Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-23
MAY JEOPARDIzE
CONSOLIDATION
CORPORATIONS THOUGHT TO
HAVE SCHEME AF00T
TO ANNOUNCE IMPROVEMENTS
WITH SINISTER MOTIVES
Boost of San Diego Harbor by Local
Newspaper, with Yelled Attack
on Captain Fries, Arouses
Suspicion

Harbor activities by private interests
in a new direction are leading friends
of a. public harbor to believe that a
scheme is being Matched up to injure
consolidation. 1t has been reported
in San Pedro and Wilmington that
certain corporations are planning to
announce improvements in Bixby's and
Niger slough, and at the end of the
strip section of Los Angeles. Chan
nels and slips are said to be project
ed by which it will be made to appear
to San Pedro, Wilmington and Long
Beach that Los Angeles interests are
endeavoring to divert harbor activity
away from these cities, thus feeling
would be kindled against consolidation
which would seriously endanger the
movement.
Recent conversations overheard in
dictate strongly that there is such a
scheme on foot" said a man who keeps
closely in touch with the harbor situa-
ton at San Pedro. IF these new chan
nels were announced or permission APP
piled for such action might be used by
the aid of a map to stir up consider
able feeling at San Pedro and Whining
ton. 1t easily could be made to look
like plan to divert the main harbor
activities entirely away from the east
basin and the outer harbor, notwith-
standing any consolidation movement.
If this should succeed it would be
worth a great deal to certain corporate
interests which are, I am convinced,
behind the scheme.
"San Pedro people are rather touchy
Just now, and if Los Angeles interests
should plan large Improvements tend
ing to bring the harbor center into the
city limits of Los Angeles or into con-
tiguous territory which might be easily
annexed, although there would be no
chance for public docks, there would
certainly be some ill will that would
do consolidation no good. I believe
Wilmington would be even more
aroused. The bad effect might be pro-
duced even if no work were ever
started.
81 have it on very good authority
that a plan of some sort in that direc-
ton has been under consideration re-
Gently, and it is likely to be sprung
just at the time the consolidation COM
mittees begin work in earnest. The
Southern Pacific could afford to spend
good many thousands in options and
other apparent activity, if by doing so
it might hang up consolidation.
Clippings Look Queer
"Another thing that looks extremely
suspicious to me is that a San Pedro
paper is publishing clippings from
San Diego paper favoring San Diego
harbor and attacking San Pedro har-
Dor with a fling, incidentally. at Cap
tain Fries. There is something sinis-
ter in this. believe if followed up 1t
would be found a scheme to diScredit
Captain Fries with the new admins
tration. Since the change of national
administration at Washington I have
been looking for renewed efforts by the
machine politicians to get Captain
Fries away from Los Angeles. The eff
forts to accomplish this heretofore have
failed, although it was not for lack of
pressure brought to bear by influential
politicians. With a new administra-
ton there is a new opportunity, and
it is very likely to be undertaken.
aside from the unusually strong
work for Southern California that Cap
tain Fries has achieved purely as a
United States engineer it would be
great misfortune to the harbor to have
him transferred elsewhere at this
time. A new man, however competent,
could not possibly take up the intrica-
cies of the local situation and carry
the engineers important work along
without a blunder that might possibly
nullify consolidation. Captain Fries
understands the state of affairs and
the great possibilities Of San Pedro
harbor probably as well as any other
man in Los Angeles, and he has been
a good friend of the best interests of
this section every time such friend
was needed. 1t would be a calamity to
lost him just at this period.
ST can see only one reason why PROM
inence should be given in San Pedro
paper to an attack on Captain Fries,
yelled by an ostensible attack on San
Pedro harbor. / believe it was inspired
by certain interests who wish to take
the printed statements to Washington
officials in aid of a showing that San
Diego and San Pedro are both agreed
in the assertion that Captain Fries IS
an undesirable official. Consequently
it will be urged that he be transferred
to some other point.
Business men who have a great har-
hor at heart should watch these two
things very carefully. If any pro-
jected harbor channels are given out
an attempt to use them against consol-
idation should be nailed at once. Like
wise, if there is any move to take Cap
tain Fries away it should be nipped
so powerfully that it will die a.
bornin'."