The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-07

greater shipping facilities. and at that
time 1T was not supposed that the
santa Monica project would interfere
with the great san Pedro enterprise,
twice officially endorsed by government
engineers. An awakening came soon.-
however c. p. Huntington visited Los
angeles and sought 2 secret interview
with ID. Freeman president. and Cen
erai Charles FOrman, a vice president
OF the chamber of commerce. In the
course Of that interview Nj Hunting
ton said.
Now, I propose to be frank with
YOU people. I do not find il to my
advantage to have this harbOr built at
san Pedro. and ] BhalI be compelled
10 oppose all efforts that you or others
make to secure appropriations for that
site; on the other hand, the Santa
Monica location viii suit me perfectly.
and If you folks will get in and work
for that you VIII find me on your side
and I think I have some little in
huenCe al Westinghouse much as
some other people. perhaps.
Mr. Huntington went on to explain
that he intended 10 make Santa Monica
the great port Of southern California.
and wound up by bringing his fist down
with a bang on the desk in front of
him and angrily saying:
well, I don't know, for sure, that
I can get this money for santa Monica;
think I can. But / know damned
wen that you shall never get a cent
for that other place.
He did his best to carry out his
threat
In 1892 Southern Pacific agents se-
cured the signatures Of eighty-three
Los Angeles merchants to a petition
favOring Santa Monica as a harbOr
site In March, 1894, Mr. Huntington
tried to get, the Los Angeles chamber
rnN 70
A vote was taken after a lively cam
paign, the result being 32S to i31 in
favor Of San Pedro.
Senator Whites Victory.
Stephen NJ. White Of Los Angeles. a
Democrat was elected to the United
States senate. 1t was he who finally
won the harbor for San Pedro The
Democrats were in power nationally.
and Senator Frye was forced TO resign
the Craftsmanship OF the committee on
commerce, Ransom of North Carolina
taking his place Senator White was
on the committee
In June, 1894. the senate committee
on commerce heard the Los Angeles
representatives in favor Of an apprO-
priation for the San Pedro harbor and
Q. p Huntington and some Of his en-
plOyes in favor of "a 600 600 appro-
priatiOn for Santa Monica. The fight
between the people and a corporation
became so marked that II attracted
national interest Mr. Huntington was
on the ground directing the fight in
person, and he threw all his brain and
energy into the contest. 1t was soon
found that he controlled the committee
on commerce. Frye of Maine, Jones
Of Nevada, Dolph Of Oregon, Ransom Of
North Carolina and German of Mary
land were ready to do his bidding, the
last two having reversed their posi-
ton with great suddenness- CullOm Of
Illinois, Berry Of Arkansas and White
of California were for San Pedro A
motion was finally passed deferring ac-
ton until the succeeding year in or
der to give the members of the com
mfttee on commerce an opportunity to
visit the two harbOTs and form an
opinion on their respective merits -
Senator CUllOm was the only one who
went. The motion was only part of
the dilatOry tactics of the opposition
That fall the question entered poll
tics, and both Republican and Demo-
cratic candidates for congress were
forced to pledge themselves to San
Pedro. James McLachlan, Republican,
was elected
Up TO this time the Los Angeles
Times had been the only newspaper in
that city favoring the San Pedro har-
Dor. In 1894 the Herald changed hands
and began to work for the harbOr.
About the same time the Free HarbOr
pose of carrying on the contest
Creating Public Sentiment.
Among the plans used for influencing
sentiment in congress was one which
met with encouraging success A cir
cular letter TO members of congress
was drawn. Then each member OF the
cham Der of commerce was asked if he
had any friends in congress. Two hum
dred of the 600 members responded.
Each Of these sent copy of the letter
10 the member whom he knew person
ally, and in this way congressman from
all over the Union were reached by per
gOnaI letters A fund was raised 10
carry on the fight
In 1896 the national finances were so
low that the general policy announced
In congress was to keep expenses down
to the minimum and to appropriate no
money for rivers and harbOTs except
TO carry out existing contracts 1t was
decided in Los Angeles TO be useless
to try at that time for the So 600, 600 to
complete the outer harbOr- Instead of
this without abandoning the outer
harbOr idea, the people of Los Angeles
through their representatives in both
houses, asked 100000 to deepen the in
ner harbor-
1t was not supposed that Mr.. Hun
tingtOn would have the audacity to ask
for a large appropriation for Santa
Monica, but he was a man full of sur
prises- The sessions of the house com
uittee on rivers and harbors were kept
secret. Binger Herman, a member OF
the committee, engineered a deal
whereby the appropriation for the in
ner harbOr at San Pedro was granted
but 100000 was appropriated for
Santa Monica. thus committing the
government to Il deep-sea harbOr al
that place. instead Of San Pedro. This
was against the request of the CalifOr-
MIA delegation in both senate and
house. but Mr. Huntington's viii was
placed above the desires Of the people
OF California.
The scheme leaked out before the bill
was reported and an uproar went III
for Los Angeles. Representative Nc
Lachlan protested Mr.. Hermann told
him if the opposition to Santa Monica
was kept UP both items would bt
stricken out The protest continued
and the threat was carried out. Mr.
Hsrrmann's motion in committee t
eliminate both items being passed
Congressman Charles A. TOwne o
Minnesota later had a $4,000 appro
priatiOn inserted for the redredging O.
the inner harboT at San Pedro.
Later Mr.. Hermann, acting for Mr.
Huntington, made a proposition to sc
an appropriation for both harbOrs