The San Francisco call. [volume], April 26, 1899, Page 3, Image 3

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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X OS ANGELES April 25.— With j
L tendered i<~> tho 1
commercial
• Southern Call-
Mexico,
Ttah
over
to th^ ' the com-
I he free harbor
-1 in. Th
;. at
the i ora
. | ■ les. The
was delivered by
Mayor Fr>
Thf- Mas Bower festival i
d with a mon
era ol th<
Bh Rite.
ntlng and
; .. olored eh
lights
walks to of buildings at the
Inters
. "I " :'! i pened at
at ll o'clock.
from
pre
l-lit»< >n in
f the Whil that
will i barge
■ ■
ntractors have
• gin. San
also is In holiday attire and has
i ■
tertainment of that will
\ [si( the ■ ' town.
Thp offli i ; inns by the
■ . th< ] toard of Supei visors, the
Board and other organizations
■will cause business Cor the wef-k t<> )«■
jirnctirally d. The aim of the
been to Rive
of Southern California a
feasting and enjoyment In
commemoration of the birth of a np\v
rra in the commercial and industrial
i 8( uthweat r >t the
I 'nit f •• •:■] -if ,-t victory won by
of its people. That the
THE HARBOR OF SAN PEDRO AS IT APPEARS TO-DAY.
A FREE HARBOR
labors of those who battled for this
free harbor are not forgotten, a festoon
bearing the words "Honor to Whom
Honor Ts Duf," and reflecting the
portraits in oil of Stephen M. White
and Georgo C. Perkins has
stretched from street to Bireel at the
entrance to the free harbor Jubilee
headqua rters.
The cltia ns of Los Angeles to-nisrht
are celebrating a victory thai covers
'ears of desperate battling to
u.i in what was justly due the ■ ■ ■ •
SOME FEATURES OF
THE HARBOR JUBILEE
How the People of Southern Cali
fornia Will Celebrate Their
Victory.
LOS ANGELES, April 25.— The great
victory for a free harbor at San Pedro,
gained by a praiseworthy persistence of
the people of Los Angeles, is being cele
brated In this city and in San Pedro, the
dates being April '.'."'. -''< and 27, under the
official title of the Free Harbor Jubilee, to
which all the leading citizens of the
United States have been invited. Th ac
tive spirits in the free harbor jubilee cel
ebration are embraced in the following
committees:
Executive committee — Honorary members.
Hon. Stephen M. White, Colonel Georjje H.
Mendell; W. B. Cline. president; X. E. Gibbon,
first vice president; George S. i'atton, secmi
vice president: George XV. i ■:!•- ins, secretary;
W. C. Patterson, treasurer; Charles Milan.
John T. Gaffe; Robert F. Jones, P. E. Hatch,
It. H. Herron, G. W. Mlnter, P. M. Daniel.
Fred L. Baker. Ferd K. Rule, Fred J. Smith.
A. P. Griffith. H. F. Norcross, G. J. Griffith,
Kapparo Cohn, W. G. Nevin, John H. Mathews,
W. H. Workman, J. Ross Clark, F. J. Thomas,
H. Hawdood.
Finance R. H. Herron (chairman), M. H.
Newmark. R. H. Howell, XV. <;. Kerckhoff. C.
11. Toll. O. T. Johnson, M. H. Flint. I. XV.
Blinn. Robert McGarvln, A. W. Skinner, J. S.
Slauson, N, Honfillo. T. J. Darmody, M. Ester
naux. Abe Haas, Alonz i E. Davis.
Invitation and reception— Griffith J. Griffith
(chairman), Dan Freeman, F. M. Kelsey, J. O.
Knepfll, J. A. Muir. Hon. Fred Eaton, Herman
Silver, M. M. Potter, W. D. Woolwlne, Homer
Laußhlin, Eugene Germain.
Southwestern Commercial Congress — T. E.
THE SAN FBAXCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1899.
Glbboi i, R L. CralK. Robert F.
I - A. Edwards, .1. S. Slauson, P, M.
Daniel, John T. Gaffey, P. E. Hatch. '*.. W.
