Imperial Valley press., 1912-06-28
SAN D|ECO'S HARBOR WILL
LEAD COAST COMMERCE

All the interior country must be in
terested in studying the city which is
destined to be the great gateway for
it's products and the supplies they get
from distant points.
In point of commerce San Diego
ranks second of all cities south of San
Francisco and is only surpassed by
one city in southern California in
amount of business done. Her COM
merce can, therefore, be called import
ant and it is growing at rate that as
tonishes those whose business it is to
complete data on the commerce of the
country.
AS an indication of the amount of
cash business transacted during 1911
are the bank clearings, amounting to
$50, 1000 The percentage of in
crease is 81 placing San Diego in
fourth place among the cities of Cali
fornia in this respect. No city in the
state shows a greater percentage of
increase. Her bank deposits amount
to $lS,000,000.
Her imports, by way of the Isthmian
routes alone, amounted to $40, 0,5000 900.
Only San Francisco exceeded her with
$50, 100000. Seattle had $4,500,000; !;
Los Angeles less than one million. Ia
coma and Portland had 100000 each.
This means that San Diego received
over ten times as much freight from
enc source alone than did the port of
Los Angeles, a powerful illustration of
what will come to this port when the
Panama canal is open.
Added to her imports by sea, which
amounted to a little over $12 900, 900,
are those by railroad which amounted
to $10,300,000, a total i'll goods that
passed through the warehouses of San
Diego Of S22, 100000, nearly $2,0O0,O00
a month.
During this period she began new
structures. the contract price of which
amounted to over $4,000, 900. as shown
by building permits issued. On the
first day of December there were over
1900 houses of all classes in course
of construction in the city.
Her products for the year amounted
TO $13,400,0O0, of which amount her
orchards and farms yielded $4,000, 900
The balance (from factories) of $4,-
100000 shows the great opportunities
of San Diego for manufacturing bust
ness.
Most of the commerce of San Diego
| is attracted TO her by her magnificent
harbOr facilities and the further fact
that with her enormous back country
her position at the terminus of water
level routes, commerce gravitateS 10
her naturally. 1t will never be neces.
sary for San Diego to eXpend millions
Of dollars and years of effort other
ports have been compelled TO eXpend
~ dlIld'I SoiiIIlcICe. "A pdllTN 30,
oGO,OOO for harbOr improvements rep
resents the greater part of the expense
she will be called upon to bear to
facilitate the movement of her goods
over her docks and through her ware
! houses. When it is remembered that
San Francisco has expended over S25,
| goo, 600 on her water front alone: Sc
| attic nearly as much; Oakland SIS,
600, 900; Los Angeles over $4,000, 900
with nearly twice as much more
necessary and promised, San Diego's
advantage as a great entrepot, com
mercial center and distributing point
j is obvious.
Regarding San DiegOs principal as
set-her harbor-"Tne HarbOr of the
Sum- as it was recently described b.
a distinguished visitor of poetic pro
clivities, and as such it will go down
into history, there is much to be said
There is none better on this, or any
other coast; there is none more favor
ed by nature, climatic, geographical.
or in any other way. San Diego har
Dor has depth, width and every othe