Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-29
ARMY OFFICIAL
IS HERE TO BUY
SITE FOR HARB0R FORTS IS
DESIRED
GOVERNMENT SENDS MAN TO
CONCLUDE PURCHASE
General Murray of U. S. Artillery
Corps Reaches San Pedro to
Pay for Accepted Site
for Defense

Gen. Arthur Murray chief of the
United states artillery corps, is at San
Pedro with authority to close negotia-
tions for the purchase of land at the
harbor for fortiications. So wide
discrepancy exists, however, between
the amount the government is able to
pay and the selling price asked for the
land that it seems unlikely the matter
will be closed before General Murray
leaves tomorrow morning Tor san
Diego.
An appropriation of $45O,00O was asked
for, but only $250,000 was granted. If a
site of 160 acres is desired for the fortl-
fications, which is popularity supposed
to be the case, the money aNallabIe
could only meet a price of S1562.5O an
acre owners of the land hold that 1t
is worth $4,000 an acre, and say they
have sold several lots at that rate. In
addition they urge the claim that es-
tablishment of fOrtitcations Will de-
teriorate the value of the remainder or
the land and that they should therefore
have a higher price than $4,000 an acre.
General Murray came into the harbor
yesterday morning on the Col. George
Armistead. With him are his wife and
two daughters, Miss Sadie and Miss
Carolyn Murray, Capt. r. e. Callan,
his chief aide, and Capt f. K. Fergus
son, who is in command of the Col.
George Armistead.
General Murray left Washington, D.
c., in February and inspected the de-
fenses in the Philippines and Hawaiian
islands. On the Pacific coast he has
made a partial inspection of the fortit-
cations at San Francisco.
The u. S. S. Col George Armistead is
a mine planter, and on the forward
mast is the flag of the department of
submarine defense. With Captain Fer
gusson in command of the vessel is
Lieut.. II. T. Burgin, his first officer.
The steamer came around the Horn
from the Atlantic seaboard and has
been but three months on the coast
The mine planter will be used on this
coast to fortify harbors with submarine
mines.
General Murray received aboard the
vessel yesterday DR.. w. A. Weldon.
president of the San Pedro board of
trade, and E. L. Blanchard, secretary
of the san Pedro chamber of commerce.
A p Fleming, secretary of the Los
Angeles harbor commission, and j. Q.
Koephi, chairman of the harbor COM
mittee of the Los Angeles chamber OF
commerce, also visited the general ana
arranged for a meeting with him In
Los Angeles this morning at 10 O'Clock.
General Murray stated in answer to
question as to his mission here: Il am
here for the purpose of making a maj
inspection of the sites for the proposed
fortifcations of San Pedro harbor, and
am ready to close the purchase the
plans have all been made and the sites
selected. An appropriation of S25O,OOO
has been made by congress, and TINS
money is now available.
THE plans call for about 100 acres as
near as I can recollect, and we hope to
get it within the appropriation. The
land was never worth anything like
this figure in acreage, and some of the
lots have been sold. Should we be un-
able to make terms with the owners OF
the property 1t will be necessary. TO
condemn the land or wait until addl-
tional appropriations can be made by
cnogress. This is my third visit to san
Pedro and | note considerable I'M
provement since was here last"
Accompanied by his party and by
Can't Amos Fries and Lieut.. Charles L.
Leeds of the United States district en-
gineer corps, General Murray later Went
to Point Firmin and inspected the site
accepted. III.
Ali of the party were pleased with
San Pedro harbor, Captain t'ergusson
saving it was his first visit here. he
was delighted with the climate and
thought a great future Is pelore the
harbor If properly improved.
THE steamer will proceed to san
Dieeo after a brief stay here, reaching
there on Friday afternoon at about 4
o'clock. r,., -
private. nothing being given out as to
the location of the Notifications, but
the matter has now been settled SO tar
"a the government is convened. Inc
isnd is owned by George H. Peck and
r .i' D. Sepuiveda, excepting that portion
Of land near the lighthouse which has
been sold to private parties, who have
in many cases erected homes on their
,,urchaS SpS