Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-21
ANGRY PUBLIC IS
ON BOARDS TRAIL
Highway Commissioners Brought
to Bay by Protests on
Delay
S. P. INFLUENCE INSINUATED
Federated Improvement ASSoCia-
tion Wars on Officials and
DiIatory Tactics
S. P. INFLUENCE INSINUATED

| layed boulevard, as demanded by the
! shippers and jobbers, and by the vari-
Gus civic Improvement associations of
the city.
Investigation into the delay of the
| highway commission, permitted by the
county supervisors, has led to much
gossip and speculation, and it has been
/ frequently charged by the promoters
/ of the San Pedro highway project that
Southern Pacific influence is at work
to postpone the completion of the high
way as long as possible in order, it is
/ believed, to permit that railroad cor
pOratiOn to continue it's monopoly of
the freight traffic between Los Angeles
and the harbor.
1t was learned yesterday also that
numerous requests from the taxpayers
urging that the harbor highway be
fastened to afford better transporta-
tion between the business section and
the port have received but little en-
couragement, and no material response
from the board Of supervisors.
When A. NJ. McPherron, clerk of the
board of supervisors. took up a COM
muniCation from George Vansycle, pro-
testing at the intention of the high
way commission to postpone the COM
pletion of the highway until next year
and asked If it should be read, "Tuss"
Eldridge replied: Whats the use?
It's been printed in the newspapers
Mr.. McPherron, however, was asked
by Supervisor Pridham to read the
communication. Mr.. Vansycle's letter
called attention to the fact that the
proposed postponement of the harbor
highway work was an astounding reve-
lation to the property owners along the
road, as well as to the shippers and
jobbers who are vitality interested in
the early completion of the road.
DEMAND GENERAL
There is a general demand for the
completion of the harbor highway for
the reason that motor trucks can be
utilized in the transportation Of traffic
to and from Los Angeles as soon as
the highway is completed, and this
transportation can be had for much
less than the Southern Pacific now
charges. Many motor trucks are ready
! for the service, but the highway COM
mission appears determined to delay
! the work as long as possible, thus per-
mitting the Southern Pacific company
| to continue its harvest of excessive
profits, derived from rates that have
done much to retard the development
of Los Angeles harbor, discriminate
against local importers and shippers
and divert commerce from Los Angeles
to San Francisco.
Grading was Degun on the harbor
boulevard from Gardena to Whining
ton more than a year ago, shortly after
which the highway commission ceased
work with the statement that there
were so many fills necessary in the
vicinity of Nigger slough, which could
not be macadamized until after the
winters rains had settled the fills, that
a delay of several months would be
necessary. The winter rains have been
over for some time, however, and the
! t. l,o1p Itrf hn n o.
adamiZing has not been started.
The following is a copy Of the letter
read and delivered to George H. Bixby,
NJ. G. Marsh and John w. Calvert,
comprising the Los Angeles county
highway commission, by J. f. Wick
ham, a member Of the committee from
the Federated Improvement associa-
ton, at a meeting of the committee
with the highway commission in the
office of the commission at 10 o'clock
Monday morning, all members of the
highway commission and Messrs. Cur
ran, Hansen and Wickham of the
Federated Improvement association
committee being present, also the com
missions reply to the letter of Mr..
Wickham
WICKHAMS LETTER
LOS ANGELES, Cal, July IS, 1910.
Messrs. George H. BiXby, M. c.
prising the Los Angeles County
Highway Commission, Los An
geles, Cal:
Gentlemen-In view of the fact
that on July 13, during call at
your office by the committee of
the Federation Improvement asso-
citation, Of which 1 am one Of the
members, some very earnest con-
versation occurred between the un-
and 1rOllr. Mr. Calvert
with reference to the immediate
construction of the highway lead
ing from Los Angeles to San Pc
dro, it is perhaps due all parties
concerned that l should hand you
this communication.
At the meeting of the Federated
Improvement association held July
communication from Mr..
George H. Bixby, chairman Of your
commission, was read, purporting
to reply to certain resolutions
adopted at the meeting of said
association held on June 2, in which
you promised that at some time
after the next rainy season and af-
ter the city Of Los Angeles should
have completed certain intersec-
tions, and all under certain strict
requirements, you would then com
mence to build the highway in
question; upon the reading of this
communication, exception to the
same was taken by the assOcia-
tion; a committee was appointed
and directed to take the matter of
the construction of said road up
with the highway commission, with
the board Of supervisors and with
any other body from which it might
be possible to secure relief for the
citizens and the general public on
account of your failure to construct
said highway. This committee met,
organized and at the date named
went to the office Of your commits
sion, succeeding, however, in find
ing only your Mr. Calvert present;
he informed the committee that
there was no rock available for
the present construction of such
road; also that there were other
reasons for the delay in the con-
struction of this road, which he
refused to mention.
From the fact that the under
signed and his associates had dur
ing the years 1908 and 1909 pro-
cured and offered to your commits
sion a supply of road rock, more
than sufficient for the construc-