The herald., 1897-08-23
GENERAL ALGER'S ATTITUDE
DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN
THE DELAY
Would Not Presume to Express a
Preference-Wil1 Meet the Peo-
pie Today

|
panied by his wife, two children, Miss
Sessions, his niece, and Mrs. Moore, all
Of Fredonia, N Y, are at the Van Nuys.
| They came in at 1880 o'clock last night
from Santa Monica, where they had been
since Saturday evening. They will re-
main in Los Angeles until tonight when
| they will leave for San Francisco en-
route to their homes via Yellowstone
park.
Mr.. Hooker was greatly surprised to
learn that there had been a suspicion of
mystery about his movements. His ex-
PLANTATION of his trip and the time of his
arrival shows that his presence here
would have been known Friday had it
not been for the failure of Senator White
to receive telegram announcing his in
tended visit. Mr.. Hooker left San Fran
cisco Tuesday and went to Monterey and
Hotel del Monte remaining there until
the following day when he again went
north. Thursday he started south, in
tending to come at once to Los Angeles,
and an acquaintance telegraphed Sena-
tor White Of his coming. The latter was
not In the city and when at 80 o'clock
Friday afternoon Mr.. Hooker arrived at
the Arcade depot no one there knew
him. Before reaching the city, however,
he decided to take his party to Catalina
Island, and he therefore did not come
up town from the depot but simply
changed cars and proceeded to San Pc
dro. There he made cursory examina-
tion Of the harbor and then went to Cata-
lima, returning to the main land Satur-
day morning. Another examination of
the harbor was made, and the party
then took the Terminal train for Pasa-
dena. There they secured carriages and
visited a number Of points of interest
including the San Gabriel mission, after
which they returned to Los Angeles via
the electric railroad, and instead of stop
ping here went at once to Santa Monica
where they registered at the Arcadia
hotel.
At Santa Monica yesterday, after it
became known that he was there, he and
his party were shown every attention.
Among those who called upon him were
General Smith of the Soldiers home,
and eX-CongresSman MacLachlan, the
latter of whom had known him in con-
gress. Later Col. Otis president of the
Free Harbor league; Mr.. T. E. Gibbon,
vice-president of the Terminal railroad,
and Secretary Virgins of the chamber
| CT commerce, called at the hotel and in
vi'ed Mr.. Hooker to attend an informal
reception at the chamber of commerce
this morning at 8 o'clock. This he ac-
cepted. In the afternoon Mr.. Hooker,
Senator White and Col. Otis drove about
Santa Monica, visiting the Southern Pa
cific pier, the canyon and other points of
interest. In the evening, accompanied
by the members Of his family, Mr..
Hooker came quietly to the city, arriving
| at 1880 o'clock as stated.
WON'T TALK HARBOR
Although Mr.. Hooker could doubtless
talk most interestingly about the deep
water harbor which is to be built "some-
where on the Pacific coast as Gen. AL
ger has sta ted and although he is very
pleasant talker he will not talk harbor
| He declares that there is nothing to be
said about the matter in it's present
status; that the harbor matter is in the
hands of the proper authorities and
nothing he could say would throw any
light upon what is going to be done.
| A PRIVATE VISIT
|
has no official significance" said Mr.
Hooker. II am here not as member
of congress, not as chairman of the river
and harbor committee, not for the pur-
pose of making any particular personal
observations with reference to the har-
Dor matter, but l am here simply as
private citizen. 1t has long been my de-
sire to show my family this part of the
| 4 l.;~.
been here before and am therefore some
what ia miliar with the country. know
now and of course expected that this
harbor question is one in which all the
people here are interested and that IS
but natural, for it is an important mat
ter but so far as my visit here having
any connection whatever with that sub
ject, 1 can but repeat that I am not here
for the purpose of even acquainting my
self with the situation. That 1 will do
so, however, is a matter of course, for
wherever l go 1 hear som ething about
the harbor matter, and it would be i'm
possible for me not to learn much about
it, My stay will be much too short to
make possible any close examination
into the matter or of the premises, even
if such action was contemplated or nee
essary, but the matter is now in such
shape as to require no such official at
tention, and it would not be proper for
me to take any action even were SO
disposed or had the authority so to do
DOES NOT PRESUME PREFERENCE
"Under these circumstances / do not
think it would be proper for me to ex-
press any preference as between the two
principal plans proposed. Coming her?
as 1 do. simply on visit of pleasure,
would not presume to voice preference
if had one. l can not therefore say at
what point 1 think the work could be
done to the best advantage of the people
of this part of the state.
ALGER'S ATTITUDE
There seems to be some misunder-
standing as to the present attitude of the
| secretary of war. The act authorizing
the letting of contracts for the work is
not mandatory, as understand it. Such
provisions are usually couched in these
terms: The secretary of war may ad-
vertise for bids for this or that work, the
cost of which shall not exceed whatever
amount may be mentioned. That is the
general wording of the act and the mat
ter is, 1 think, left to his discretion
largely as to determine just what is
necessary You will remember that Sec