Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-11-07
ASKS WOMEN TO
USE INFLUENCE
FOR SAN PEDRO
CAPTAIN FRIES TALKS BEFORE
FRIDAY MORNING CLUB
SPEEDY ACTION VITAL TO FREE
HAR5oR
Engineer Declares TideIand Claimants
Know Titles Are Invalid and
Will Attempt to Delay
Litigation

Capt. Amos A. Fries of the govern
ment corps of engineers addressed the
Friday Morning club yesterday on san
Pedro harbor and its possibilities. Inc
members of the club characterized ms
talk as one of the most comprehensive
and illuminating that has been deliv-
cred before them, and several suggest
ed that the Municipal Waterways as
ISOLATION or a similar body be asked 10
publish 1t in pamphlet form.
1.-THE time has come" said Captain
Fries, "when Southern California must
say to every son of hers, If you are
not for a great free harpor q. 2 ''iii
Pedro you are against us, and we VIII
fight you, no matter who you may pc,
what interests you represent or what
vour notifies are.' The great chance
before the women of the Friday E-orn-
ing club is to spread the truth about
the harbor now, and help to arouse the
people to the dangers that confront
them.
mo other problem before Southern
California is a fraction as important as
this harbor question, and every man
and woman should get to work at once
or the chance of a century for great
community will be lost. You can see,
first, that a state law is passed allow
ing two or more cities or towns, no
matter what their class or charters
NAV be, to consolidate upon majority
vote of each city or town. This is the
most urgent need for the development
o. the harbor, and whatever else may
or NAV not be done in the next five
months, that by all means should be
obtained.
Urges Charter Amendment
Second, an amendment should be
made to the charter of the city of Los
Angeles authorizing the city to build
wharves, warehouses, dredge channels,
fill land and do all other work con-
nected with the harbor, including tine
construction and operation of railroads
and highways.
Then. support actively and energet-
ically the Los Angeles harbor commits
sion in pressing the tideland suits. SO
certain are the claimants that their
titles are void that every effort is De
ing made under cover to prevent the
suits coming to trial and to create
sentiment that the trials will tie up the
harbor for years. Suits brought in the
name of the state, as are these tldeland
suits, have the right of way, and
through the public interests involved
they will undoubtedly be advanced on
the calendar by the supreme court
For this reason it is believed by well
lQIOIi1lGQ dtlOIICJS lIdl IL lilO SAehAAAA
ants are not afraid of their case ana
will join for speedy decision, which
they should desire if they are in the
right, a decision can be obtained in SIX
months that will settle the question.
Whether they want it or not, the de-
cision can be had inside of eighteen
months.
Speedy Action Vital
sIf san Pedro is to be a first-class
harbor, and there is every reason why
1t should be, these things must be TAX
en- I'D now and urged by all Southern
California 1t won't do to put it Off
The next six months are vital. The
state legislature, as we'll as the ma
tional congress, will have met and adj
iourned in that time, and san Pedro
will be recognized as a great port or
relegated to a secondary position IN
the eyes of the people everywhere.
Il have been asked a number OF
times for my opinion as to the advisa-
bility of a state harbor commission for
San Pedro harbor. After much study
of the subject 1 am of the opinion that
a state commission would be against
the best interests of San Pedro harbor.
The only possible advantage of such
commission would be in the fact that
the states credit could be used to bor-
row money, as is the case with San
Francisco harbor, but the loss of local
control and initiative would be ter
rible price to pay for the states credit,
especially as the city of Los Angeles
has ample credit to carry on the work
"A state harbor commission has
worked pretty we'll in the case of San
Francisco because until very recently
tWo-thrds if not nearly three-fourths
of the population of the state was i'm
mediately adjacent to the harbor, maxi
ing practically local control for the
city of San Francisco. The southern
part of the state has nearly trebled in
population in the last ten years, and
unquestionably in the future a state
harbor commission will be found to
work less satisfactorily for San Fran
cisco than in the past. The great har-
bors of the country and in England are
under local control.
Los Angeles Only Concern
Los Angeles with her rapidly grow
ing population Of 100000 is the only
great public body immediately and Vi
tally concerned in the growth of San
Pedro harbor That the harbor will
increase in Importance and grow faster
under Los Angeles control and by the
use of its credit cannot be doubted
for that control carries with it the
enormous advantage of local enter
prise, pride and initiative
CAPTAIN Fries gave in his address a
detailed explanation of the various
phases of the harbor problem from the
date of the first Improvement at San
Pedro He used a map specially pre-
pared and colored to show the chan
neIs, tideland claims, railroad holdings
and other features.
In the course of his remarks Captain
Fries emphasized the influence which
the women of Los Angeles are able to
exert for a public harbor, and urged
the members of the Friday Morning
club to take up that work. I'VE are
not civilized enough as yet" he said,
ito allow you to vote, but YOU can
control many voters A member of
your club recently said to me that she
thought women nowadays the only
leisure class. I offer the amendment
that women ara nowadays the only
leisure class who use their leisure prof
itabIy." a statement which pleased his
auditors nightly.