Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-26
FRIES PLEADS
EARNESTLY FOR
CONSOLIDATION
SENDS STIRRING LETTER TO
SAN PEDRO MAN
MEASURE BEFORE LEGISLATURE
MUST BE PASSED
Private Control of Harbor Facilities
Means That Corporations Will
Exact All the Traffic
Will Bear


ness interests of Southern California
through a possible failure of the legis-
lature to pass the Los Angeles consoli-
datlon bill, Captain Amos A. Fries has
written stirring letter on the meas
ure to John 7. Gaffey of San Pedro. In
reviewing the reasons why consolida-
ton rights should be granted Captain
Fries points out that such consolida-
ton means infinitely more to San Pedro
than to any other place. he says:
Los ANGELES, Feb. 24-Mr. John 7.
Gaffey San Pedro, Cal
MY Dear Mr.. Gaffey: So many false and
misleading statements have been made and
are still being made by the opponents Of con-
solidation of Los Angeles and San Pedro that
feel after my conversation with you today
that would be false to my duty to the peo-
pie If l did not give them the benefit of the
knowledge which my position enables me to
acquire.
There are many harbor matters requiring at
tentlon, but of course consolidation of Los
Angeles with San Pedro or Wilmington, or
both, is just now the subject of discussion.
am strongly for consolidation because L believe
that is the only thing which will ever make
San Pedro great public harbor.
The railroads and other public service cor
poratlons do not want consolidation. That was
to be expected Private control Of the har-
Dor means for them all the money the business
will stand, and only such kinds and quantities
of business as they want.
small town cannot cope with these great
organizations, which have lawyers and other
representatives in every capital and every
other town where they can be of service to the
corporations.
But Los Angeles with her 800, 900 inhabitants,
her magnificent charter, which puts control in
the hands of the people, and her vast credit
and large business organizations, can and is
controlling those who would make undue profit
off her people.
The recently adopted charter amendments
provide for nonpartisanship in the election of
Officers, and also that no city property now
or hereafter acquired can be disposed of ex-
cept by a two-thirds vote of the entire city.
Add to the above those three magnificent fea-
lures of the old charter-the recall, the refer
endum and the initiative-and see how ably
Los Angeles is meeting the problem Of govern
ing city by the people and for the people,
Charter amendment No Z, adopted Febru-
ary 2, 1909 provides that any annexed city or
town may establish a borough government with
tull control Of all her affairs except the water
front and four streets upon a majority vote of
the people in the proposed borough only. The
people outside the proposed borough have no
voice in the matter whatever Opponents Of
consolidation object to the fact that a peti-
tion to form a borough must be signed by 80
per cent of the voters at the last general cleo
tion. That is simply what is now required in
any city or town to call election to disin-
corporate a portion of the town, such as San
Pedro is going to vote upon March~10. Those
proposing to disincorporate a portion of San
Pedro at that time had TO get over so per
cent of the voters voting at the late presiden-
tial election in order to have the election
called.
But in order to disincorporate. a majority
in the whole city we'll as in the section to
be disincorporated must vote for 1t, whiel to
establish a borough only those In the proposed
borough can vote. Thus. the charter amend
ment is fairer than the existing law.
Aids Values in San Pedro
Now as to the four streets leading to the
water front, two of which run lengthwise Of
the town and two crosswise Los Angeles
must improve these streets and take care of
them at her own expense, while adding greatly
to the value Of the property in San Pedro, es-
pecially along those streets. AS to the par
tcular streets, it makes no great difference
providing they lead to the water front with
reasonable grades though where possible the
streets must be several blocks apart to in
sure easy access to all parts of the frontage.
The provision for four streets was put in
the charter simply to avoid the possibility that
some borough council might try to hold up the
consolidated city by refusing the use OF their
streets to reach the water front, except upon
the payment of large of money More
over, the borough can have 1000 feet Of 'front.'
age where it can do business just as it pleases
and charge as much or little as it may choose.
Again the borough cannot be taxed for any Los
Angeles bonds, city officers, city improvements
anything else except for bonds to improve
the harbor, where all the money will be spent,
and every dollar spent in improvements on the
harbor increases the value of every piece Of
property in and near the harbor, but does no
good to Los Angeles except by the increased
business 1t brings.
The increased business through the harbor
means more men employed who will live in the
harbor towns, more business for the harbor
merchants, and a greater population around
the harbor, and steadier employment for the
laboring In other words San Pedro
which pays but little Of the cost Of i'm
provement, receives by far the greater benefit
Now some papers and individuals are saying
Los Angeles can bond San Pedro for one or
two millions under the charter amendment
Such a statement is an insult to the intelli-
gence of San Pedro citizens. The assessed
valuation of Los Angeles is about S25e, 900 000
while that OF San Pedro is said to be s7,134,OOO
or only one thirty-sixth as much, and as the
bonds distributed according to assessed
valuation Los Angeles would have to bond
herself thirty-six times 81 000 000 or for S72,-
900, 0O0-perfectly absurd To come down to
reason: Los Angeles may want to spend Sc, 900, =
600 in that harbor in the next ten years. San
Pedro would have to stand for one thirty
seventh Of se,0O0,0O0, only $780, 900, and Los
Angeles $5,S70,OOO. Isn't that good business
for San Pedro?