Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-06-22
S. P. MACHINE
IS ROUTED BY
COMMITTEE
WITHDRAW APPLICATIONS FOR
WHARF FRANCHISE
CAPTAIN FRIES is ORDERED RE-
MOVED FROM DUTY
Mayor Alexander Given Ovation at
Enthusiastic Meeting at San
Pedro Attended by Har-
Dor Workers

]
/ sihiIities until the Los Angeles harbor
/ commission instituted the tldelahas
4 suits He referred also to the great OPP
portunities which will be opened by the
/ Panama canal, providing the harbor Is
not manacled and shackled by the
/ Southern Pacific. 49,,
/ Cant. Amos A. Fries was INTRODUCED
as the next speaker, and the audience
recognized him with cheers and long
| anpIause. His address received intent
4 attention. for those hearing 1t recoS-
nized that he would present the meat
of the matter as man in the audi
enee said.
Captain Fries address is given IN full
in another column of The Herald.
Mayor Alexander introduced
Navor George Alexander was intro
dueed next by the chairman as "A
friend of all of Los Angeles. He re-
ceived an astonishing ovation, demon
strating the affection felt for him by
the people of San Pedro. The cheers
and demonstration lasted for several
minutes and every other sentence in
Mavor Alexander's speech was punctu-
ated by applause. His invitation,
"Cone into Los Angeles, San Pedro and
Wilmington, and Wen treat you right,
was given an extremely hearty re-
Spouse.
Mayor Alexander's speech was brief
and the expressions in response from
the audience took up a longer period.
The fight to prevent the grabbing OF
valuable harbor privileges by the
Southern Pacific company was carried
to the superior court yesterday in the
form of an application for an injunc-
ton filed by Leslie r. Hewitt, Joseph
H. Call and Anderson & Anderson, who
represent John A. Anderson, Lewis
Hansen and Everett d. Seward, tax
payers of San Pedro. The defendants
included the members of the board of
trustees of San Pedro, the city clerk,
the Southern Pacific company, the VIII
mington Transportation company, the
Banning company and others.
Curtis D. Wilbur, presiding judge, to
whom the matter was submitted, is
sued temporary restraining order,
and whether or not this would have
been continued in force was TO be de-
cided Friday, on which day the case
was set for hearing in Judge Walter
Bordwel's court
In the action brought yesterday
Messrs. Anderson, Hansen and Seward,
the plaintiffs declared they were act
ing on their own behalf, as well as on
behalf of all other taxpayers of San
Pedro who contribute to the expense Of
the suit.
were In controversy. according to the
complaint, exceeds $1,000, 900, and if dis
| posed of by the grant of franchise to
the highest bidder for limited periods,
as provided in a legislative act, the city
would receive, in addition to the above
mentioned sum, per cent of the gross
annual receipts arising from the use of
the franchises after the expiration of
five years.
Conspiracy Charged
In spite of legislative provisions it IS
claimed by the plaintiffs that the board
of trustees, made up of j. w. Walton,
F. D. Foot Michael Duffy, George II.
Peck and N. w. Hilton. conspired with
the representatives of the defendant
corporation so direct the moneys avail
able for the sale of franchises for
wharves along the water front lands,
and illegally and fraudulently to trans
fer the same without consideration to
J. b. Banning, William Banning, the
Wilmington Transportation company,
Edward Maher and the Banning COM
pany, who, according to the alleged
plan, in turn would have transferred
the permission and title of the whole
of the lands, embracing more than 5000
lineal feet on the United States harbor
lands of the inner harbor of San Pedro
to the Southern Pacific, sin violation of
sales of the wharf franchises"
In order to further carry out these
unlawful purposes, it is alleged in the
complaint, tho Southern Pacific last
Tuesday made application to the board
or trustees for a grant to ii of the right
to construct maintain and operate q
railroad with one or more tracks upon
the lands In question, together with the
right TO take. hold and use the lands
and to construct and operate thereon
all necessary switches, turnouts, curves
side tracks. spur tracks WharVes, ware
houses, telegraph and telephone lines
and adjuncts.
Grab Ordinance Introduced
I'm pursuance of the said cOmbina-
ton and conspiracy to further carry
out said unlawful purpose" continued
the complaint, there was introduced,
and the trustees passed on it's first
reading, an ordinance purporting to
grant to the Southern Pacific company
the right" to construct and maintain
the railroad and adjuncts named, and
at the same meeting the Wilmington
Transportation company and the Ban
ming company, through their agents,
applied for FIVE several franchises for
wharves on the same land.
A resolution was passed by the trus-
tees directing the city clerk to adVer-
tise the fact of the applications
The plaintiffs asked that the board of
trustees be restrained from passing the
ordinance granting to the Southern Pa
cific the right of way over the lands;
that they be restrained from receiving
bids for selling the wharf franchises;
that the Southern Pacific be enjoined
from applying for or receiving the
grant from the trustees: that the same
order be made with reference to the
Wilmington Transportation company
and the Banning company; that the
resolution already passed by the trus-
tees, declaring their intention to sell
the five wharf franchises, be vacated
that j. w. Walton, as president of the
board of trustees, be restrained from
signing the ordinance purporting to
grant the right of way described in the
complaint, and that c, Mason, the city
clerk, be restrained from attesting or
publishing any ordinance for this pur-
pose.
Brings Withdrawal Notices
Just before the opening of the indig
nation meeting Frank Karr. the Ban
ming attorney, brought down from Los
! Angeles notices OF withdrawal by the
Banning interests and the Southern
Pacific company of their applications
for franchises. These were filed with
the trustees. Copies available for the
| newspapers were submitted to members
of the two consolidation committees.
1T means that the fight TO keep the
coast clear for consolidation is won,
said f. d. Seward, secretary of the San
| Pedro committee.
The trustees have not acceded yet.
Until they take action l prefer to re-