Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-19

ated for paying for other work on the
harbor.
The Consolidated Lumber company
then, rather than wait for the OPEN
ing Of the east basin by the govern
ment through appropriations to be OBJ
tained in future years, itself under
took to do the work and dredged
channel 200 feet wide and is feet deep
| through a. portion of the east basin,
and as a result the two plants In ques-
tion were established and have since
been doing a business of something
like two hundred million feet of lum-
ber per annum, given employment to
about 800 workmen and during the
past twelve months 167 vessels laden
with lumber have passed up through
this channel.
The Consolidated Lumber company
presented to this board its applica-
ton to the national government for
an allowance for the work which 1t
did, which, be 1t borne in mind, was
work that the government had, by
adopting its harbor plans, pledged
itself to do at some future time and
the doing OF which by the Consolidated
Lumber company relieved the govern
ment of the necessity of doing 1t.
GAINED MUCH BENEFIT
This board, believing that in equity and
good conscience the government should at
some future time reimburse the Consoli-
dated Lumber company for this work to the
extent of what It would cost the government
to do the work at the date when the gov
ernment was prepared to do 1t, Endorsed the
application Of the Consolidated Lumber COM
pany to that extent.
The board could not see why 1t was
not as just and equitable for the gov
ernment to pay the Consolidated Lum-
| Der company for doing this work as
it would have been to pay dredging
company to do 1t upon a contract en-
] tered into directly between such dredg-
! ing company and the government And
| the board could see that the city OF
| Los Angeles and the public had, in the
meanwhile, received large benefit by
the work being done by the Consolida-
| ted Lumber company years before the
| government would be ready to do 1t,
and important business enterprises at
! tracing an extensive commerce and
giving employment to several hundred
| men being located as the result of the
early doing of the work.
In fact, to put it bluntly. the present
board of harbOr commissioners felt that
after q former harbor commission had COM
mitted itself to the great Importance of
this work by requesting that 1t should be
done with money diverted from other inn
portnnt work In the harbor, common hon
esty required this board TO indorse the Rp-
pIication of the private interests which did
tho work for = fair reimbursement from
the government. And naturally, this board
was influenced in giving favorable consid-
Grafton to the request of the Consolidated
Lumber company by the fact that former
harbor commission, presided over by q
member of your council. had Joined the
Consolidated Lumber company in an -sppli-
cation which 1t made to the government to
dredge this channel.
NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT
| In this connection you will pardon
me for suggesting that II citizen
| by taking a position upon Wnat you
correctly denominate subordinate
commission of the city of Los Angeles
| is expected to abrogate his right to
| express his opinion as to the justice
| or equity of a claim against the gov
ernment for services which have re-
| bounded largely to the commercial
benefit of the city of Los Angeles, II
may render service upon the city
commission somewhat embarrassing &c
men who have conscientious regare
| for justice and fair dealing.
The board was influenced to make
this recommendation by another far
reaching consideration, which is this:
There is now, and for years will be,
very great need for the develop
ment of both the east and west basins
of the harbor under the plan adopted
by the government, and these develop
ments IL we wait for the government
to do them, will necessarily extend
over a period of several years. Hard
| ly a month elapses that this board is
not applied to by some important in
dustry desiring to locate upon the wa
terfront of the proposed harbor ana
to all such applications the board is
compelled to point out the fact that
the opening UP of the waterfront OF
these basins is a matter of uncertain
time Some months ago one of the
large industries of the west, employing
when in full operation several thous-
and men, communicated with this
board in an effort to find a location
upon the harbor.
TO ENCOURAGE LOCATION
A location was desired upon the west
basin and the effort to obtain 1t was
finally abandoned because at that time
no definite steps had been taken by
the government to open up this basin
by compelling the railroads to con-
struct drawbridges across their
tracks, which at that time barred ac-
cess to it. These drawbridges have
now been provided for by order Of the
| war department. DuS III IAO AAobOAC "a
things it will be several years before
the west basin will be opened by gov
ernment dredging. This board has
hoped to establish a policy of encour-
aging important private enterprises de-
string a location contiguous to the
proposed east and west basins to dredge
channels in these basins, under the
plan of the government, requisite to
accommodate their enterprises at their
own expense, depending upon the gov
ernment to eventually reimburse them
for anticipating the work to be done
by the government to the extent of
what woull be the cost to the gov
ernment of doing the work when 1t
got ready to do it. We believe that
| il this policy Is entered upon and pur-
sued it will probably lead to the very
much earlier development of the har-
Dor and the location thereon of many
important business enterprises which
the city would not possess for years
to come If the government dredging is
alone depended upon for opening the
east and west oasins.
The attitude taken by the council in its
recent resolution, of course, precludes the
adoption and following out Of this policy
by tho board of harbor commissioners. 1t
is a policy which could by possibility
do anyone any harm, because IL would be
based upon the willingness OF private In
n. -. Naa ANaa