Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-08
APPRECIATION OF
FRIES IS SHOWN
AT WILMINGTON
ARMY ENGINEER PRESENTED
WITH WATCH
RATIFICATION OF ELECTION Is
MADE JoLLIFlcATIoN
Secretary Fleming of Consolidation
Committee and Prominent Men of
Seaport Praise Designer
of Free Harbor

Ratification of the consolidation elec-
tion was enthusiastically made an
appreciation of the services of Capt
Amos A. Fries as soldier and citizen at
Wilmington last night. At the meet
ing in Wilmington nall citizens of that
city and Los Angeles leaders in the
consolidation fight, including in addi-
ton to the consolidation committee the
mayor, members of the city council and
other city officials, Joined in giving
Capt. Fries credit for his work and IN
shaking hands over the election result.
Capt. Fries received from citizens OF
Wilmington through the meeting 5
chairman, ID. r. Woods, gold watch
engraved with the outline of the inner
harbor, showing the harbor lines as
established through his efforts. With
the watch was q fob fastened by a
gold pendant on which was engraved
a picture of the government dredge
"San Pedro
1--WE are going to watch you, Capt.
Fries, because you have never needed
watching before said Mr.. Woods in
presenting the watch. You are to all
of us in Wilmington a friend we shall
never forget"
statement by rising spontaneously and
cheering and applauding Capt. Fries
until they were tired out They start
ed cheering again when Capt. Fries be-
gan his response by saying, I'm going
to be a citizen of Los Angeles, too,
whenever l settle down to be a citizen
anywhere, and l shall look forward to
the time when | can call all of you
fellow citizens
Spirit of Meeting Informal
The meeting was carried through by
Chairman Woods in the spirit, as he
announced at the outset, Of an old
fashioned Methodist camp meeting, and
he called on consolidation workers in
formally. A fireworks display was
given on the watep front near the
wharf just before the meeting opened.
I'VE had been asked to consider con-
solidation by other cities, and we al
ways put them off, said Mr. Woods
when he called the meeting to order,
but we could not resist the court
ship of Los Angeles And in achieving
that union one man among many hard
workers has been irresistible, and you
cannot accord him too much credit.
Wilmington gives full credit for her
marriage to Los Angeles to that match
less matchmaker, Secretary A. p.
Fleming"
Captain Fries also paid an emphatic
compliment to the work Of Secretary
Fleming, saying: "One of the most
anxious times seen in the engineers
office since l have been here was the
time between the appointment Of the
harbor commission and that commis-
sion's choice of a secretary We had a
lot of information in the office which
we must either lay wide open to the
IL i
him, according to the kind of man he
proved to be, When Mr.. Fleming was
selected I did not know him, but We
made inquiries and decided that he
was worthy of our trust, and that de-
cision was certainly well placed.
Calls Fleming Worker
"Mr Fleming has been the best man
] know of for the position, and what
is history today is due to him more
than any one man-and this does not
in the least disparage the many splen-
did workers for your cause. But Mr..
Fleming might have gone in as secre-
tary and done a little writing and not
much less and most persons would have
thought that he fully earned his sal
ary. That would not in reality have
done you much good. Mr.. Fleming,
however looked and planned ahead,
and he got results"
Captain Fries paid a strong cOmpli-
ment to his assistants in the engineers
Office, Lieutenant Leeds. Assistant En-
gineer D. e. Hughes, Chief Clerk East
on and Mr.. Crawford. who has charge
of the government dredging He as
sured the people of Wilmington they
will find his successor, Lieutenant
Leeds, dependable for any emergency
in the development of the harbor.
This is the proudest moment of my
life, because I can say truly that you
have bettered conditions in Whining
ton much greater than you know" said
Secretary Fleming. when called on by
the chairman. Other speakers were
Stoddard Jess, who congratulated Will
mington ON behalf of the Los Angeles
consolidation committee, of which he
is chairman; Councilman A. J. Wal
lace and r. e. Gibh0u. After the
meeting Captain Fries and Mrs. Fries,
who accompanied him to Wilmington,
received the best wishes OF the persons
i'm the hall The reception was pro-
longed until the arrival of the last car
for Los Angeles.
Mayor George Alexander, Councilmen
Niles Pease, Henry Lyon. Barney Hea-
ley and A, ]. Wallace and Park Com
miSsiOners G. H. Randall and Rich
mOnd Plant accompanied the cOnsolida-
tiOn committee to Wilmington.
m am