Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-22
ENGINEERS AND
ARCHITECTS FOR
A FREE HARBOR
ASSOCIATION IN FAVOR OF
CONSOLIDATION
NEEDS OF PORT ARE DISCUSSED;
CHANGE IN LAWS ADVOCATED
ciety Take Steps at Annual BAN
quet to Advance Cause of
Municipal Waterway

Engineers and architects, assembled
for the annual meeting and banquet
of their association last night in the
Hollenbeck hotel, passed strong reso-
lutions declaring for a law that will
permit the consolidation of Los An
geles and adjoining cities, thereby
opening the way for Los Angeles to
have a municipality controlled harbor.
Election Of officers resulted as fol-
lows:
Capt. Amos A. Fries, president; A. F.
Rosenheim, vice president; Homer
Hamlin, second vice president; II. u.
Osborne, jr., was reelected to the po-
sition Of secretary, which he has held
during the last four years.
The following were chosen directors:
Frank D. Hudson, George p. Robinson,
D. S. Halliday, J. ]. Backus.
For Free Harbor
Addresses were delivered by the new
officers and then questions Of public
interest were discussed. Most of the
argument centered around the develop
ment and control Of San Pedro harbor.
1t was the sentiment Of the meeting
that the laws Of the state should be
amended to permit the consolidation of
cities in this section of the state for
the purpose Of developing and control
ling a free harbor.
The following resolutions were
adopted:
Whereas, the Engineers and Architects
association Of Southern. California, in Its
duty to the public, recognizes that a funda-
mental principle OF government is to pro-
mote the general welfare, and that sucn
welfare can be wisely promoted by foster
ing the commerce Of the country, and to
that end it is essential to provide places.
facilities and transportation, convenient and
adequate to traffic in the resources OF the
country. and
bor. with adequate freight handling facili-
ties at San Pedro, California, is not only
of vital Importance to Southern CALIFORNIA
and the entire southwest, but is OF great
national Importance, and
Whereas, history shows that public con-
troll of the whole, and active operation OF a
substantial portion Of every great harbor
Is conducive to the highest development OF
commerce and local transportation, and
furthermore that such public control, by
the equality TO all of privileges given, pro-
lection afforded and imposts levied, stimu-
lates business enterprise and creates rea-
sonable and wholesome competition among
ports, thereby Fastening the proper develop
ment of each and all, and
Whereas, the city of Los Angeles. and the
cities surrounding San Pedro harbor have
ample credit and desire to build in San
Pedro harbor facilities requisite and neces-
sary to the promotion and development OF
commerce and traffic, and
Whereas the city council Of Los Angeles
the trustees Of the city of Wilmington, the
Los Angeles harbor commission, the Los An
geles chamber Of commerce, and public
spirited and patriotic citizens Of San Pedro,
and many public bodies and cities OF South
ern California are working earnestly for the
public good to build up a great harbor at
San Pedro and Wilmington. with ample
traffic facilities under the consolidated city
of Los Angeles, and
whereas, the law now in force provides
y, co1f fJaf OP rff i've
under the general laws and for the annexa-
tion of contiguous territory, and fails to
provide q means whereby cities governed by
freeholders charters may unite. or may be
united with a city or cities organized under
the general law. and
Whereas, there number of cities now
governed by freeholders' charters that have
grown until their boundaries adjoin those
Of other cities, thereby creating such a con-
dition that 1t is clearly for the interests OF
each that they should be under one govern
ment, and without such ability to consoli-
date, their future growth, development and
welfare are seriously hampered and restrict
ed. and therefore be 1t
Resolved, That the law It now stands
works a hardship upon cities governed by
freeholders charters not suffered by cities
organized under the general law, and the
public welfare and needs now demand that
such discrimination be abolished, and the
law amended that two or more cities
governed by freeholders' charters may con-
frreehoIders' charter may be consolidated
with any city organized under the general
law and be it further
Resolved, That we do earnestly request
the legislature to remove this embargo upon
the future growth and progress of cities
governed by freeholders' charter, by enact
ing new laws amending present laws to
allow such consolidation, and repeating al
contrariwise laws, and be 1t further
Resolved, by the Egineers' and Architects
association of Southern California, That we
do most earnestly request the Southern Cali
fornia members of the state Legislature to
take vigorous action in this matter, until
Los Angeles, and all other cities governed
by freeholders' charter, shall, as a Just right
be relieved Of this obstruction and hindrance
to their growth, and thus be placed on even
footing with cities organized under the gen
eral law, and be 1t further
Resolved, That the secretary be and IS
hereby instructed to forward a copy Of these
resolutions to each Of the Southern Cali
fornia members Of the state legislature, and
be it further
Resolved, That we do hereby request all
civic bodies to so act and publicly express
themselves as to San Pedro harbor that 1t
may be developed into one Of the great
harbors Of the world. and be forever con-
served to the best use and benefit Of the