Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-22
MUNICIPAL t1ARBOR AND FEDERAL
SHIP LINE IS CITY'S GREAT NEED
FLEMING SEES A FINE FUTURE
.
FOR LOS ANGELES
COMMERCIAL SUPREMACY WILL
COME WITH BIG PROJECTS
Secretary Who Has Just Returned
from Washington Tells What
Los Angeles Should
Have

"The commercial supremacy of Los
Angeles is in the balance-dependen on
the opening of new avenues for the re-
lief of its freight congestion, the elm
ination of a deplorable traffic handicap
arbitrarily imposed by the railway and
steamship companies and the eXpedi-
tious development of the many tre-
mendouS opportunities confronting us.
1T is vitally important that our peo-
pie realize the significance of the fed
eral steamship project and the meal
culable advantages to be derived from
a thoroughly modern and municipality
owned harbor.
THE Los Angeles harbor and the fed
eral steamship projects are interde-
pendent and their success means not
only the commercial supremacy of Los
Angeles, but thorough development
of all the wealth and resources of the
southwest, with an attendant growth
and prosperity undreamed of by our
citizens. A. p. Fleming, secretary of
Los Angeles board of harbor commits
sioners.
Imbued with enthusiasm and ex-
tremely confident as a result of en-
couragement received at Washington,
Secretary A. P. Fleming of the Los
Angeles board of harbor commission
ers stated yesterday there was no
doubt in his mind that the shippers of
Los Angeles will soon find relief from
the present conditions The railroads,
said Mr.. Fleming, have demonstrated
their utter inability to meet the con-
stantly increasing requirements of the
southwestern metropolis, and ceasing
to look to the railroads for relief, the
shippers are cooperating in the plan
for the establishment of a coaStWise
steamship line.
IF the people cannot secure a fed
eral line they Will secure, by charter
or by subsidy, the service of sufficient
water carriers to enable the industries
of California to expand to their ca
pacity and compete with those of the
more favored east
1.-THE first great requirement of Los
Angeles" said Mr.. Fleming, lis a
modern harbor. We cannot hold our
own until we. have built warehouses,
WharYes, docks, ETC., to accommodate
the vessels. The people should realize
the vast Importance of a municipality
owned harbor and facilities, the public
ownership of which will permit every
development and expansion demanded
by future conditions.
with such a harbor Los Angeles
speedily can take her place among the
worlds greatest ports of entry.
Retarding Influences
"The advantages of municipality
owned harbor are infinite. The South
ern Pacific domination and control of
San Pedro, despite our marvellous
growth in population, has inyincibly
retarded the development of many
great industries on which the pros
perity of a large proportion of our pop
ulation depends.
Numerically, we have expanded by
leaps and bounds. We have the great
est natural assets in the world, the
finest climate and the most beautiful
homes of any city in the United States,
but our trade channels are congeSted,
our traffic facilities are so inadequate
that much of our marketable fruit in
recent years has rotted in the groves
or deteriorated in the slow process of
railway transportation, while for lack
of oceanic service our manufacturers
have not been able to enter foreign
markets. hence our industrial activi-
ties are confined to a near patronage,
and accordingly limited. A municipal
ly owned harbor, with warehouses and
docks to meet requirements, is a gate
way to the Orient. 1t invites the Orient
to come to us, permits us to compete
for their trade and insures us that we
trade relations.
"Los Angeles harbor is but seventy
miles from what is known as the great
circle of oceanic steamship routes.
"The development of the Imperial
valley region into what promises to
become one of the worlds most pro-
ductive regions should cause us to
awaken to the newer possibilities.
Shipping from that valley should, and
,,,,,c+ oo,,,a tbrOiIoh nc AnpnlaS
1.-THE railroads. admittedly unable to
handle our immense fruit output, are
Just as unable properly to relieve the
other discouraging conditions which
annually cause the truck farmer, the
citrus and <deciduous fruit grower the
vineyardist, the walnut raiser, the
wine and olive oil maker and similar
thousands of dollars. Yet the peoples
of Europe, South and Central Amer
lea and Of the orient are clamoring for
our wares and products.
"Water transportation is the only
salvation for Southern California. II
the present steamship and harbor
projects of Los Angeles are executed
to the extent now planned, Los An
geles will ship it's perishable products
to Berlin for Sc a ton. At present our
fruit growers pay $23 to the railroads
for every ton of citrus fruit shipped to
New York, and the railroads are able
properly to handle about so per cent
of 1t.
Railroads Not Keeping Pace
'There is a deplorable shortage Of
cars-yet the roads are not building
to keep pace with our development.
on my return from Washington last
week the limited was delayed three
hours before ten trains of citrus fruits
from Southern California could get
by it. n,-
to San Francisco all products which
are to be marketed in Colon, other
wise we must ship our products to
New York, then several thousand miles
hack again by water carrier to Colon.
IF we ship to New York or ship to
San Francisco 1t makes little differ
ence for in either event the goods are
reshipped and practically back
tracked =.
s0The federal steamship lines now In
oneration from Colon via Ancon, pur-
chased by the United States govern
ment in connection with the Panama
railroad to facilitate the canal work.
has proved remarkably satisfactory
and a paying institution.
'"The Pacific Mail steamship com
pany, which refuses to ply it's vessels
hatwean Southern California ports and