Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-04

~ TAID old Wilmington showed more
enthusiasm last night than has
~ been visible there in fifty years.
From the time the car bringing the
Los Angeles consolidation committee
was met by cheering crowd until the
close of the meeting at Wilmington
hall there was a decided outburst,
showing the feeling for consolidation
with Los Angeles
The crowd at the electric car formed
behind the band and cheered all the
way to the hall, which was quickly
crowded, and remained crowded until
the speaking ended. When d. r.
Woods, the chairman of the evening,
expressed his faith in Los Angeles and
refuted the ISLANDERS on the city the
audience cheered; again, when he
spoke of consolidation as a factor in
making the national greatness they
cheered again. When Captain Fries
was introduced he was accorded con-
tinued cheering.
The enthusiasm was accentuated by
the waving of consolidation flags
throughout the meeting.
On Eve of Battle
1--WE are on the eve of determining
whether or not we shall cooperate for
the unlimited development not only OF
our water, but our lands" said Chair
man Woods. I'VE believe union with
Los Angeles will add to our prosperity.
Los Angeles is community known the
wOFid over, and known only for good.
And on our side we have for consolida-
tion the greatest and most patriotic
forces. Even the United States gov
ernment is in favor of consolidation.
General Murray, chief of our army'S
artillery corps, when here the other
day expressed himself most strongly
for consolidation And you all know
how Captain Fries stands.
Our great national government It
self is an example of the good in con-
solidation. We started with thirteen
states and have consolidated to make
this great country"
Welcome Given Fries
When Captain Fries was introduced
as the first speaker he was given a
rousing reception which lasted several
minutes. He illustrated the points in
his speech with a large map of the
inner harbor, to show how much can
be done in harbor development with
the million dollars Los Angeles pro-
poses to expend at once following con-
solidation.
Long Fight Reviewed
81 have consented to talk to you to-
night, not because l have any doubts
that consolidation will carry, but be-
cause / want to see it carry by the
largest possible majority" said Cap
tain Fries. GAS l told you July 26, I
expect to see Wilmington vote four to
make it six eight or ten to one so
much the hetter. Show the world that
you have faith in the harbor, faith in
your town and faith in yourselves.
Every man who has faith in himself
has faith in Los Angeles, not only that
she will spend the $1,000,000 she agreed
to spend according to the consolida-
ton report, but many millions more in
the next ten years.
Il have no patience with men who
say you can't trust Los Angeles. Such
men are not worthy of trust them
selves. The man who always thinks
other men crooked has a yellow streak
in himself somewhere. l have always
trusted the people, and they have not
only never failed me- but have never
come near it.
May Depend on Majority
you absolutely can depend on the
majority to do what is right If you
are able to show them what is right.
The only fear you need have is that
somebody may succeed in fooling them
by false statements and worthless
promises. And that is Just what the
| air is full of now, with corporations
| saying they will do this and they won't
| do that. What they are after is a
y chance to make more money out of
bNyou than they ought to make. They
want no improvements they cannot
6ontrol and public harbor improve
m entS III wilmington, Wnen COHSOH-
dated with Los Angeles. will be harder
tol control than public harbor improve
mAnts made anywhere else.
'AIf the corporations had choice, so
thesy could let either San Pedro or
Wilmington consolidate and defeat
consolidation in the other city. they
would let San Pedro consolidate and
defeat Wilmington. The reason is
plain. San Pedro is walled in tight be-
tween the hills and the Southern Pa
clfic. making it impossible to get to
the outer harbor by public highway
except by burrowing like a gopher un-
der Sam Pedro hill, and burrowing
costs lots, of money
"To say that 700 or S00-foot ships
cannot be taken into the inner harbor
as soon as it is made deep enough is
q libel on the San Pedro pilots. Why,
I was down in San Diego the other
day and Captain Johnrson, one of the
San Diego pilots. told me about bring
ing a 5O0-foot ship drawing twenty
seven feet seven inches across the bar
there in channel 1900 feet long and
$50 feet wide with only eleven feet of
water under the keel. And mind you,
there are no wharves to show where
the channel is across the bar at San
Diego, to say nothing of the ever-pres-
ent swell, with two or three feet less
water lust outside the deepest channel.
lContinued Page Eighty