M:nter
To-day u;i> denominated as reception
day. The Chamber of Commerce acted
as host during the day, and through ap
propriate committees received the distln- I
• i §ru< sts as they arrived.
The booming of cannon at ll o'clock to
morrow morning:- San Pedro daj will an
■ to the world thai President Me
continu 'us wire from Wasn
n to Ha;. Pedro, touched an elei trii
l>uti"ii in the library of th( White House
that, by a signal, caused the dumping of
the first barge load of rock on the se
lected site for the Ban Pedro breakwater.
To the din "f the cannon's roar will be
added the screeching of every whistle on
the vessels in the harbor, the piping of
hundreds of horns, the Bhouts of assem
thousands and the notes of several
brass bands.
The bounty of the southland is Inex-
Ible, and to care for the multitude
irranged to feed
persons, in an inclosure holding
t of table space, with sixteen pita
roasting the meats, and with
waiters and Bixteen butchers to offi
ciate, upward of 1500 pounds of corn-fed
- buns. 1250 pounds of beans
-■ pounds of coffee will be dispensed.
To this will be added 10.000 pounds of
fresh dams steamed in their own fra
• . thai will be free to all in and out
of the Inclosure until the sun sinks to
rest. This is expected to be the large.-t
ue ever given on the American con
tinent.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon the literarx
exercise^ and dedicatory ceremonies will
t.ik.- place. Senators George C. Perkins
ai : btephei M. White. Colonel S. 0
Houghton, Thomas E. (Jibhon. George
S. Patton, William A. Harris and others
participated In the great light for
ople's rights will speak and recount
the incidents of the struggle.
During the evening towering red find
blue lights will be placed along both
of tin- inner harbor and a line of
lights on moored boats on the proposed
f the breakwater will give an op
portunity t" note its sweep Into the
waters of the Pacific. From the boats
tinuous display of fireworks will be
made. This will be r' • ■1 1 < > %s- » • < 1 bj
markable display of bursting bombs and
dazzling rockets from i ><■;>■: Man's Island.
<mi April 27 the celebration shifts from
•■■ Los Angeles, and Thursday
will be known as Los Angeles or Floral
day. The display will exceed any attempt
similar nature ever made in Southern
• rnla. The city will be profusely
ited with Rags, bunting and Bti
ers. floral designs, set pieces and charac
teristic displays, 'be red, white and blue,
a -iaiiy designated by the executive
committee, alone being used.
Dvi from s o'clock until
midnight, the City of the -Angels will
t a gorgeous appearance owing to
the use of " i colored electric lights. At
all of the prominent Btreet Intersections
in the business portion of the city arches
will lie erected for grouping the lights in
festoons and figures, while alone- the
fronts of buildings rows of tiny globes
will glisten.
This it is believed will be the greatest
lisplay that has ev< i been
made wist of the Worlds Fair city. The
evening will b<- given over to enjoyment,
fun and merrymaking.
The event of the day will be the floral
parade, which Btarts iron, Main and Sev
enth streets at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
The column will be led by the famous
Americus Club of Pasadena, i?'*) Btrong,
iii full white uniform, and followed by
the representatives of England, France,
Germany, Mexico and Belgium In this
■■ .1 bj thi signal corps of the
Seventh Regiment, National Guard <.i
California. The floral entries, comprising
teen distinct classes, will bring out
hm array of vehicles that will test the pa
• and skill of the judges. The re
mainder of the parade will comprise
Troop D. mounted, of the Seventh Regi
ment, National Guard of California; bicy
ntestants, fifty caballeros and the
Chinese population with its Bfty-fool
n, accompanied by the customary
sidelights and holiday attire. The
department will enter !n full force
with machines fully decorated.
As the foreign representatives in Los
Angeles. Consuls and consular agents,
have issued a joint circular urging the
subjects of the various countries repre
sented by them to take every means in
thi ir power to make the Frer- Harbor
jubili b, the affair will bear a
distinctively cosmopolitan air. The cir
cular states thai these representatives
Ider Ihc construction of the harbor
!.•• ..f more Importance to
iliis district than any other public im- j
provemeni heretofore undertaken.
