The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-05-15
BUILDING A SEAPORT
The Governments New BreakwateI
at San Pedro, Cal.
Millions of Dollars Being Expended
mt That Point In the Interests
of Great Inland In
dustries.

DNii1 oSdttle anu 1dCOlhd' Inc SOhi-
merce 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 $1,000, 900, 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 a canal across the
isthmus there will be nc 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 flour
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
81 100000 on this inner harbor there
will be 800 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 900, 900 break
water $500 feet long, which encircles
as with protecting arm the mouth of
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
| engineers to be better than that at
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
| its 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
| II was such a breakwater Mr..
| Huntington wanted at Santa Monica,
and to fight that all-powerful intlu-
ence the people of Los Angeles had
n ked for the same construction. 1t
was really n luxury, for the i'm
provement Of the inner harbor is 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 sixfeet, and near
| " the W hole length of the breakwater
| Is being built in so feet of water. 1T
| is . 600 feet from the shore TO the be-
ginning Of the work, and vessels not
| drawing more than % feet will be able
| to enter San Pedro along the coast
as well as by the sea. At present a
| trestlework extends from the shore to
| the landward end Of the breakwater.
| On this trcstle n 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
| 1000, 600 tons to finish the task.
1t IA. 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 shorter time than was al
lowed by the transportation experts
Of ten years ago. In the northwest the
transcuntinental railroads are con-
solidating their interests at one ter
minal, San Francisco has taken upon
itself n 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 Az
geles