Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-30
TRADE OF ORIENT
MAY CENTER HERE
DISASTER MAY HELP LOS AN
GELES AND SAN PEDRO
Heads Of TranscontlnentaI Railroads
and Steamship Lines Looking for
New Pacific Port-CaIlfornia
Better Fitted Than North

What effect will the recent destruc-
ton of San Francisco have upon rail-
road building in the southwest?"
This is question which all railroad
men answer optimistically. 1t is the
general belief that the prospect for
Southern California was never brighter
so far as railroads are now concerned
1t will be some time before the huge
amount of business, both to and from
the orient, can again pass through the
Golden Gate and it must seek other
outlets.
Seattle with it's harbor facilities will
become greater gateway than it has
ever been on account of the business 1T
will receive which formerly went by the
way of San Francisco, 1t is said.
San Pedro Natural Gateway
The more natural gateway, however,
will be by the way of San Pedro. 1t is
now predicted that this harbor will
rise with giant leap to a place among
the great ports of the world
Many reasons for this are being al :
vanced. 1t is more closely in touch
with the orient by several hundred
Seattle, and it can be reached from the
east by shorter railroad lines.
Already the Pacific Coast Steamship
company has made San Pedro in place
of San Francisco it's main port for Mex
1can business. 1t is thought more than
likely that j. j. Hill, who controls this
company, now wishes that the line for
which he has asked a franchise between
San Pedro and Los Angeles were al
ready built. The only advantage that
the northern ports have over San Pc
dro is in the fact that they have better
railroad facilities.
Harbor Equal to Any
San Pedro now has deep sea harbor
which has been constructed at a great
expense and is equal to any in the
world. 1t Is the belief of railroad and
steamship men that once the tide of
business is trained to go and come by
the way of San Pedro that it will never
leave the track that it has beaten.
This will Immediately necessitate
more railroad facilities than the south
west now possesses. New transcon-
tinental lines would find rich harvest
waiting them here and would not be
long in reaping it. A great future for
San Pedro means great future for
Los Angeles and for all the southwest
viii Probably Build
James J. Hill has already shown that
he appreciates the fact that the south
west is destined to become as great,
IL lioC BredleT, lndn the nOrthWe WeSt
| which is already cobwebbed with Hills
great system of steam roads. When he
fully realizes what future there is in
store for San Pedro, the great port of
the southwest, 1t is believed that he will
push great trunk line with it's hun
dreds of feeders to Los Angeles and
will connect it with the systems which
are owned or controlled by him in the
east and northwest.
! Gould has already recognized the
southwest as the most fertile land for
building new railroads While he is a
young man, he is considered one of the
wisest railroad men of the present day,
and has never yet overlooked a good
opportunity.
| He, too, has been seriously pondering
upon the question of entering Los An
geles, and that there will now be a
greater reason than. ever why he should
build here, is acknowledged by all.