Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-13
AN APPRECIATION

" HILE we are rejoicing at the sue
wv cess of the consolidation cam
~ paign and its having resulted in
our people coming into possession
of the harbor which they will
make one of the great centers of
commerce of the world let us bear in
mind the debt which we owe to the
splendid services of the incorruptible
official and patriotic citizen who for
more than three years has guarded and
protected the interests of the people in
this harbor
Three and one-half years ago-on the
10th day of January, 1906. to be exact
Capt. Amos A. Fries took control Of
the work of the national government
upon the harbor of San Pedro.
At that time he found that a large
portion of the harbor frontage had,
by the carelessness or corruption of
public officials, been permitted to pass
beyond the control of the public and
into the hands of private interests.
Now mark the result OIL the efforts
of a man who was not only a good
OIIlCGTt
act and aspiration! Within the three
and one-half years in which Captain
Fries has been in charge of the work
on San Pedro harbor efforts have been
made by private interests in one form
or another to gain contrib of every
foot of the frontage on both the inner
and outer harbors.
These efforts included an attempt on
the part of the Southern Pacific COM
pany and it's representatives TO secure
the right to construct wharves along
the whole face of the breakwater.
What was the result?
On account of the vigilance of Cap
tain Fries in opposing these efforts
and calling the attention of the public
to them so that the people of Los An
geles and the good people of Whining
ton and San Pedro could oppose them,
not one foot Of the frontage which
could ever be advantageously used by
the public has been surrendered since
Captain Fries took charge of the har-
Dor work,
And that the people of Greater Los
Angeles in securing control of the har-
Dor have also secured control of valu-
able frontage that can be owned, i'm
proved and administered by the public
is due primarily and almost entirely to
the vigilance of Captain Fries.
His official duties did not require him
to exercise this vigilance. When he
saw that the work being performed or
paid for by the government upon the
breakwater on the outer harbor and IN
dredging the inner harbor was proper
ly, economically and honestly per-
formed his official duties ended. But
he recognized a duty of good citizen
ship far beyond any duty which his Of
fetal position imposed upon him, and,
recognizing this duty, he discharged 1t
in the most courageous and effective
manner.
1t is not too much to say that Los
Angeles has Captain Fries to thank
for the fact that she has a harbor to-
day. Had it not been for the intelli-
gent and constant vigilance with which
he has guarded the rights of the peo-
pie in this harbor there would not at
the present time be any harbor 'front.'
age for the public to control and i'm
prove.
Captain Fries by the splendid man
ner in which he has discharged his
duty as a citizen to the people of tho
community and to his country, has
placed the people of Los Angeles under
everlasting obligation to him and built
for himself a monument in their love
and gratitude that should be more val
liable than gold and jewels and more
lasting than brass and marble.