Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-10
HARBOR FIGHT
GROWING WARM
SAN PEDRO PROMISES TO BE
HOT BATTLE-GROUND
Friendly Conference Held Last Night
Shows That Entire Population Is
Profoundly Interested in
Thursdays Election

Every indication at San Pedro points
to the fact that the corporations will
make, tomorrow and Thursday, the
fight of their liyes-in fact, that they
are fighting for the right to hold with
out return to the public or a nominal
return, If any, position and advantages
to which it is believed by the har-
Dor commission and consolidation
committee they have no just rights.
The plans for the last two days of
the San Pedro campaign by the anti
consolidationists and hurried trip Of
Southern Pacific representatives to
Washington indicate that the cor
porations hope by defeating consolt-
dation to be in a position to entrench
themselves with the help of the board
of trustees There are strong indica-
tions that they look for an adverse de-
cision on the Banning wharf applica-
ton now before the United States en-
gineers' office and, through this, the
disappearance of any hoPe of defeat
ing the tidelands contentious of Los
Angeles.
For these reasons they apparently
are preparing for a vigorous fight and
a free distribution of money at San
Pedro tomorrow and Thursday.
East San Pedro Friendly
East san Pedro and Los Angeles
got together on friendly consonda-
tion conference last night at Starke's
pool room. Secretary Fleming, chair
man of the campaign committee, had
expected only fifteen or twenty voters
living in that neighborhood but, IN
stead there were seventy-tive voters
and a number of women present. "A
straw vote taken on consolldatloh
among the East San Pedro voters
showed sixty-seven for and SIN
against. r.5.o ~,
ranged the meeting details and met
the Los Angeles delegation at the Ter
W. p Fleming called the meeting
10 order. as it was held under tne
auspices of the Los Angeles commit
tee, and introduced Mayor Heoise
Alexander as the first speaker.
"As long as have the hohoI ~ e,,,,t oe Srit
official of Los Angeles you may count
on good friend there SAID the
mavnr. land there are plenty of others
In The CITY who will stand by you.
Don't YOU believe a word to the erect
that Los Angeles won't treat you talr-
" 7 know the people of Los Angeles
and know they will be absolutely talr'
Benefit Goes on Coast
"1f YOU stay out, Los Angeles pos
sibiy may get along-not that we want wan
to do ANYTHING of the sort-but IL VIII
he more to your benefit than ours II
Vou Ve ''toin join wit with us. If you consolidate,
the population will increase down here
lust as it has for Los Angeles in past
"And you will receive the additional
benefits of the greater city; your chill
dren, for instance, may have the PRIV
iIeges of the Los Angeles high school.
| On the other hand, what do the cor
porations care about schools, good or
| der, libraries?" a,.-
Former Mayor William ID. stephens
called attention to the fact that Los
| Angeles and the chamber OF commerce
frequently had fought the fght of the
harbor and would continue to do it.
He gave it as his belief that the 2-cent
ferry pledged by Los Angeles would
| later become free ferry on the same
! CONTINUED on Page Eight