Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-27
CITY CLUB IS
TAUGHT MUCH
ABOUT HARBOR
TWO HUNDRED MEMBERS GO
ON JAUNT
INSPECT SAN PEDRO, WHINING
TON AND LONG BEACH
Urge Retention of Captain Fries and
May Establish Plan of Quarterly
Journey to Watch Port
Progress

City club of Los Angeles have a
N new conception of the harbor
through their trip yesterday from the
breakwater to the Long Beach en-
trance, and from the addresses follow
ing dinner at the Hotel Virginia last
night.
Il thought 1 knew something about
our harbor until tday, but 1 didn't re-
alize one-tenth,' said Manager Alex
ander to the City club, and the mem
bers agreed that he expressed the
common opinion.
If the facilities could have been Of
fered, Secretary Henderson might
have had a delegation of 500. Tho
party took five special cars at the Pa
cific Electric building and spent eight
hours in a consideration of harbor pos
sibilities.
There won't be any more trips like
this if L have to look after them" said
Mr.. Henderson after 1t was over, but
in this he stood out alone. Members
of the City club are considering the
Introduction at next Saturday s meet
ing of a resolution making harbor
trip a quarterly event, at least, ana
urging every member of the club who
could not go yesterday to take time
for an early inspection of the entire
harbor.
See Details of Harbor
The party took boats at the Southern
Pacific landing in San Pedro. After a
view of the outer harbor, on which the
municipal tract of San Pedro, the
breakwater and the concessions alreaoy
given were located, the Southern Pa
cific slip and the lumber handling IA
cilities were inspected. A trip to the
inner harbor located the Mormon
island tract and the wharf and railroad
franchises asked around it of the san
Pedro trustees. The harbor lines, the
Importance of the tide lands suits, and
the future development of the indus
trial harbor were shown as the
launches went through the west pasln,
and on the way past Wilmington ana
into the Cerritos slough the develop
ment of the lumber trade was explained
bv a demonstration of the Importance
of the new yards to the Consolidated
Pccific and Hardwood lumber COM
panles.
The Long Beach harbor and its en-
trance and the plant of the Craig snip
building company came in for a tnor-
ough inspection, and the city cruz
members obtained an idea of the I'M
portance of the Craig plant by a 'st view
of the new tug Virgil G. Bogue, recent
ly launched.
Frank G. Finlayson presided after
the dinner at the Virginia, as Judge
John D. Works, the president or the
club. was unable to take the trip. the
meeting in great part took the form
of an ovation to the work of Captain
Fries.
Mayor Alexander Pleased
"Imagine after this trip you have
taken the Los Angeles of ten years
(rpnTRa Alex
ander, the first speaker introduced by
Mr.. Finlayson. Il can see a city from
the mountains to the sea, from the san
Gabriel river stretching clear to Santa
Monica, a city with a million or more
inhabitants. 1 am surprised that We
haven't realized what this harbor
means to us.
ave are going to have here the fin
est harbor in the world. l claim, gen
tlemen, that there will be none second
to it If we are able to go on as has
been planned. And we must do this,
and keep on growing
I'VE don't want only San Pedro and
Wilmington, but we want Long Beach,
too. If we carry this consolidation
election and consolidate with San Pc
dro and Wilmington and treat them
right Long Beach can't help but come
in. And we want to keep Captain Fries
with us also. If it were not for his et-
forts we should not have much left for
free harbor I can't believe that if
the government understands how much
we need him it won't be so unkind as
to take this officer from us. We can't
spare him.
"I have seen great advancement in
Los Angeles in the last twenty two
years, but let me tell you that the last
twenty-five years is as nothing COM
pared to what the next ten will be If
we do our duty"
E. o. Edgerton, secretary of the Mu-
nicipal league, who spoke for that isis
ter organization" as Chairman Finlay-
son termed 1T, spoke for that body's
interest in the harbor and the retention
of Capt. Fries. He read the following
letter. which he recommended that
Capt. Fries send to the secretary of
war regarding his transfer from Los
Angeles:
'Dear Mr.. Secretary of War: Your
kind note ordering me to Washington
is received and contents noted. l am
very sorry cannot come. Los Angeles
needs me-"
Praise from Visitor
j. M. Buchanan. managing editor of
the Des Moines, Iowa, Capital. who
was a guest on the trip, was asked to
say something about Los Angeles. "An
eQltOT Is Stlu W OS a BOOu utdl VI d
scold," he said, 80 perhaps l may be
excused for referring to the statement
credited to Hartman that Los An
geles people talk entirely too much
about their climate. You have it, hut
you did not put it here. 1t will be here
in spite of you. 1t is man that makes
city great, not the surroundings.
you need to go after the commerce
of the world, 1t is just as easy for
Los Angeles to secure million people
as for Chicago 1t rests with you to
make here a city of more than a mil
lion people, and / am confident that
you will. To me the city of Los An
geles is on the verge of becoming a
metropolis, a mart of the world"
Captain Fries, who followed, was
received with the hearty cheers of the
club members, who stood on their feet
and waved their napkins to show their
appreciation. He began his address
with an appreciation of men who have
been instrumental in advancing the
fight for a great harbor Among
these he mentioned his assistants. par
(ContiDued on Page Three)