Los Angeles, examining engineers, ma
riners and all who could throw light on
the subject. William Hood, chief en-.
gineer of the Southern Pacific, managed
the case for Santa Monica, and John F.
Francis acted in similar capacity on the
other side.
s.Tbe deep interest taken by the Southern
Pacific was due to the fact that that COM
pany owned the approaches to Santa
Monica and most of the land there avail
able for terminal purposes. The principal
witness for the Southern Pacific, E.. l..
Carthell, gave the following reasons why.
Santa Monica or Port Los Angeles, as the
railroad people prefer TO call 1t, should be
selected:
That the nautical and maritime condi-