Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-04
SAN PEDRo's OPPORTUNITY
Judge Sidney Dell Presents the Facts
to His Fellow citl-
Trom Ihe San Pedro News.


From the San Pedro News
It is the chance Of a century for San
Pedro in the proposed consolidation
with Los Angeles. Every good citizen
should put his thinking cap upon this
vital question and bestir himself
actively If he would see this city take
a front rank on the coast. / once
thought It might be best for us to have
partial autonomy, a borough system,
retaining some control of the harbor.
But now / am straight out for annexa-
tion, as a ward Of Greater Los Angeles.
There is nothing for us to gain by San
Pedro holding control of the harbor,
She has only a part Of 1t now. Even If
she beats Long Beach for East San
Pedro. still wilmington will divide the
control of the harbor. This condition,
so mixed UP and impotent for good,
would soon cause a state harbor COM
mission, under control of politicians
another name for the Southern Pacific.
III san Pedro and Wilmington unite
with Los Angeles, under a freeholders'
charter, it will put the people i'm con-
troll of this harbor and will end the
political scheme for state harbor coLs-
mission. whereby San Pedro could be
held down to San Dlegos level as is now
the game, while the Golden Gate con-
tlnues to be boosted
Consolidation would insure, and mag
ically hasten. San Pedro's seaport
supremacy, now choked off by railroad
deals against San Pedro and Los An
geles. The Legislature would not dare
take from the mighty people of Greater
Los Angeles control of the harbor once
vested in them by consolidation. Let
us act quickly IL we would save our
port.
Again, control of the harbor by the
Los Angeles city council could not be
to hurt us. 1t could only be for the
highest and best development of this
port. just as much at least as in case
of San Pedro's trustees. Los Angeles
has no wish except to build UP the
port. She has vastly more interest
than San Pedro in building up this port.
She has an hundred times greater in
terests; she has five hundred times as
many shrewd and able business men
who would then take an active interest
In developing the commerce of the port; ;
ir making and extending public
wharves; in pushing streets out to the
water front in getting terminal rates
for their wharves and warehouses and
branch wholesale stores at tide water;
in word, in making this Los Angeles
seaport Gas it would then be) the
greatest on this coast.
Now we get scant notice in the world
wide advertising schemes of her great
chamber of commerce; then we would
be the very center of it all. The ident-
ity of San Pedro would be effaced,
say some. Just what is needed-let
its identity be merged into that of the
magical city with all it's advantages,
including a share in the Owens river
water. 1t would mean Spring street
values from Beacon street to Pacific
avenue.
But the gem, the great prize of con-
solidation, would be a partnership in
the owens river water, an investment
or the ground floor worth, by actual
test. at least $23OOO,O0 net. Not a
burden through water bonds, since it
would pay big interest on the invest
ment. Water is king in Southern Cali
fornia and this supply insures the
future (once seriously menacedD of the
San Gabriel valley and San, Pedro
Water is the drawing card for the
tourist. 1t is the key to our situation
Not only So but what can we possibly
lose by this consolidation of all this
harbor into one mighty harmonious
city? Let the croaker and doubter
answer me that question. Indeed, we
have all to gain and nothing to lose.
1t is the opportunity of the century
for San Pedro. SIDNEY DELL.