Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-30
SECRETARY OF
WAR APPROVES
HARBOR LINES
ALL OBSTACLES REMOVED,
WORK MAY PROCEED
WRIGHT PUTS o. x. ON ENGlN-
EERs' REPORT
Department at Washington Accepts
Findings of Board-clalms of
Private interests Garry
}. Little Weight

Secretary Luke e. Wright of the war
department has approved the findings
of the army engineers board establish
ing the inner harbor lines for San
Pedro, the seaport of Los Angeles, and
the object long sought by harbor and
commercial bodies has been reached at
last.
Judging by the earlier dispatches
there is nothing in the way of federal
limitation now to hamper the expan-
sion of San Pedro harbor or the MAX
ing of plans to use the big national
refuge to its fullest extent as a depot
for world commerce.
In approving the report Secretary
Wright carries out the preliminary
steps taken by his predecessor, w. H.
Taft, and he thereby opened the way
for private interests to carry on their
dredging and other plans as conditions
| may dictate.
San Pedro can also push along its
municipal tunnel and breakwater ex-
tension scheme on definite knowledge
OF harbor survey.
Word fror, Washington
The first message bearing on Secre-
tary Wright's decision reached the
chamber Of commerce at o'clock when
a telegram from r. Woodland Gates,
who represents the chamber in Wash
| tngton, stated that the secretary had
just approved the boards recommended
tions with reference to the harbbr lines.
Later Secretary A. P. Fleming of
the Los Angeles harbor commission
received this telegram from the attor-
ney of the city of Wilmington at Wash
ington, DR.. c.:
''Harbor lines approved without ac-
cepttng quit cfaffns.r5
Messrs. Gates and Mcclure have been
in telegraphic communication with the
Los Angeles commercial and harbor
bodies for weeks watching the course
of the engineers and the war depart
ment, knowing that hostile corporations
were in no haste to grant harbor
privileges to outsiders.
Ignore Tide Claims
The engineers report, forwarded by
Capt. Amos A. Fries on behalf of the
| board of engineers, included the outer
as well as the inner harbor, but did
not take into consideration the question
of quitclaims to tide lands whose own
ership was claimed by the Bannings
and by transportation interests. These
claims are held to be worthless by the
most eminent counsel in California.
| The report showed what government
funds and direction had accomplished
In excavating materials, laying out
| boundaries and other costly prepara-
tory work, and also contained exact
| measurements on maps for every foot
of the harbor.
| All the territory within the mapped
area can now be dredged as fast as the
private companies announce their plans
for deepening, for piers, wharves, slips
and other adjuncts of a modern harbor.
Quick Work
Capt Fries was in Lon; Beach yes
| terday when the Washington adVices
reached Long Beach and he was noti-
fed by telephone. They gave him much
pleasure.
why, that seems to be a record
lease" said Capt. Fries.
| Our report left here on the 18th and
| 1t probably got to the war department
on the 22d or 23d. The secretarys Of
flee must have given Los Angeles busi-
ness the right of way.
| Il suppose in about six days we will
get a formal notice from the depart
ment that the findings have been ap-
proved"
The report on which Secretary
| Wright acted was prepared by Col
John Biddle, Captain Fries and Lieut..
Charles 7. Leeds. These engineers took
testimony from all interested in the
harbor, besides investigating the pure
|
Government Liberal
Meanwhile the government is going
ahead with its dredging operations fin
ishing the turning basin. About $115,-
900 remains of this appropriation, which
Is being expended at the rate of about
$4,000 a year.
The Pacific Wharf and Stora ge COM
pany gets most of the material scooped
up and pumped up by the government
dredger, consisting of sand, silt, earth,
gravel and other stuff, and distributes
1t as filing at certain places.
The Pacific company has furnished
the government with 1000 feet of ex-
pensive pipe to carry the stuff away,
| and helps to get rid of that which 9TH
erwise would have to be pumped a
long distance. On the other hand, it is
valuable in making new land behind
| piles and breakWaters, and 1t is prob
able that congress will eventually
adopt some rule as to the disposition
of this stuff so that 1t will bring rev.
enue to the government.
Revlves Big Projects
The decision will release thousands of
| dollars in wages weekly shortly.
The Bannings contemplate improve
ments amounting to $250,000 in the in
ner harbor.
The Los Angeles Dock and Wharf
company WHICH Il COllc6SSlOll
from the city of Wilmington. is doing
work in the west basin.
The Southern Pacific people are maxi
ing improvements In the east basin.
The Imperial Investment company
has plans affecting the district west Of
the Southern Pacific holdings
The Pacific company and the Miner
concessions, both In the outer harbor
also involve big expenditures.
Attorneys say that judging by dis
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