Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-29
MANY PROTEST
AGAINST PLAN
CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES IS
OPPOSED
RAILWAYS PETITION MAY BE
DENIED
Property Owners and Harbor Commits
sion Claim Proposed Trestles Will
Be Hindrance to NaViga-
ton of Slough

Protests against granting permission
to the Los Angeles lnterurban railway
to construct bridges across the Cerrltos
slough were filed yesterday with Lieut.,
Charles 4. Leeds of the United states
engineer corps, in charge Of the harbor
improvements at San Pedro. one pro-
test was filed by the mayor and city
council of Long Beach, another by tax
payers in the Northwest Long Beach
storm water district, and third one by
J. G. Willmon, who owns property in
the vicinity of the slough. supple
mental protest i'm the form OF a letter
was also sent Lieutenant Leeds by the
harbOr commission.
The petition of the railway is for the
right to build two permanent trestle
bridges for use of the new Pacific Elec-
trtc line now being constructed between
Wilmington and Long Beach. West OF
the slough and north of Long Beach
harbor the line divides, one branch
curving around to the south and cross
ing the slough east of the harbor, and
the other crossing the slough and then
turning north to the main Long Beach
line Each branch needs a bridge.
1t is argued in the protests that the
construction of permanent bridge VIII
interfere with the development of the
land in that vicinity for navigation
sire the railway company to agree to
placing draWbudge in each of the
trestles. or TO agree TO remove the
bridges when development of the lana
for navigation purposes Ii begun. Inc
taxpayers in the storm water district
declare that the closing of the slough
will interfere with the construction of a
storm sewer, and therefore ask that the
slough be kept open.
IVnllntvinrr &c fhp letter Cnnf Iientpn-
ant Leeds by the harbor commission,
over the signature OF Secretary a. L.
Fleming:
Replying to your circular of Deem
her l6, 1909, addressed To Whom 1t May
Concern, comes now the Los Angeles
harbor commission, a legally constitute
ed board of harbor commissioners, act
ing under and by virtue of ordinance
No. 1929. and for answer to your COM
munication states:
City Is Interested
"First-That it recognizes that these
bridges sought to be constructed are
not within the jurisdiction of the city
of Los Angeles, but states that Los
Angeles harbor is connected with Long
Beach harbor, which affords direct con-
nection with Cerritos slough, the nav
igable stream sought to be bridged and
by reason of which Los Angeles has
direct interest in this naVigable stream.
This commission does not wish to
place any distractions in the way of
any Improvement; upon the other hand,
it desires to promote and encourage
the development of the harbor along
legitimate lines in any manner possible.
1t recognizes that this stream Is al
ready bridged. and therefore naviga-
ton is obstructed by the bridges which
have been heretofore built across it,
and that it would be unreasonable at
this time to say that the Interurban
railway should not be permitted to con-
tinue its line across this slough. But it
is evident there is to be erected about
Los Angeles harbor and Long Beach
harbor a great industrial center and
that all Of the lands that are made ac-
cessible by this naviEable stream will
be used sooner or later for warehouse,
manufacturing and other commercial
purposes, and that the public will nee
essarily need an uninterrupted access
to the lands through which this naviga-
BILE stream runs, and I'm view of the fu-
ture needs of navigation this commits
sion would recommend that when these
permits are granted all of the rights
that the public now have be fully pre-
served and that the permits contain
stipulations and provisions which will
provide for the removal of the bridges
when the needs of commerce and naVi-
cation require it, or provide substitutes
| that will not interfere with commerce,
with the least possible delay and with
out any expense to the public"