On Friday, April 28, the sessions of the
Commercial Congress will be held. This .
Ik a feature thai has <■ n ihe outgrowth
(jf the work <.f the s,m Pedro harbor and
signed to bring ir.to closer commer
cial relationship wbh I>>s Angeles Ihe
producing elements >>i' contiguous States
• future shipments ■• • ted to
through this new gateway of the
Pacific. To bring about this condition and
to have an Interchange of Ideas the
Chambers of Commerce and Boards of
Trade throughout Southern California
Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada
have been requested ;■• sei I delegates.
The body will convene .it : o'clock and
the opening address will he made by
Th imas E. Gibbon, whu Is the temporary
chairman of the organization.
During the festivities attendant upori
the free harboi jubilee and tl
deliberations of the Commercial Congress
th< re will be held tn I. the
most notable gathering of Masons known
in the history of Southern California. The
object of the gathering 's to rals< funds
f. >r a Masonic Home in Southern Cali
fornia through the medium of a fruit and '
Rower festival, which began in Hazard's
Pavilio ■ :. This was T h. especl il
Matonic opening i-.iu'h!. A tl< -ru 1 towi
feet high and fruits 'mm all the Bectlona
<>f this pai tof 1 •■•:• shown. A \
number of i hapters .f the Eastern Star
and other bodies have booths in the hall.
The festival was declared open by mem
bers of the Scottish Kit. bodies. A ball
was given <his evening, the Scottish Rite
members .••.'•tir.^ as masters of ceremonies.
The reception committee of the festival
consists of tti«' matrons, patrons and past
patrons of Acacia, SoatHgate, Esperaria,
Los Angeles and Pasadena chapters of *
the Order of the Eastern Star. A con- \
tlnuous change of pr igramme has been
arranged for each succeeding day and
night of the festival.
EX-SENATOR WHITE
REVIEWS THE BATTLE
How Huntington's Forces, Aided
by Secretary Alger, Were
Routed.
I.Ofi ANGELES, April 25.— The people
of Los Angeles concede th;it to the tact.
judgment apd tireless perseverance of ■ x-
United States Senator Stephen M. White
i- largely due the fact thru a people's
harbor at San Pedro is under construc
tion. To the accomplishment of this ob
jeci Senator White addressed himself with
.-kill and g< neralship that have
gained him additional laurels, the results
proving that he was equal t<> the emer
gency. The i>''s : ;i.iii Into which the ene
miea of the San P iro location essayed to
force him by opposing the measure did
not deter the Senator from the manlj
and open fiKht he had determined ti> make
in tin' Interests ip t" a free harbor for
Southi m < ialifornla.
In an Interview to-day with The Call
representative, Senator White detailed
the Incidents connected with the battle in
Congress and the stroki In the White
■ ti.at broke the power of the oppo
sition, led by Secretary of War Russell A.
Alger.
In commenting upon the earlj history
of San !' sdro harbor and the first efforts
to secure deep water In the harbor, Sena
tor White said thai the obstacles preced
ing the location of San i'< dro harbor
have been many and at times appeared
Insurmountable, and that In early days
San Pedro was used as an embarcadero j
for the shipment of hides, tallow and
other products of the country. Its nat
ural adaptability to the purpose for which
It is to be utilized was thus observed by
the early mariner. The iirat Improve
ments of importance attempted by the
flovernment were inaugurated in connec
tion with Wilmington, or as It Is now
called, the inner harbor, nearly thirty
years ago; and at that time there was a
depth or less than two feet at the en
trance at low tide. Dredging and jetty
construction have Bince Becured a depth
of sixteen feet at mean low tide, while
the work has been uncommonly snc<
ful. There wan no objection to its con
tinuance until Congress authorized the
appointment <>;' a board of engineers to
locate a deep water harbor on this coast
between Point Dume and Capistrano.
This board was headed I>\ ''"lonel Men
dell of San Francisco, and consisted
wholly of able engineers of the United
States army corps.
