Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-21
OCEANO TO FULFILL
HUNTINGTON'S DREAM
REGINALD w. NUTTALL DIS
CUSSES DEVELOP
New Harbor to Be Dredged Near Port
Hartford, Whence a Large Sec
ton of San Joaquin Vail
ley Will Be Tapped

Reginald w. Nuttall one of the best
known authorities on land values In
Southern California, an associate II
the late Coils p. Huntington and now
prominently identified with a move
ment on foot among Los Angeles CAPT
talists to dredge an inner harbor at
Oceano. below Port Hartford, for the
reception of a cross country railroad
| they consider imminent from the San
JOAQUIN valley. arrived In Los Angeles
| last night on a short business visit.
Mr.. Nuttau is one of the pioneers of
the northern part of Southern Califor-
MIA. He throws some instructive side
lights on development that is under
wav in that section and that eventually
will lead to a rival of San Francisco
for possession of the trade of the upper
and central portions of the San Joaquin
valley.
"The expansion of the oil fields of the
Bakersfield, Coalinga and Santa Maria
districts. as we'll as the completion of
the Panama canal. make the building
of a railroad from Bakersfield to
Oceano imperative" said Mr. Nuttall
last night 1T is a well known fact
that the Pacific Coast Narrow Gauge
railway tapping interior towns in san
Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara coun-
ties, has bought up the immediate
water front of Port Hartford, under the
very nose of the governments break
water, building for the benefit of the
Individual at a cost of $3000,0 900. But
this location is not superior to the
ADVANTAGES to be obtained at Oceano,
several miles SOUTH where a big fresh
water basin, fed from the streams OF
the Santa Lucia mountains, has saved
the situation for the public.
LOS Angeles money will dredge TINS
basin into an inner harbor. without
affecting the broad stretch of beach
there, and afford a competitor of the
railroad. The bay at this point is pro-
tected from south winds by Point Sal
and on the north by Point San Luis
Obispo 1t is the natural site on the
coast for the distribution of that part
of the San Joaquin trade that is mo-
nopolized by San Francisco, and will
distribute II instead by way of South
ern California. The greater part of
San Luis Obispo county has a variety
of products. Where they formerly
looked to San Francisco as their near
city, they now look to Los Angeles in
stead. This possibly demonstrates in
a clear way the marvellous growth of
Los Angeles and the spread of her in
fuence to the northernmost corner of
the southern part of the state.
"I have had occasion recently to meet
many capitalists from the east inter
ested in establishing industries on the
coast. The cheapness of fuel in South
ern California has opened the door
for the establishment of industries
and believe it will be but short time
before we will see them abounding
here"
Mr.. Nuttall was with the late Coils
p. Huntington at the time he made a
trip by coach through San Luis Obispo
county years ago. intent on mapping
out the coast line and establishing a
terminal for a cross country railroad
which was his dream for furnishing
the shortest outlet for the San Joaquin
valley trade which he foresaw would
be such an important factor in the
wealth of the state. AS the little party
was driving by that portion of the
coast where the town of Oceano is. Mr.
Huntington leaped from the coach.
and, viewing the bay of San Luis
Obispo that lay stretched before him.
cried, Gentlemen, here I shall build
the terminal of a road from the val
| ley." The spot was surveyed and staked
out. and today the railroad station and
yards are there. laid out for terminal
and roundhouse purposes, but the
fnancier died before he could entirely
complete his plans, and it has been left
in the hands of Los Angeles capitalists
to carry out the work.