Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-03
ASK INJUNCTION
AGAINST ROADS
SAN PEDRO TRUSTEES ALLEGE
FRAUD INTENDED
MEMBERS OF PILE DRIVER CREW
ARE ARRESTED
Transportation Companies Declare
They Have Right to Property on
Terminal Island at Foot of
Fourth Street

San Pedro harbor excitement is CEN
tered about the pile driving at the foot
of Fourth street on the east side of the
channel The San Pedro city attorney
and trustees think an important ques-
tion is involved, but General Attorney
Halstead of the Salt Lake railroad
characterizes the matter as "a tempest
in a teapot" 1t will be threshed out
before Judge Bordwell next Friday
when a hearing will be had on the
restraining order asked for yesterday
by the city of San Pedro and the board
of trustees against the salt Lake anu
Southern Pacific railroads and the san
Pedro Transportation company. A tenn
porarv order was obtained yesterday
in the superior court.
Amos Keith, foreman of the piledriVer
crew for the Salt Lake railroad and
eleven other employees, were arrested
yesterday forenoon at Terminal lsland
charged with malicious mischief IN re-
moving the city float. Opinion at san
Pelro is divided on the merits OF the
question.
General Attorney Halstead of the salt
Lake railroad says there Is misunder-
standing. He contends that an agree
ment between the railroad and the city
of Long Beach, made when that clty
had Jurisdiction over Terminal lslana,
gave the city an opening of Fourth and
streets needed for placing a new lum-
ber yard. The Salt Lake at that time
gave the city a wharf and ferry site
300 feet long by rs feet inside the har-
Dor lines at Fourth street.
Railroad Explains
Mr.. Halstead says that along with the
trade an arrangement was made TO give
the San Pedro Transportation company
a lot to take the place OF the one from
which access was shut off through the
vacation of the streets. He asserts that
the float was simply moved off the new
lot, which is private property, and on
the public site. When this Is under-
stood he thinks that there will be no
further trouble.
1t is claimed that the present public
wharf is seventy-five feet back of the
harbor lines. General Attorney daI-
stead says that the Salt Lake en-
pioyes were simply putting the iot
given the Southern Pacific in the eX-
change in shape for landing and NOV
ing the public float where it rightfully
belongs.
Some San Pedro citizens are inclined
10 accept this explanation, while others
UNFOLD the trustees in their action. The
Salt Lake attorneys sought to have the
matter cleared up by a conference, but
the legal proceedings had already been
started. Attorneys for the San Pedro
consolidation committee made an IN
vestigation yesterday, but reserved
their opinion.
Trustees AIIege Froud
An interesting phase of the dispute
to San Pedro citizens lies in the fact
that the trustees set forth in the re-
quest for a restraining order filed yes
terday that there is an attempt to de-
fraud the city of San Pedro of property
in water front for which the franchise
could be sold for $350,0O0. Opposed to
this valuation of 600 feet is the pro-
posal of the trustees to lease 500 feet
which is nearer to the entrance to the
channel for $50 a year. The puzzle
which San Pedro citizens are trying to
solve is this problem:
IF 900 feet of water front is con-
sidered worth S350,O0O then on what
grounds is a valuation of S25O0 put on
500 feet of more desirable frontage?