Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-11
SAN PEDRO
Correspondent Home 372.
Circulation 125 5th st.
EXPECTS TO SECURE
BIG NAVAL STATION
WANTS NEGOTIATIONS WITH
WASHINGTON OPENED
Chamber of Commerce Believes Har-
Dor May Be Selected as Main
Basis Of Operations of
Torpedo Boats

SAN PEDRO, Jan. 10-Believing that
the United States government will es-
tablish mammoth naval station here
If some concession can be made in the
way of a site for the proposed torpedo
station in the outer harbor, the San
Pedro chamber of commerce has writ
ten a letter to the board of city trus-
tees, asking that negotiations be opened
at once with the navy department
The communication will reach the
tustees officially next Tuesday after
noon, but already much interest has
been aroused here, for it has become
known that the government will look
with greater favor on this harbor as
the basis for it's Pacific coast torpedo
station if the rights of the city to the
l5O acres of tideland, lying between the
government reserve and the break
water, can be set over for the use of
the navy department.
In any event the San Pedro chamber
OF commerce believes the project is
worth working for. It is known that
the government has appropriated ST.
OoO 200 for a torpedo station on the Pa
enc coast and that the choice of loca-
tlon rests largely on the examining
board, which already has examined the
harbors of San Francisco, San Pedro
and San Diego, and also Puget sound.
II is also known that the forty acres in
the government reserve here are situate
on L1Sh ground and cannot be used for.
the buildings required for the storage
and repairing Of the torpedos, and that
the tide land adjacent would not he
SuAlclent Tor all the needs of the naval
station. 81
Possibly the government would want
to use part Of the concession for hie
drydock, but in any event all the water
frontage secured could be used to adj
vantage. az
Although this is the last ACREAGE
there is to be disposed of in the ou+er
harbor the people believe that if the
land is utilized at once by the govern
nent great benefit will result to this
city and port. Ills
May Offer Long Lease
AS to the method the city trustees
VIII pursue in opening negotiations it is
presumed that a 50-year lease will he
o1ered to the government on +he
promise that the land be improved i'm
neolately Undoubtedly the govern
tilenC VIII want something more than
the lease before permanent expensive
Ioullulngs are erected. AS the +ide
lands belong to the state of CaIifor c1Te
and the adjacent city only exercises
jurisdiction over them, it will be neces-
Sary to have the state cede its rights ~
the government, but it is believed tbic
can be accomplished. Ills
ALREADY the government has a large
interest in this harbor. The noanonooff,
breakwater, costing nearly Sc, O00 mn
VIII be completed during the c11rrenf
year. The government dredeer San
Pedro has already deepened the inner
harbor to twenty-five feet at low tide
ana will complete the turning basis
with the present appropriation unless
II De transferred to the task of deepen-
ing Cne entrance channel from twenty
10 thlrty rect at low tide over the bar
through Angels gate as far as the
Southern Pacific slip. This later nro-
Ject has been urged by the city trus-
tees and the chamber Of commerce and
mas the approval Of Capt Amos a.
FRIES, the government engineer for this
district Ills
The plans for a further deepening of
the inner harbor to thirty feet as
recommended by Capt. Fries have
been approved by the naval board. and
although it is doubted if there will he a
rivers and harbor bill in this session
OF congress, no doubt is expressed that
this appropriation will be made as soon
as those for any other place.
Elaborate plans for Notifications
with batteries from the reservations
around the bluffs to the lighthouse a.
Point Firmin and huge mortars in be-
mind the hills, have also been sent to
Washington, and it is now believed to
be only natural that the government
will look with favor on this harbor as
the logical place for it's torpedo station.