Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-17

LOS ANGELES, May IA, editor
HeralO' The dreadful calamity that
befell San Francisco was not caused
sponslble for or could have prevented.
1t, however, affords an opportunity for
Los Angeles to build for herself, and
In doing that she will not add to the
Injury her neighbor city has received.
nor should 1t be construed as lack
Of sympathy and commlseration If this
city should redouble its energies in its
own behalf.
II Los Angeles and San Francisco
had started at the same time and un-
der equally favorable conditions itI
might have been doubtful Whether one
or the other would have achieved by
this time the first place commercially
and financially on the Pacific coast
Each has certain natural advantages
that the other docs not possess, and
whether on the whole those of one are
greater than those of the other is n
question on which there are differences
of opinion.
Harbor Advantages
In natural harbor the advantage was
with San Francisco, and at first she
was near the center of the enormousI
gold production which occurred i'm
mediately after the acquisition of Cal
ifornia from Mexico. Through it San
Francisco gained an early and con-
spicuous position--an almost phenome-
nal growth. More than this she was
the Pacific coast terminus of the
isothermal line that ran through the
then most populous and rapidly devel-
oping section of the nation and along |
which was displayed the greatest en-
terprse. San Francisco's position and |
the circumstances of the times made |
1t imperative that the western term
mus of the first transcontinental rail- |
road should be at that city.
If at that time Los Angeles had been |
prominent, and unfavorable conditions
had not existed on account of the
civil war, the first transcon tinental
railroad might have terminated here.
for to this city from the great Missis-
sippi valley are the shorter routes, and
the topography of the country is more
inviting, being less expensive to build
over than to San Francisco. The gaps
in the mountains that point to Los An
geles are of lower altitude than any
others between the boundaries of Mex
leo and British Columbia
The distances from this city to
oriental countries in the main are less
than those from San Francisco,
of the earth is in her
favor. Los Angeles has no natural har-
Dor, which is to her disadvantage, but
among the best harbors in the world
are those that are artificial.
That at Cherbourg, France, was
created by the expenditure of 5000
O00 A great harbor can be created at
San Pedro in addition to the break
water in process of construction by an
of half the sum that was
on Galveston. To accommo-
date the immense region lying east and
tributary to Los An
geles, the government will not hesi-
tate to construct a harbor that will
facilitate the prospective commerce ]
that should be conducted through this
city. The importance OF this city is
signified by the fact that three trans {
railroads have termlni {
here. There is no place south ward, nor
any northward, short of San Francisco
that can ever compete with this city.
Best Climate
There are some things in this local ]
ity more attractive than those which {
exist farther north, for within the last {
fifteen years Los Angeles has grown
much faster than San Francisco, and {
so has the country adjacent than that '
Wnlch is contagious and tributary TO
that city. Climate and productivity 1
n quantum and variety have had much +
10 do with the rapid growth of Los /
Angeles. I
Another element that has lent it's \
is that the sections east @
ward have been more rapidly devel 4
)ped of late than those whose oceanic q
1utlet has been through San Francisco. r
Commerce seeks the lines of least a
.aaiotanno and tho QhOrfoSt oP hot q
character. BY the time San Fran t
,sico is so far recovered from her re- t
,ent catastrophe that she can re-enter t
he field of competition, Los Angeles a
will have achieved the first place on v
he Pacific coast if her citizens shall a