Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-10
Huntington and Southern Pacific
Lose Franchises Through
Failure of Pledges
TIDELAND ACRES INVOLVED
City Attorney Prepares for Pro-
ceedingS to Open New
Streets in Wilmington

Charging failure on the part or H.
e. Huntington and the Southern Pa
cific to keep pledges they had made,
the city council yesterday took rad
ical action with regard to important
franchises. This Is what the council
die:
Took back that portion of East Fifth
street extending from Central avenue
to the Arcade station because of the
failure of the Southern Pacific COM
paNy to build a new station.
Passed an ordinance providing for
the condemnation of highways across
the tidelands at Wilmington.
Passed an ordinance declaring the
franchise granted H. r. Huntington
in trust for the San Pedro Terminal
Railroad and Wharf company for
feited.
Passed an ordinance declaring
leases to certain tidelands held by H.
II. Huntington for the benefit of the
same company forfeited.
The franchise and lease were de-
clared forfeited because, 1t is asserted,
Huntington has not complied with the
terms by which they were granted,
nor has he ever organized the corpor-
alton for which he held the lands.
FRANCHISE TERM EXPIRES
These ordinances were all presented
to the council yesterday by City At
torney Hewitt and were subjects of
long investigation. Mr.. Hewitt had
to wait for the expiration of the term
of the lease to the tidelands. 1t has
been generally known that as soon as
the time limit fixed in this lease ex-
pired he would present an ordinance
to the council declaring it forfeited.
In order that the public may gain
easy access to the waterfront at VIII
mington the council yesterday in
structed the city attorney to begin pro-
ceedings to open streets across the
tidelands to which private persons
claim title, but which the city Is dis
putting in the courts. These streets
are to be continuation of Fries street
and d street and are to extend from
where these streets now stop clear
down to the harbor edge. In addi-
ton, Canal street, the principal thor
oughfare of wilmington, is to be Wild
ened from sixty to eighty feet. and q
strip of land 100 feet wide is to be
opened from Banning to Fries street
for public warehouses, wharves, docks
and highway
Even should the courts finally de-
eide that the private claimants titles
to the disputed tidelands are valid,
City Attorney Hewitt holds that the
city has the right to open necessary
cli6GlS lIiiOQ5A PtANeeeC AOiANs JNoe
as it has on any other private land
in any part of the city.
FAILURE TO BUILD WHARF
In reporting to the council on the
Huntington claims, Mr.. Hewitt said
that in 1903 the supervisors of Los
Angeles county had granted fran
chise to Mr.. Huntington, as trustee
of the San Pedro Terminal Railroad
and Wharf company, for what has
come to be known as the Huntington
claim on condition that a wharf and
mole be constructed on the land.
Although seven years have passed
since the franchise was granted, the
wharf has not been built and there
are no signs that 1t will be. In adj
dition, the corporation for which the
franchise was granted was never or
EaHized. AS Mr.. Huntington had failed
to comply with the terms of his fran
chise the council passed the ordinance
declaring it forfeited.
The lease forfeited by the council was
granted to Mr.. Huntington August 2,
1905, by the trustees of San Pedro and
Joined the franchise from the county.
By the terms of the lease Huntington
and his corporation were to place this
piece of tideland in such shape that
it could be used for a terminal rail-
road and to expend 100000 within five
years in constructing a bulkhead and
filling. The five years expired last
Tuesday and the terms of the lease
have not been complied with.