Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-16
San Francisco Gives Credit
for Consolidation Victory
THE HARBoR PROGRAM

ON the 4th of August, 1909, there
took place one of the half-dozen
" greatest events I'm the history or
Los Angeles, an event that deserves 10
rank with the founding of the CITY, It's
occupations by the Americans, the en-
trance of the railroad and the ending
of the san Pedro-Santa Monica con-
test, says the Pacific outlook.
This event was the union OF VIII
mington and Los Angeles, giving the
metropolis an outlet to the ocean.
The annexation of San Pedro was OF
minor significance; whether 1t came III
or not, Los Angeles was in position
after the union with Wllmingtoni 10
establish it's own deep-water harpor'
free from the monopoly of any ran
way line.
We may put this down as step No.
10 in the harbor program. Those thal
preceded were as follows: /. Construc-
ton under a subsidy from Los Angeles
county of the railway connecting Los
Angeles and San Pedro, now the
Southern Pacific san Pedro branch
q Development by appropriations from
the national government of the lnnep
harbor of San Pedro, or wilmington,
to eighteen feet of water. 3. Cohstruc-
ton of Terminal railway to inner
harbor; temporary competition d
United States government finally de-
cides to construct deep-water harbor
OF refuge at San Pedro. 5. Government
begins upon plan for deep-water mar
Dor of commerce in the inner pay,
but strikes snag in the Banning clalHis
to tide-lands underlying harbor waters.
6. Chamber of Commerce renews fight
for free harbor, heading off corpora
ton grabs and preparing to test the
Banning claims. Z. Annexation of shoe-
string strip making Los Angeles con-
tiguous to Wilmington ana san Feuro:
s. City government takes place OF
Chamber of Commerce, appoints mar
Dor commission and starts SUITS 10
clear title to tidelands. 8. Adoption OF
charter amendments preparing the
way for consolidation 10. Legislation
secured making consolidation possible
IL Outlet to the ocean accompllshed.
1t may be interesting to look for
ward a few chapters further IN the
same program, although this IS IN
the realm. of guess work; IL, 5@tGo t5a
highway between this city and the
ocean. 70. Voting $5,000,000 bonds for
n1lnicipal wharves and harbor develop
ment work. 13. Securing larger ap-
propriations from congress for harpoT
work. IA. competing railway 10 the
harbor. 15 .Tide-land question cleared
up. is. Long Beach asks to be admit
fed and is received into the city.
II Municipal railway coming up the
river he'd, 1S. Opening of Panama
canal. 10. Several more transconti-
mental roads. 20. Ship canal to Niger
slough. vast Industrial development
between the present city and the
ocean. q. Los Angeles a city. of over
a million population. one of the great
harbors of the world. .
There Is nothing about this latter
half of the program that Is more Won
derful or more difficult than the first
! half Indeed, it is to be questioned
whether there is any spot in the whoie
story, clear through to No. 2l' that Is
as hard to get over as NO. 4-the
| San Pedro Santa Monica contest. Thal
| took ten years, and it was a hgnt every
! inch of the way, a fight in whlch we
| had nothing on our side eXcePl ny
people and the right, and whlen CAIN ,lo
| in an epoch when the Interests were
TastIv more powerful than they are
| TODAY. If that contest had gone tne
wronq way. this city would now be
| commerciaiIv what some people are
seeking to make it politically, Soutn-
ern Pacific dependency, and our peopls
would be taking only a listless lnterest
| In the question of whether we hau
deep-water harbor or not. Ihe harpor
| would not be ours, except TO look AT.
Today the citizen of Los Angeles Is
entitled to hold his chin something IKE
hale an inch higher than he did TWO
Tea1,s ago His city is no longer an
| inland affair, but now fronts upon tne
worlds great open highway-the ocean
| And this front is not going 10 De
| fenced off by any railway corporatIso,I'
With a ticket taker at the gate we
have been through that experience anu
will have no more of IT,