Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-29
Books and Moneys Turned
Over to Los Angeles
SHORT CEREMONY AS CLOCKS
STRUCK IL YESTERDAY
MAYOR ALEXANDER PROMISES
TO MAKE PLEDGES GOOD
"Your Prosperity Is Our Prosperity"
Is Message Delivered to New
Citizens on Shores of
Pacific
U OS ANGELES and the har-
Dor are consolidated

Dor are consolidated
- AS the town clocks of San
Pedro struck II yesterday noon
J. w. Walton, then president of
the San Pedro board of trustees,
turned over to George Alexander,
now mayor of the consolidated
city, the municipal affairs of San
Pedro, and Mayor Alexander ac-
cepted them with a renewal of
the pledges made the harbor
cities by Los Angeles through the
consolidation committees plat
form.
The ceremony took place in the
council chamber of San Pedro's
city hall, where the unfinished
dome symbolized the fact that
things are only in the beginning
at the harbor.
At the same time. with less
ceremony and dignity, Whining
ton was being merged under the
direction of Assistant City Attor-
ney John w. Shenck of Los An
geles and Trustee Erhard Opp of
Wilmington, assisted by other
department representatives. Later
in the day, Mayor Alexander and
a party of Los Angeles and San
Pedro citizens paid their respects
to Wilmington and admired the
city hall.
Departments Taken Over
After the ceremonious introduction to
consolidation at san Pedro, Mayor AL
exander instructed the department
heads to take over the corresponding
departments at San Pedro. This was
done without incident except for the
refusal of Ben Baker. tax and license
collector, to turn over his books until
the accountants examination had been
finished The work Of transfer was
completed by the police and fire de-
partments, but in most OF the others
details remain to be taken up to-
morrow.
The Los Angeles official party head
ed for San Pedro left the Pacific Elec.
trio building at 1880 o'clock. Mayor
Alexander, Fire Chief Lips, Chief of
Police Dishman. Capt A. J. Bradish,
Sergeant j. A. Smith and the San Pc
dro squad all rode on cash tickets. The
Wilmington contingent of city officials
went down from Los Angeles on the
Gardena line and walked to the Will
mington city hail. getting a clear and
dusty conception of the area annexed
August 4.
Several hundred persons gathered at
the San Pedro city hall to witness the
making Of consolidation history. May
or Walton and Mayor Alexander occu-
pied seats at the table heretofore re-
served for the president of the board
Of trustees. Three other members of
the board, Trustees Duffy, Foot and
Tilton. were present, but would not,
with the exception of Mr.. Duffy, show
themselves inside the railing. Mr..
Duffy was the only member who
graced the occasion with smile.
Trust Is Accepted
"Qn behalf of the citizens of San
Pedro / take pleasure" said Mayor
Walton, lin turning over to the hon
orable mayor of Los Angeles all the
affairs of this city, together with all
the archives, records and property"
81 take pleasure for Los Angeles in
accepting this trust" said Mayor AL
exander. II request the heads of de-
partments to take charge of their re-
spective labors.
That's the official part. Now I
want to say in addition that Los An
geles has the kindest feelings for san
Pedro and the deepest sort Of an in
terest in your progress. San Pedro
and Wilmington never will regret hav-
ing cast their lot with Los Angeles.
We will give them everything we
promised and much more. We want to
improve your fire protection, and we
are going to give you very soon much
better protection than you have had;
we want to improve health regulations
and to better other conditions.
viii Keep Promises
every promise made by Los Angeles In
the last campaign will be kept We are
going to try to make things better for YOU
and better for us. Your prosperity Is our
prosperity.
"Let me urge that from now on we may
all be united. Whether you opposed con-
sOlidation or were for it, now is the time to
get together and work for the city We
don't want any division In San Pedro. Let
us all work together from now on"
Then Mayor Alexander added: THAT
closes the meeting unless some one
else has something to say"
AS consolidation had been accom-
plished there was nothing more to say,
and everybody filed out.
AT Wilmington A. A. Hubbard and
(Continued on Page Three)