The San Francisco call., 1909-05-24
Hartman and the Coast
From Golfers WeekU, May p

From Golfers WeekU, May p
T TERE is story of interest no
only to the Pacific coast, but t
all who follow government in TIL
great American republic. Let it be in
reduced by the letter of one senate
% another:
Washington. D. c.. April s, 1909.
Hon. NJ. n. Johnson-My Dear
Senator: l beg to acknowledge re-
ceipt of your favor of yesterday
containing the inclosed letter
from one of your constituents,
who charges that Hartman has
a lease for 80 years on every foot
of shore line, and no shipping can
be made from this port LSan Pc
drol except by the grace of the
Southern Pacific railroad
In reply 1 would say that I
was engaged in operating steam
ships for many years from coast
ports both north and south of San
Pedro, and we landed all our ships
at that port, as did hundreds of
other vessels engaged in the ship
ping business, at a public wharf,
the rates of dockage being fixed
by the board of supervisors of Los
Angeles county or the trustees of
San Pedro or Wilmington. There
are other wharfs in that port
owned by the San Pedro, Los An
geles and Salt Lake railroad COM
pany and other terminal companies
separate from the Hartman lines;
there are half dozen lumber COM
panies that have wharves, and the
fI,o Ice, rrI,.,,
there, and the city of Los Angeles
owns a strip of land a half mile or
more wide, extending from that
city down to San Pedro harbor,
ed about S30O0.000 in building a
breakwater. / feel sure, therefore,
that your correspondent has been
misinformed as to the ownership
of the property fronting on the
harbor of San Pedro or the ocean;
but, be that as it may. the water
front, as you know, on the ocean
is subject to the control of the
government, and the board of SUI
peryisors, city trustees, ETC.. fix the
rates of wharfage tolls regardless
of ownership of the land.
| submitted your letter to my
colleague, Senator Flint, who for
many years has been one of the
leading lawyers of Los Angeles,
and who for four years or more
ney. and he informs me that there
is not word of truth in the
charge made by your correspond
ent-to wit. that Mr.. Hartman is
the owner of all the land at San
Pedro. l remain, very truly yours,
GEORGE c. PERKINS.
This sounds firm. does 1t not? Well
he senator is correct in just one par
If his denial. The 80 year lease doe,
lot exist. The other charges are il
LII essentials true. The rates of dock
age are fixed by the board of super
visors, but it is under instruction.
from the Southern Pacific railroad
over 81 per cent of the stock of tn,
Banning Brothers corporation is owned
and controlled by the Southern Pa
.ific. The city of Los Angeles own,
/ strip of land extending to the cities
If San Pedro and Wilmington, but 1
s cut off from the harbor by the pro
,rietorship of the Southern Pacific
Certain rights on the harbor are owne,
oy electric lines. but these are ais,
controlled by Mr.. Hartman. The gov
srnment owns some pieces of land oil
he harbor, but they are not yet i'm
proved, not extensive, and not favor
lble to commerce. The lumber com
oanies referred to secure their privi
eges from Mr.. Hartman There is
hen, no frontage today on the har
Dor where ship can tie up not owne,
,r controlled by the Southern Pacific
,r its affiliated corporations. The cit,
,f Los Angeles is now enga ged in al
effort to break the title to certain
.ide lands, under the control OF Mr.
for the purpose of making
hat port, If possible, free. but ever
should the city be successful Mr. Har
imam will probably find some othei
way to annuI its victory.