Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-26
RAILROADS FIGHT
ANNEXAT|0N|STS
HAND is SHOWN IN FIGHT AT
SAN PEDRO
Movement to Secure Terminal Rates
Considered a Scheme to Divide
Sentiment In the Har-
Dor City


meeting Of the consolidation commits
sion for still another week. and con-
seauently no definite proposition for
the annexation of San Pedro and Will
mington will be announced before the
evening Of August %.
The long delay is due to the inability
of several of the committees of the COM
mission to complete the tasks assigned
to them. There are four of these COM
mites at work-those on harbors,
boundaries, annexation ad interim and
law--aifd none of them is yet ready TO
report.
Affairs with respect to the annexa-
tion of San Pedro have taken turn
which makes It necessary for the mem
bers of the commission to outline
definite plan, and until this can be done
il probably will be useless to hold an
other public meeting.
Meantime the independent movement
that has been started in San Pedro with
the object of securing for the citizens
of the harbor town the benefit of ter
minal rates from the two railroads en-
tering that city. is causing some of the
members of the consolidation commits
sion considerable concern.
interpreting the Move
Great stress has been laid on the pros
pect that the granting of terminal rates
would follow the annexation of San
Pedro and Wilmington to Los An
geles, and the members of the COM
mission are finding some difficulty in
interpreting this independent move.
Some of them are inclined to think
ii is a clever scheme on the part of the
railroad companies to defeat the an
nexation plan, and that the roads CEN
tering in San Pedro are really back of
the proposition to secure terminal rates
for that city.
At first glance the theory that the
railroads are willing to grant so i'm
portant concession as terminal rates
to the harbor town may seem a trif1e
far-fetched, but when it is remembered
that the railroad companies have a
greater stake in San Pedro to play for,
the situation takes on a different as
pect.
Control of the harbor is of more i'm
portance to the Salt Lake and Southern
Pacific than the concession Of a ter
minal rate, and in the event of annex
alton with Los Angeles this control
would in all probability be wrested
from them.
Would Destroy Sentiment
The theory, therefore, is that by
granting a terminal rate to San Pedro
they hope to destroy much of the sem
timent in favor of annexation existing
in that town at present, and by this
means continue their control of the
harbor situation.
One of the leading members of the
consolidation commission, and one who
is thoroughly conversant with the har-
Dor situation, said yesterday
I'm my opinion the announcement in
The Herald that the citizens of San
Pedro are making an effort to secure a
terminal rate from the two railroads
entering that town means simply that
the railroads are trying to execute a
coup to defeat the annexation move
ment.
They evidently have come to the
conclusion that the sentiment in San
Pedro and Wilmington is strongly in
favor of a merger of both towns with
Los Angeles, and they also know that
If annexation is brought about Los An
geles will be placed in control of the
harbor.
Railroad Working
"A change in the harbor situation is
the one thing the railroads are trying
to prevent. and / have no doubt they
would freely grant a terminal rate con-
cession if by that means they could
prevent the two harbor towns from
being joined to this city.
1.-THE scheme is certainly a clever one,
but for all that l believe it will fail.
for the citizens of San Pedro are not
likely to lose sight of another pos
sibility, and that is that If present
conditions continue much longer it is
practically certain that state harbor
commission will take charge of their
harbor. By consolidating with Los An
geles they would not only retain con-
troll of the harbor, but they also would
get the benefit of terminal rates.
Annexation with Los Angeles, there
fore, means that the citizens of San
Pedro and Wilmington will receive all
the benefits the railroad companies have
to offer, together with more important
ones which these companies do not
haven't in their power to grant.
Opposition Under Cover
"The commission has known from the
time of it's organization that in the
annexation of most of the surrounding
towns it will find itself opposed to the
railroads. 1t is possible the opposition
will remain under cover, but 1t will be
there Just the same. 5f-.t
This is especially true of the harbor
towns, San Pedro, Wilmington and
Long Beach. There is no question that
the granting of terminal rate will be
of immense advantage to all of those
towns, but / have no doubt the rail-
roads would cheerfully grant this con-
cession If by so doing they can create
sentiment against annexation, which
would leave them in control of the har-
Dor. But l am confident this policy, If
1t is carried out. will prove to be a
short sighted one. and work to the in
jury of both the railroads and the beach
towns. Present conditions down there
cannot continue much longer, and the
appointment of a harbor commission
would leave the railroads in the posi-
tion of having granted terminal rate
to the cities named and receiving moth
ing in return"
Define Boundaries
At the next meeting of the commis-
sion 1t is expected that the boundaries
for Greater Los Angeles will be de-
fined. A special committee composed
of Messrs Mueller, Fleming and Har-
bert has been appointed for the pur-
pose Of considering this subject The
commission has practically decided
upon a policy of annexation, and the
new committee will report on the cities
and towns which II is desirable to an
mex. So far efforts have been concen-
trated largely on the San Pedro propo-
cftfon ond tnybfIa this nronoafffon will