Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-10
What San Pedro WI
Gain by Consolidation

Pedro Will Gain by Consolidation with Los An
q gees,' it may be worth while to ask first what her
citizens have gained far by her management OF her
own harbor?
Up the present time all of San Pedro harbor that
has transacted any commercial business has been
trolled by the city of San Pedro The cy's board of
has granted franchises at different times, TO pr
parties corporations by which she has disposed OF
the public control of about twohrds of the water front
OF her outer harbor
An effort was made time to grab all of the re-
naming portion of this front by Luke Kelley, un-
der the form of "bathhouse concession, and it re-
qured all of the influence of the citizens of the city OF
Los Angeles, led by the chamber of commerce, and OF
the good citizens of San Pedro to prevent the board OF
trustees from granting this away for practically no COM
pensaton to the people.
short time ago the board of trustees of the city OF
San Pedro about grant to private parties and cor
poations franchises for valuable portion of that
part of the inner habor that brought under the con-
troll of the city by virtue of decision OF the
preme court.
The same board of trustees also attempted to grant
franchises for about all that left of the publicly owned
frontage on the east side of the harbor.
These two attempts of private interests to grab the
habor frontage away from the people were only trus-
trated by the efforts OF the good citizens
of San Pedro seconded by the citizens Of Los Angeles
and not then until threats made of serious personal
results to some members of the board in the event OF the
proceeding with the shameful scheme of public spoliaon
For years the Southern Pacific wharf Of 1860 feet in
length Immediately in front OF the city OF San Pedro has
been held and occupied by that corporation without
franchise right for such occupancy the franchises grant
ed by board of supervisors OF Los Angeles county
under which these wharves were built having expired
years ago. =,
Several times the attention of the members OF the
board of trustees the city of San Pedro has been called
to this condition Of affairs, and they had been urged to
take steps reclaim the control of this water frontage
for the city No steps taken, however, and 1t re-
maned for the city OF Los Angeles after its harbor COM
mission was established appropriate the money to pay
the expense of litigation and bring suit to
for the people of San Pedro this most valuable water
frontage.
THE VALUE OF THIS WATER FRONTAGE TO
THE CITY IS SHOWN BY THE FACT THAT
WITHIN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS THE
SOUTHERN PACIFIC HAS COLLECTED ON
BUSINESS TRANSACTED OVER THIS WHARF
ABOUT S15OO0O ALL OF WHICH SHOULD HAVE
GONE TO THE CITY OF SAN PEDRO. HAD THAT
CITY'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES ENFORCED THE
LAW GOVERNING THE RIGHTS OF THE CITY
AS IT SHOULD HAVE DONE.
During the year that the Southern Pacific was col
lectng money for using wharf which legally and right
fully belongs the people of San Pedro the people OF
that city received as total income from its harbor
frontage the magnificent of $412o
Judging the future by the past it is very evident that
unless that part of San Pedro harbor controlled by
the city of San Pedro is brought under the control OF
municipality whose charter will prevent its ever beng
granted away from the control OF the public 1t is only
question of time-and probably very short me-When
private will obtain control of all OF its harbor
frontage and then the habor of the city of San Pedro
will forever be privately controlled harbor.
This result if the harbor comes under
the control of the city of Los Angeles for the that
that CITY has charter which absolutely prohibits the
granting away of the public water frontage by its city
council
Up to the present time the city of San Pedro has
never improved foot of its water frontage and is
not receiving any income from any part OF its water
frontage used municipal wharf or dock
On account of the lack of needed Improvements OF this
kind the freight carried by the American steam
ship company for Los Angeles business is now be-
ING landed at Diego and is being brought from ban
Diego by the Santa Fe Los Angeles, distance OF 10
miles at the rate which the Southern Pactlc mas
established for hauling similar freight from San Pedro
to Los Angeles, a distance OF twenty-five miles
SHOULD THE HARBOR COME INTO THE
POSSESSION OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
THE PUBLIC FRONTAGE ON THE OUTER HAIR
ROR WILL BE AT ONCE IMPROVED BY THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WHARVES ON THIS
FRONTAGE WHICH WILL ACCOMMODATE
DEEP DRAFT VESSELS.
THE OWNERS OF THE AMERlCAN-HA.
WAIIAN STEAMSHIP COMPANY HAVE GIVEN
ASSURANCE THAT AS SOON AS THEIR YES
SEI,S CAN BE ACCOMMODATED AT SAN PEDRO
THEY WILL BRING THEM TO THAT PLACE
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES WILL ALSO
CONSTRUCT ON THE WATER FRONT OF SAN
PEDRO OUTER HARBOR A MUNICIPAL TERMI-
NAL RAILWAY SYSTEM AND WILL CARRY
THAT SYSTEM FAR ENOUGH BEYOND THE
WATER FRONT TO GIVE 1T CONVENIENT CON
NECTION WITH ALL RAILWAYS NOW DOING
BUSINESS OR HEREAFTER DESIRING 10 Do
BUSINESS ON THE HARBOR OF SAN Pedro,
On tomorrow The Herald will give some immediate
gains in the matter of rates OF public service corpora