Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-30

east.
The average freight charge in the
United States Is three-quarters of
a cent per ton per mile, and the
everage length of haul is 240 miles,
but the average rates In California
are more than double the average
rate, exceeding one and a half cents
a ton-mile haul on through rates,
and the average length of the haul
between here and the eastern mar
kets exceeds two thousand miles,
so that by closure Of our ports we
not only pay twice as high rate
as the average rate in the United
States, but we are compelled to
move our freight both ways eight
times as far as the average length
of haul, despite the well known
fact that the longer the haul the
less the rate per ton-mile.
Ship Lines Subsidized
I consider it a conservative esti-
mate to say that two million tons
Of through freight per year moves
in and out of Southern California
by rail, of which one million tons
would move by water under free
competition and open ports.
As 1 understand the situation
practically the only freight which
comes to the port of San Pedro at
this time is that which slips through
in spite of the railroad blockade,
or is handled by ship lines in con-
nection with the railroads, and
which they ship for practically the
same rates as by rail-such as lum-
ber or coal from Puget Sound to
Los Angeles.
1t costs ten to twelve dollars ton
to bring lumber from those places
to Los Angeles either by rail or
by water, but at the rates prevail
ing on the Great Lakes, lumber
would be brought from Puget Sound
to San Pedro for from one to two
dollars a ton, and the same with
coal; yet 1 am told the price for
coal at San Pedro is as high or
higher than it Is at Los Angeles.
I have gone into figures concern
ing existing monopoly of rail and
water carriage, to show why we
desire to consolidate San Pedro and
Los Angeles.
Use of Consolidation
San Pedro has not the financial
means to adequately open UP to
public use this great port in one of
the greatest harbors in the world,
and the city of Los Angeles and her
surrounding territory, with a popu-
lation of a half a million louls,s soon
to be one million, cannot under the
laws construct docks in San Pedro
unless this city consolidates with
Los Angeles.
1t Is as much to the interest of
L, 1t tor 11f
date as 1t is to the people of Los An
geles, because they are all held in
commercial bondage by the rail-
way trust under existing condi-
tions.
The question has been often asked
why does the railway combine main
tain a political system and spend
so much money to control political
affairs To one who understands
the situation the answer is obvious.
It is to enable the railway. trust
to subsidize corrupt newspapers
and to control legislatures, boards
of supervisors, city councils, and
other officials, in order to secure
laws operating in favor of rail-
ways and against the public; to pre-
vent the public from obtaining re-
dress from excessive charges and
from personal injuries; to secure
grants of tide lands and waterfront
in order to more effectually sup
press threatened competition-not
for the purpose of opening docks
and wharves, but in order to pre-
vent the water front from being
used.
City Favors Project
Fortunately today there is not
newspaper or public man in Los
Angeles that opposes the opening
of the port. The people OF the city
are of one mind upon the question,
and the city Of Los Angeles has
the ability as well as the will to
make this one of the greatest sea-
ports of the world. The opening
of this port will more than double
the values of real estate in the city
Of Los Angeles, and in a few years
will increase the value of property
in San Pedro more than ten fold
Measured by the value of property
around other ports, the thousand
dollar lots In San Pedro will soon
be worth $4,000 and the $4,000 lots
will soon bring $4,000 each.
The population of the consolidat-
ed city, which has increased 200 per
cent in the last ten years. and is
now over 100000, will in another
ten years repeat that record, and
will be a million people, reaching
from the mountains to the water
front.
Los Angeles holds the record as
the most progressive city in the
world, and her people are the most
enterprising. In the arid south
west they have converted a semi
desert region into a fertile garden
capable of supporting millions of
people.
Pays Tribute to Senator White
City Attorney Leslie R. Hewitt, the
second speaker, made a strong argu
common good. "It is no eXaggeratior
to say" he asserted, that the oppor
-unity has arrived; the only question
20 settle is, Shall we seize it?"
After reviewing the struggle to make
4 harbor at San Pedro, and paying {
tribute to Stephen M. White, Mr.. Hew
lit showed in detail the additiona
power protection and chance for build
ng on a large scale through co-opera
ton between Los Angeles and Sar
Pedro. He warned the friends Of con
to look out for work by
stealth against the issue.
Lee Gates was introduced by the
chairman as a possible United States
He showed in an eloquen
speech the awakening of the people or
the transportation situation, and ex
pressed faith in their demand for com
oetent service at equitable rates. Tht
rise of San Francisco following the
disaster of 1906, Mr.. Gates asserted
was possible because of the great har
bor there. "But here" he said, "wt
can build a harbor superior in many
respects to that at San Francisco, be
cause a deep harbor can be made JUS
a. it should be-"
Mayor Alexander Appears