Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-08
ENTHUSIASTIC
CONSOLIDATION
MEETING HELD
EAST SAN PEDRO RESIDENTS
FAVOR MERGER
OPPONENTS OF UNION UNABLE
TO ANSWER ARGUMENTS
Friends of Greater Los Angeles Hear
Unauthenticated Rumors of Dis
satisfaction Developing in
Wilmington

A RGUMENTS for consolidation were
II clearly put at the meeting a. t-e
~ Terminal Island pavilion in East
San Pedro last night. After the
speeches Stewart Laughlin, the cha#r-
man of the evening, asked if any lle
could advance a single arguneHr
against consolidation, but none was
advanced. The opinion of the vote
present seemed to be heartily for con-
solidation, and the suggestion by one
of the speakers that at least 200 Ter
minal votes should be registered tJf
union with Los Angeles was heartily
applauded.
Joining the city of San Pedro the
city of Wilmington and the city of
Terminal with the city of Los Angeles
is a step necessary in making one or
the greatest and most powerful cities or
America" said Mr.. Laughlin, in calling
the meeting to order. The hall was
filled before the meeting opened, and
in addition to residents of Terminal
Island there were two ferryloads of Los
Angeles and San Pedro voters who
came over to the meeting.
Stoddard Jess, Thomas E. Gibbon, M.
P. Snyder, A. p. Fleming and Joseph
Scott were the speakers from Los An
geles, and e. D. Seward secretary OF
the San Pedro consolidation committee,
spoke on behalf of that committee.
To Utilize Pacific
'If any credence is to be placed in
the signs of the times, consolidation
will carry hands down." said Mr.. Jess.
This question of distribution of pro-
ducts which is involved in the making
of harbor is the worlds greatest COM
mercial problem. Handling is indus
try's severest handicap. And there is
no place where this means so much to
the future as in Southern California.
The markets for our products are now
more than 1000 miles distant and trans
portation must be over a country con-
tributing but little local freight, SO that
freight rates are Of necessity high.
I'VE have been unable so far to util-
ize this magnificent Pacific ocean, part
ly because of the great distance in
yolVed in the route around the Horn
and partly because the great portion
of our products is of a perishable char
acter. But here we have all the re-
ouirements for building a great harbor
which shall fit in with the opportunity to
solve this problem and afford a proper
handling of a tremendous commerce.
"You cannot have commerce without
population, but Southern California has
been filling up rapidly. We have u
great city building in Los Angeles.
With the coming of the Panama canal
the building of a great harbor will add
many thousands more to our combined
population.
Union Will Harm None
"This question of consolidation is a
question of benefit for all-not for the
benefit of a part and the injury of
others. There is not person in this
great southwest who will not be bene-
fitted through the building UP of a great
ocean commerce through San Pedro
harbor
LOS Angeles does not assume to
take anything from you, but asks the
favor of spending millions at your
doors. And for every dime of benefit
that Los Angeles may get from the
harbor you will get dollar in profit"
Mr. Gibbon. the second speaker,
called attention particularly to the adj
vantageous position of San Pedro har-
Dor when the coming diversion of the
routes of ocean commerce by the OPEN
ing Of the Panama canal is considered.
He showed that the great circle route
from the Panama canal to the large
group of oriental ports which transact
the commerce for 50O,O0O 900 souls lies
within seventy miles of Deadman's is
land, so close that it will be almost
possible to see the smoke of the great
steamers which will take that route.
On the other hand, Mr.. Gibbon
showed that San Pedro harbor is
nearer to Salt Lake City, Butte and
other western territory than San Fran
cisco, while it is the best situated port
on the Pacific coast with regard to
railroad connections for distributing
commerce. This combination, he said.
should make it impregnable as a great
business distributing and collecting
point, providing attainment of it's
proper position is assured through the
development of a great public harbor.
Bring European Commerce
Mr.. Gibbon showed that this posi-
tion once secured would bring great
European commerce direct to Los An
geles, and this, in turn, would, by Of
fering immense cargo space on east
bound voyages, provide cheap enough
outward transportation rates to in
fiuence the establishment of manu-
factures of commodities which will be
taken by European trade. He pointed
out the great necessity for Immediate
construction of a great harbor to seize
the opportunity presented, and showed
how necessary also it is that the har-
Dor be built and controlled by the pub
lie and not by private interests.
commerce doesn't come to a closed
door" he said, and he demonstrated
how the opening of the commercial
door at San Pedro meant inevitably
the expenditure of millions of dollars
which Los Angeles stands ready to ex-
pend if allowed to do so through con-
solidation.
Former Mayor NJ. p. Snyder referred
to his recollection of the harbor when
he came in on a boat which landed him
at Wilmington twenty nine years ago,
when he said that San Pedro and VIII
mington were but mere hamlets and
Los Angeles a town of but 5000 people.
He referred to the growth since that
time and predicted an even greater ad-
vance through cooperative effort of
all the persons most directly concerned.
stFTst... Iv,ar kr I'D
said Mr.. Snyder. sis that there are
any persons living in San Pedro who
oppose consolidation. In Terminal is
land you are not doing your duty un-
less you turn in at least 200 of your
votes for consolidation"
Ferry Greatly Needed
e. d. Seward of San Pedro spoke
mainly ON local conditions. "Have you
ever realized" he said, that It costs
10 cents to ride over here to Terminal
(ContinA.ed on Page Fivol