Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-19

Wilmington and an important part of
the free harbOr scheme would be prac-
tically INSTRUCTED. The notifications
also mean that the turning basin by
being narrowed will not be capable of
the satisfactory Long Beach connec-
ton proposed under the Fries plan.
These notifications are regarded as
vital to the whole harbor scheme, being
repressive.
Colonel Biddle asked Mr.. Gibson what
the advantages of changing the turning
basin plan would be, and he answered
that it would provide greater area for
industries necessary at the harbor
Mr.. Gibson also resented the Islander
on the titles of those who claimed to
own tide lands.
The Drawbridge Case
Mr.. Carr followed Mr.. Gibson and
read the statement of the Southern
Pacific 1t supported all the Banning
notifications In addition 1t said:
I'm connection with the west basin
development, 1t has been widely her.
aided in the public press that the I'M
dersigned was and is DESTROYS of re-
tarding and prohibiting the develop
ment of the west basin. These state
ments have no foundation in fact.
att is true the undersigned opposed
the proposition to require 1t to con-
struct drawbridge of the type pro-
posed in the order issued In Septem-
Der, 1907, by authority of the secre-
tary of war to show cause why the un-
dersigned should not be compelled to
construct 'drawbridges of the double
lift bascule type of sufficient length
to permit of clear channel 100 feet
wide, making an angle of go degrees
with the trestle; the bridges to be fit
ted with machinery capable of fully
opening and fully closing them in thlr-
ty seconds Our opposition to the con-
struction of this drawbridge was d.
rected largely toward the type of
bridge proposed. To our mind then and
now there is absolutely no reason why
such an elaborate and expensive struc-
ture should be required. There is no
commercial interest there present or
prospective to require such a bridge
as was then designated. Such struc-
ture would adequately accommodate
the commerce that passes through the
Suez canal, and of course Is unneces-
sary. The type of bridge thus con-
templated would require change in
the grade of our tracks, which would
necessitate line change for more
than 40O0 feet on each side of the
bridge. which could be accomplished
only at enormous expense.
Forty-Foot Span
1--WE do not object to constructing a
reasonable drawbridge, such as sug-
gested by Lieutenant Colonel Smith y.
Leach on January 15, 1908, of forty or
fifty-foot span of the swing bridge
type. Such bridges are today accom-
modateing the traffic of 80 per cent of
the harbors of this country where tidal
openings are crossed by railroad
tracks"
Ampnfying the bridge statement he
declared that the Panama canal was
getting along with 110-foot locks and he
thought the requirement on the South
ern Pacific as to the west basin draw
bridge unnecessary. He also declared
the Southern Pacific Will deed all lands
needed for harbor purposes wherever
they may be. Mr.. Cars remarks
ended the morning session.
The afternoon session was stirred by
tho presentation of the larger ideal Of
the harbor board by L. b. Gibbon, one
of its members. Mr.. Gibbon did not
discuss questions of title nor of a
technical nature, but he discussed the
larger duty of the board that involved
both these phases. He said the board
must prepare not for the immediate
future, but for the reasonably near fu-
ture, which meant period as far
ahead as twenty-five years.
Great Harbor Future
The harbor was to be great instru-
mentality in the commerce not only of
Los Angeles and the bay cities and
Southern California, but a great area
west of Eel Paso and east of Reno
which must seek the cheapest and
quickest method of transportation with
the eastern states and the world. In
this scope the completion Of the Pan
anna canal was an immediate influence
as. this work, now that the high-priced
railroad officials had been retired and
the enterprise was in the proper hands
of the government engineers, would
be completed perhaps in five years,
certainly in six.
"In the. field of commerce." said he.
"there are two controlling factors,
speed and cheapness."
Significance of Harbor
This was significant to the area he
had in mind. 1t meant with proper
harbor facilities that all this COM
merce would seek San Pedro instead of
San Francisco, because 1t was the d.
rect channel to the Panama canal.
He told OF Los Angeles shipper, one
of the largest in the city, who found
that thirteen days was the time re-
uuired to receive high class merchan-
disc by the present transcontinental
railroad facilities 1t took twenty
two days by way of Tehuantepec,
where the only railroad used was across
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