Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-14
.FORTIFICATION
SITE SECURED
OWNERS AGREE TO SELL 101
ACRES TO GOVERNMENT
LOCATION NEAR POINT FIRM IN
TO COST $24e,ooo
Credit Belongs to President of Los
Angeles Chamber of Commerce
for Closing Deal for San
Pedro Project

Fortifcations for San Pedro harbor
were assured yesterday when William
G. Kerckhoff and George Fl. Peck
agreed to sell to the United States gov
ernment 1O1 acres of land near Point
Firmin for '$249, 900. This is the culmi-
nation of a project undertaken by the
Los Angeles chamber of commerce
about eight years ago and which be
came one of the pet projects of capt.
A. A. Fries while he was stationed at
Los Angeles as the government engi-
neer in charge of the harbor work at
San Pedro.
Since Captain Fries left Lieutenant
Leeds, who succeeded him, has cham
pioned the fortifications matter with
enthusiasm, and he is the one who will
make the final transaction.
AS soon as the department of justice
is satisfied with the title to the land
the money will be paid to Messrs.
Kerckhoff and Peck by Lieutenant
Leeds, and the government will then pe
in a position to go to work immedl-
ately to construct the fortifications.
1t is estimated that $3,000,000 Will be
expended in the construction of the san
Pedro fortifications. and Senator Flint
and Congressman McLachlan will ask
congress to appropriate this amount of
money.
Securing the land appeared to be the
foundation on which to raise the hope
that San Pedro harbor would be for
titled Some time ago $250,000 was ap-
propriated by the government to pur-
chase the necessary land and the lOl
acres held by Kerckhoff and Peck
seemed to be the most suitable spot.
But at first Kerckhoff and Peck re-
fused to sell the land for the amount
appropriated by the government, hold
ing it at a much higher price.
Booth Influences Deal
When it finally looked as though Los
Angeles would not get it's fortifications
President Taft personally asked Willis
H. Booth, president of the Los An
geless chamber of commerce, to use his
best endeavors to secure the property
at the price the government has agreed
to pay. Mr.. Booth took a deep inter-
est in the matter, and Lieutenant
Leeds gives him great credit for haV-
ing accomplished the happy result. Mr..
Booth declares that Messrs. Kerckhoff
and Peck showed much public spirit
when the matter was presented TO
them properly and readily consented
ASSS
appropriation.
The land has a frontage on the ocean
and on the harbor and is considered by
engineers as an ideal site for fortifi-
cations. Although the plans In detail
for the Notifications have not been
made public, it being against the pol
icy of the government to announce
specific plans of this kind in advance.
it is known that it is contemplated to
establish five or six big guns, none less
than ten inches, in addition to mines
and mortars. A garrison of five COM
panies of coast artillery also is con-
templated. There will be the necessary
barracks for these five companies,
quarters for a full quota of officers and
the necessary quartermaSter, commits
sary and administration buildings.
'I have heard it said the building of
these Notifications will depreciate
property values in the vicinity" said
Lieutenant Leeds yesterday. But 1
cannot believe this is So The govern
ment intends to spend $3,00O,000 on 100
acres. and that should make a good
deal of showing.
viii Be Beauty Spot
1.-THE fortifications the government
is building in these later years are
really beauty spots. The grounds will
be parked and planted with flowers
and shrubbery and the grimness will
be entirely removed"
w. H. Booth, who has been largely
instrumental in securing the land for
the fortifications, said yesterday he
considered this project one of the most
important ever undertaken and brought
to a successful conclusion by the cham
ber of commerce.
The land on which the fortifications
will be established is described as fol-
lows:
Starting from the intersection of the
west side of Helena street prolonged
with the north boundary of Peck S
park northward along Helena street to
the northeast corner of block 72;
thence northwest along north line of
blocks ~, II, 20 and SO distance of
four blocks; thence southwest along
the easterly side of a street at right
angles thereto distance of two blocks;
thence southeast along the northerly
side of the street a distance of one
block; thence southwest along the
easterly line of that street to high
water mark; thence following south
easterly along high-water mark to a
point opposite the intersection of the
north boundary of Pecks park, pro-
longed westerly, with the top of the
bluff thence along north boundary of
Pecks park to point of beginning.
Also lots 13, IA, Is, 16 and II of block 4,
and lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 1S. ID, 10, 16 and
II in block 5 of Rena Harbor Heights
tract