Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-07
SAN PEDRO NOT PARTICU-
LARLY ENTHUSED
Citizens Satisfied to Become Part Of
Los Angeles, as They Realize
Local Pride VIII Not
Be Hurt

4 AFFAIR, In view OF the fact that the
4 result easily can be foretold.
u That the freeholders' charter will be
81 defeated practically is admitted by the
opponents OF the consolidation plan, but
those who are opposed to the ideas of
4 Flying the city's hands for at least two
years claim that there is not the slight
est doubt that the charter will fail of
adoption by large majority.
WI Opponents OF consolidation express
itheir determination to keep up the
fight to the last While they virtually
ndmit that the result today Is a fore
gone conclusion they claim that the de-
feat of the charter will not mean that
u the majority of the people of San Pedro
are in favor of consolidating with Los
Angeles, and that when that question
comes to q vote 1t will be signally de-
feated.
Danger in Delay
1t is claimed that the sentiment
against the freeholders' charter should
not be regarded as an evidence favor
able to consolidation. but rather to
desire to wait until the city can adopt
charter that will be more suitable for
the city.
"The residents of San Pedro, or a
large majority of them, are in favor of
consolidating with Los Angeles. and it
is useless to attempt to find any other
excuse for the certain defeat of the
freeholders' charter" declared L. Han
son yesterday.
Mr.. Hanson is one of the prominent
business men and large property
holder of San Pedro, and as chairman
of the consolidation committee of San
Pedro has taken a leading part in the
campaign in favor of consolidating with
Los Angeles.
There was at the meeting OF the
agitation for consolidation considerable
-sN tn. 30 Co. hno NvN,fr,
part of Los Angeles, but the more the
people studied the subject the less
strenuous became the opposition" con-
tinued Mr.. Hanson. "At first the peo-
pie entertained all kinds of fears re-
garding possible unfavorable condi-
tions which might follow consolida-
tion.
Will Not Lose Identity
zone of the greatest obstacles to
overcome was that of pride. The citi-
zens of San Pedro are patriotic. They
are proud Of their little city and they
4 have great hopes for its future, and
they feared that should it become
part of Los Angeles, San Pedro would
lose it's identity.
when however, the borough system
(which will be adopted was explained
W the opposition on this score began to
4 disappear. The people realized that
San Pedro always would be known by
that name, and that as far as glory is
II concerned none would be lost by be-
81 coming part of Los Angeles.
~ '"Too, the people readily saw the adj
q vantage that would be gained by being
a part of great city when 1t came to
n asking congress for further appropria-
81 tions for the Improvement of both the
outer and inner harbor; and in addi-
ton to this came the realization the
n harbor gradually is slipping away from
4 the control of the city, and that the an
4 ticipated immense revenues for water
n front privileges will never be col
y lected. N
Possibility of Harbor Elsewhere
"It was realized that the citizens of
Los Angeles were determined that the
city should extend to the sea and con-
troll a free harbor. Also it was realized
that San Pedro is not the only place
<along the coast adjacent to Los Ange-
lies where there can be created a har-
Dor. and that IL it became necessary
n for Los Angeles to create another har-
Dor there would be little chance to Sc
cure further appropriations for San
Pedro harbor
'The taxation feature also was a
4 bugaboo until the consolidation COM
Il mission presented facts showing that
4 under the proposed consolidation
n scheme the taxation in San Pedro
would not be as heavy as it is at pres
ent.
"a favorable influence was the
4 knowledge that San Pedro by CONSOLE
dating with Los Angeles, at once would
be entitled to the free delivery postal
"A service, and for which she would be
compelled to wait several years under
the most favored conditions.
while San Pedro at present has all
the water necessary and doubtless will
have for many years to come, there Is
q feeling that the source of the city's
! water supply should be absolutely GER
tain.
Taken altogether, the large major
4 ity of the people of San Pedro now
a realize that they will have nothing to
4 lose and everything to gain by consoli-
dating with Los Angeles, and predict
"A that this will become an accomplished
+ fact within the next two months"
81 Trustees Compelled to Act
Il Some doubt was expressed whether
N the board of trustees of San Pedro, the
majority of the members of which are
said to be opposed to annexation, would
4 vote to call n special election on the
question of consolidation.
Laws of California provide for this.
4 and trustees are compelled to call such
an election when the petitions are
4 signed by 20 per cent of the qualified
voters.
Additional signatures daily are being
added to the petitions asking that such
an election be held. Nearly 60 per cent
of the voters of San Pedro thus far
have signed the petitions, and 1t is ex-
| pected that not less than 80 per cent
will have attached their signatures be-
fore the petitions are presented to the
board of trustees. probably during the
present week.
! Petitions to the city council of Los
n Angeles, asking for the holding of a
4 Especial consolidation election, will be
circulated In Los Angeles within a few
N days. providing the freeholders' char
Y Ter Is defeated in San Pedro today,
which is considered certain.
She-ln man and woman OF equal
M weight tbs -woman's tongue is smaller
han the mans.
4 He-Thats nothing. A woman's