Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-05-14
A GREAT NEW SEAPORT.
Great Outlay by the Government A4
San Pedro, for Southern Cali
fOrnia Commerce.

| fOrnfa Commerce.
The commerce of Puget Sound has
built Seattle and Tacoma. The COM
MERGE of the Golden Gate built San
Francisco. The inland wealth of south
ern California built Los Angeles. But
to the resources of the last is now be-
ing added free access to great deep
sea harbor at San Pedro, where the
United States government, at an ex-
pense of $5,00O,000, is taking advantage
! OF the natural features of the coast
line to construct a deep-water ship
ping terminal for three transconti-
mental railroad systems and landing
place for the Pacific ocean trade. With
the added facility of canal across the
isthmus there will be no place upon the
coastline of the United States with adj
vantages for domestic and foreign
trade superior to those of Los An
geles.
! The new San Pedro is an interesting
place, states Harper's Weekly. From
the low bluff along the coast the har-
Dor and it's surroundings lie spread
before the eye in all completeness. To
the north is Point Firman, where -four
ishes the abalone industry, the gath
ering of those beautiful shells which
all travellers carry away with them as
mementos of their visit to the south
ern California coast. In front of the
little town, paralleling the shore of
the mainland, lies the sand spit which
protects the real or inner harbor, the
waters of which bear the commerce
of the port. Dead Mans, island, to the
north, marks the entrance, and where
the protecting arm joins the mainland
to the south is great tidewater fiat,
which in time will be dredged out to
afford more berth room for ships.
When the government has expended
100000 on this inner harbor there
will be 500 acres of 24-feet water and
nine miles of berthage for ships. With
these improvements it will compare
favorably with the Clyde, the Thames
and other great shipping points in the
world. The government is now build
ing at an expense of So 100000 break
water $500 feet long, which encircles
the inner harbor.
The late C. P. Huntington, in his man
agement of Southern Pacific affairs,
spent million and a half dollars at
Santa Monica, but a short distance
south of San Pedro, but the determi-
nation of the people to use the water
way which had been declared by the
|
Santa Monica rendered his efforts to
defeat the appropriation for San Pedro
unavailing. Los Angeles is now
reached by the Southern Pacific and
the Santa Fe systems, and from Los
Angeles to Salt Lake, Senator w. A.
Clark is building another railroad,
which, taken in connection with the
roads from Salt Lake and Denver to
the east, will bring to Los Angeles and
it's harbor, San Pedro, the traffic of
another great transcontinental route.
The river and harbor committee of
congress went to San Pedro last sum-
mer and inspected the work in prog
gress. The members of the commit
tee wondered why congress had not
first devoted money to the improve
ment of the inner harbor before build
ing a breakwater to protect the outer
anchorage. They learned then that
it was such breakwater Mr..
Huntington wanted at Santa Monica,
and to fight that all-powerful influ-
ence the people of Los Angeles had
asked for the same construction. It
was really a luxury, for the i'm
provement of the inner harbor is a ne
cessity. They did not dare leave the
matter to further contest, however,
for they were aware of the skill of
their opponent. They won the break
water and now they want 100000
for the inner harbor.
Deep water comes close in to the
shore on the Pacific coast. The tide
rises and falls about six feet, and near
ly the whole length of the breakwater
is being built in so feet of water. It
is 2,oO0 feet from the shore to the be-
ginning of the work, and vessels not
drawing more than rs feet will be able
to enter San Pedro along the coast
as we'll as by the sea. At present
trest1ework extends from the shore to
the landward end of the breakwater.
On this trestle locomotive draws the
carloads of rock which are dumped
into the sea. Some Of these rocks
weigh 20 tons each, but it will take over
100000 tons to finish the task.
1t has been predicted that in years
to come there will be three great
American cities on the Pacific coast
one on Puget sound, one at the Golden
Gate and one in southern California.
This prophecy bids fair to be realized
within a shorter time than was al
lowed by the transportation experts
of ten years ago. In the northwest the
transcontinental railroads are con-
solidating their interests at one ter
minal. San Francisco has taken upon
itself new growth and prosperity
since the recent awakening of the orr
entail trade. With like unanimity the
great transportation interests of the
southwest are centering at Los An
geles.
| Strange Spring.
A reDOrt from WASHINGTON county