Imperial Valley press., 1912-07-15
Where Nature Carved the Coast
Preparatory for Great Commerce

When the people of city set their
hands definitely 10 tne task of unlock
ing the future there is hope for the
CITY. and this is the work in which
San Diego has been engaged for the
last few years.
On November IA last the citizens Of
San Diego further demonstrated the
spirit that rules the city by voting Il
bond issue of S1,000,000 for harbor
improvements This was in pursuance
an act of the legislature, whereby
the state relinquished control of San
Diego's harbor to the city if certain
conditions were complied with, the
first condition being that the bond is
sue of $1,000 900 should be voted with
in a specified time.
With this $1.000.00O the city will
construct a municipal wharf at the
foot of D street in accordance with
the plans drawn by City Engineer Ed
win Nj. Capps. When these plans
were first drawn the matter came be
fore the city council of San Diego
for the purpose of calling the bond
election. Opposition developed i'm
mediately, and after public hearing
the date for the election was fixed
and the election called. The oppo-
sition Immediately died out. 1t was
not an opposition TO the idea of ac-
quiring control Of the harbor and con
structing a municipal dock, but Opposi-
tion merely to the spot where the
dock was to be constructed.
The voters Of the city of San Diego
went to the polls on November Il and
voted the bond issue by an overwhelm-
ing majority, one precinct voting 80
for the nine against, and this ratio OBJ
tanning throughout almost all the pre-
cincts of the city. San Diego now has
a round million dollars to eXpend on
harbor improvements, for there will
be no trouble in selling the bonds
Regarding the plans for habor i'm
provement, City Engineer Capps has
made the following statement:
The location for the pier and bulk
head was determined upon after a
thorough investigation of the water
front, taking into consideration the
question of legal complications, the
question of infringing upon existing
franchises and the all important ques-
tion of time After the initial expendi
ture of 81 100000, we will then have
all time to make further improv vements
at any point which may be later de
sired D street and the waterfront
north therefrom was selected primari-
ly because it is free from any of the
above complications and presents an
absolute municipal control
1T will be seen by inspecting the
drawing of tie water frcEt extending
from Dutch Flats on the north to
about Twenty-eighth stree: on the
south, that existing franchises and
submerged water lots occupy practic-
ally all of the water front south of d
street. The franchises granted, to-
gether with their wooden docks. are
lined up in all kinds OF erratic direc-
tions, presenting a most discordant
and unsystematic appearance, built
only TO meet the temporary and limit
ed traffic at the time of their construc-
ton
In the construction of permanent
piers and their attendant bulkheads, a
systematic plan showing their length,
their width, distance apart and angle
with the bulk head, should be made,
and all future work be confined to this
general plan 1t certainly would not
be good engineering to allow one or
TWO piers to be placed out of harmony
with the general plan. The permissi-
BILE angle for piers with the bulk head
will depend upon the conditions at
their location in the bay, which in turn
= is governed by the position of the
main channel, the trend of the tides
also the convenience for ships desir-
, ing to dock. 1t is not good engineering
to so construct the piers as to require
a right angle turn to enter the slip
TO dock when it is possible to so ar
range them as to permit the ship to
dock without turning at right angles
In designing the proposed pier al
the foot of D street, it will be seen