Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-13
EXTEN D
LIN ITS
OF CITY
Boundaries to Run to
Very Gates Of
San Pedro
Election for Annexation
Will Re Held
Nov. IL
Council Takes Action on Petitions Of
Chamber Of Commerce Bearing
1900 Signatures Of


cling arm around San Pedro and Will
mington and make it possible for these
two cities, with the magnificent har-
Dor at San Pedro, to become a part
'of Los Angeles, if two-thirds of the
voters of this city and the proposed
territory to be annexed so elect No
vember 12
A strip of land sixteen miles long
and a half mile wide is to be annexed
to the city and this strip will run
to the very doors of San Pedro and
Wilmington.
This action was brought about by
the quickest work of the kind ever
done in Los Angeles. Thursday the
chamber of commerce circulated petit
tions for the annexation of this land
and yesterday morning nearly 1900 vot-
ers OF this city had attached their
signatures This great number of
names secured in such short space
Of time was made possible only by the
fact that every voter approached not
only willingly attached his signature,
but aided in the work of securing
others. This more clearly than any
thing else the chamber of commerce
feels, expresses the sentiment of the
citizens and voters of Los Angeles
Vote Quickly canvassed
Yesterday morning the petition was
filed with the city clerk and before
3 O'Clock in the afternoon he had can
vassed the signatures with the great
register. nullifed duplicates and report
ed on them at a special session of the
council held at O'Clock yesterday aft
ernoon.
city Attorney Mathews was made
aware of what was doing and when the
council was ready to meet Mr. Mathews
had the proper ordinance drawn up
and ready for passage, providing that
a special election for the annexation
be held November IL, the earliest date
at which such an election may be le-
gally held as thirty days publication
is necessary. The ordinance passed the
council by every vote present, even
Dock Houghton being anxious that 1t
be not delayed.
The plan was formulated and exc
cuted by the harbor committee of the
+ chamber of commerce and was kept
secret until the petitions were ready
for circulation. The territory to be
embraced was carefully considered, and
although the strip of land suggested is
annexed primarily in order to make the
city limits of Los Angeles contiguous
with those of San Pedro and Whining
ton, large tract of water-b bearing
lands. containing several square miles,
will also be added at the same time.
Includes Water Land
The territory to be annexed adjoins
Santa Barbara avenue on the SOUTH
the present southern limits of the city,
and makes a bee line west to Arling-
ton avenue. On Arlington the line runs
south for three miles, thence east
again for about mile and a half and
to within one-fOurtT of a mile north
of Sunnyside. This forms half of an
almost square expanse of territory.
The other half of the square is
formed by lines running south on Cen
trail avenue for three miles and then
west to withni a few hundred feet of
Figueroa street.
From these two points the lines run
south in an almost direct course, the
one on Vermont avenue and the other
east of Figueroa street until they
come to an abrupt halt at the city gates
of San Pedro and Wilmington. The
square adjoining the southern portion
of the city contains the water-bear-
ing lands and by taking this in the
city wall have an added source of
water supply,
Frustrate Harbor Grabs
The chamber of commerce is con-
WINGED of the necessity for the annexa-
tion of this territory. The proposed
consolidation of Los Angeles city and
county seems a long way off. To await
consolidation in order to control the
San Pedro harbor would give an inter-
val In which selfish interests would
have time to gain control of the har-
Dor, with the exception of the small
portion of water frontage reserved by
the United States government. and
make what now promises to be the
greatest free harbor of the Pacific
coast corporation owned. 70 the great
detriment Of the interests of Los An
geles and all Southern California
The attempted grabs of the water
front BY the Southern Pacific 'in many
thin DISCUSSES and In some instances
utterly unmasked, has hast ened the de-
cision Of the harbor committee to place
the water front, as nearly as possible,
in the hanSs of Los Angeles.
But the annexation of this territory
does not bring to this city the control
of the harbor. II only makes II pos
sible The state constitution forbds
the annexation Of any territory to a
city that is not contiguous to its boun-