Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-19
LAND PARTY ON
THE MAGIC ISLE
ExcURsIoNlsTs SUCCEED IN
EVADlNG TAX
Two Steamers From Long Beach
Errer Harbor at Avalon and Put
Passengers Ashore In
Small Boats

With the mad rush of seventy-tour
messengers across the figurative dead
line at Catalina island yesterday after
noon the power Of the Bannings TO
dictate control of the landing passed
into history and the little steamer san
Diego shrieked it's triumph through 1ts
whistles over the victorious result VI
it's madcap expedition.
For the first time in the history or tIe
island passengers were ianueo thel
vest erday without being taxed the usual
1925 demanded by the Barllins eott, IL
pany and the strenuous enorts OF thS
visitors to effect the landing resemoled
a charge during time of war.
Every Yacht, steamer or row boat thdl
ever visited the magic isle always PAID
we'll. The passengers always donated
the required amount ana landed pea.
ably. All attempts to break up the
combination failed until yesterday, ana
as a result the inhabitants of the island
are waiting expectantly for anoth er
bunch of the same sort of excitement
The steamer San Diego, owned Dy
Cant Hollar and under the direction
of Capt. Bell left Long Beach yester-
day morning shortly after the regular
morning trip of the Cabrillo. At that
time there was crowd OF men anu
women at the wharf eager to figure in
the novel raid. AS the steamer left the
harbor the steamer Music, small boat;
took a crowd of passengers on board
and started OH the same trip, eager 10
be in at the death.
The passengers ON both steamers
were charged 81 instead of $2,25 revenue
demanded by the Banning lines.
News of the coming raid was spread
about the island by the officers of the
Cabrillo and by the time of the arrival
of the San Diego, Il warm welcome had
been prepared. Along the water front
the boatmen and company employees
had stretched rope and two hundred
husky wharfmen manned this coast
guard.
The visitors on the island hurried to
the water front to watch the excite
ment, and when the San Diego rode
into the harbor the entire population
was out to receive her.
The steamer first drew up to the Ban
ming wharf and called for the wharf
master. Deputy Sheriff Abilla, on duty
at the time, responded.
Captain Bell, through megaphone,
offered to pay $25 wharfage for priv
ilege to land at the wharf. The permits
sion was denied. He then sent word
that he would anchor in the bay and
send his passengers ashore in the small
boats. He was warned not to do this
by the Banning representatives, VINO
We're lined up under the management
of former Director Of the Island Staun-
ton.
The captain answered that 1t was low
tide and that his passengers were en-
titled to land according to the marine
code. The steamer then withdrew from
the wharf and the small boats f1lled
with passengers We're lowered.
The passengers were stationed on the
beach Just above the water line but
their progress was barred by the rope
and its two hundred guardsmen.
For half an hour the visitors remained
close TO the wharf watching chance
but We're repulsed at every step, George
NJ. Harlow, a business man of Avalon
did everything in his power to aid the
invaders, but failed.
But 1t was left to two pretty Los An
geles girls to win the day. By clever
ruse. Misses May Fallon and Bess Nc
Mullin who were members OF the In
vading party, pretended to make sud
den dash down the water front TO
reach the far end of the rope. The
guardsmen dashed to head them off
and like flash the two girls went
under the rope and across the water
front street of Avalon, the guardsmen
turning and trying to head them off,
But they were too late. for as soon as
the other passengers saw the ruse they
dashed beneath the deserted rope and
i'm a fash the island had been taken by
storm and the first visitors In the his
tory Of Avalon had succeeded In dodg-
ing the Banning tax.
But to the credit OF the employees Of
the Banning company ii must be said
that they were as game losers as they
We're lighters, aud when they faced de-
feat they gave the commercial pirates