"Quite a contention developed before
that board as to tne location, said Sen
ator White, "lint after discussion they re
ported un-in m u.-ly in favor of Sin Pedro,
["hereupon followed a somewhat extraor
dinary proceeding. The very able and ef
ficient chairman of the Senate Commerce
Committee, who believed his own judg
ment superior to that of the i ngln
caused the report to be disregarded and
succeeded In ordering a new board, not
withstanding the vigorous and able oppo
sition of Hon. C. N. Felton, who was then
one of our Senators,
"The river and narbor act of that ses
sion authorized the appointment of five
United States engineers to make the in
vestigation. The new board was headed
by Colonel (afterward general) Craighill,
and consisted of five members. This
board, after full Investigation, again de
termined in favor '•; Han Pedro. There
upon one of the most bitter contests that
has been had In the Senate for many
rears arose. WHen the issue was present
ed In the House no conclusion was
reached. The real tight developed In the
Commerce Committee, of which Senator
Frye_was chairman.
"Our delegation was well aware of th.'
situation, and being a member of the com
mittee I was able to voic.' our combined
judgment We went over th.- subject with
all the care and attention possible under
the circumstances. It was not a pleasant
task to antagonize the chairman of that
committee or the powerful interests thai
also advocated the cause which hi
poused. The fight had oeen going on so
long, that the older Senators had taken
sides with reference to it, and. Indeed. I
was Informed by a member of the Com
merce Committee that he had been
pledged to Santa Monica for eight >■
Committees came from California, ex
perts and attorneys were heard, and as a
result a resolution was reported to the
Senate providing for the construction of a
water harbor at Santa Monica; thus
absolutely ignoring the unanimous recom
mendations of two United States boards
of engineers. In this view I found myself
entirely unable to concur, and 1 prepared
and tii'-d a minority report, which was
signed by Senators Berry. Caffery and
Pasco and myself, and would have been
d by Senator Vest had he been pres
ent, insisting upon San Pedro.
"Tlie report went before the Senate in
connection with numerous other provi
sions of the river and harbor bill, and
then t""k place a most serious and point
ed debate. 1 have no disposition to run
over that discussion, which was partici
pated in by many Senators on both sides.
and in which Senator Krye displayed most
remarkable ability as an advocate— and
he is one of tlie alilest advocates 1 have
ever met. Those who favored the :i<i>.ji
tlon of the San Pedro reports. Including
myself and Senator Perkins, ntilizea
every argument at our comma-id. S<
that" the condition was precarious and
that there was no immediate hope of ob
taining an appropriation for San Pedro,
we expressed ourselves willing to trust
the matter to a. third board. To this
proposition there was great opposition,
ami finally as a compromise it was pro
posed that a board containing one naval
officer to "be detailed by the Secretary of
thi Navy, an officer of the Coast and Geo
(K Mr Survey, to be detailed by tlie super
intendent of that survey, and three ex
perienced civil engineers skilled in ripa
rian work, to be appointed by the Presi
dent, should constitute a board to exam
ine the harbors, and that the decision of
the majority of ;uch board should be
final. This beard was headed by Admi
ral Walker. It came to Ixis Angeles took
evidence, thoroughly examined into the
subject and reported— with the exception
of mi" member, Mr. Morgan, against
whose selection I had movt earnestly pro
tested — in favor of San Pedro.
"In view of these uniform decisions it
was thought that there would be no fur
ther difficulty, but it so happened that
the Secretary of War did not agree with
these several report? and determined to
ignore them. He at first expressed him
self as believing that the Walker report
was too ambiguous to be enforced. He
could not obtain the concurrence of the
Chief of Engineers, General Wilson, and
he thereupon referred the subject to At
torney General McKenna, who overruled
the Secretary, holding that there was
nothing in his criticism. He then declared
that lie could not advertise for bids be
cause no appropriation had been made for
that purpose. Frequent offers w< re mad.
by the newspapers of this coast to print
the necessary notices free of charge. This
he declined to accept on the pretext that
th<' Government could not accept dona
tions. Ignoring the truth that all over the
United States the Postoffice Department
accepts expensive buildings fr< ■
charge. Then sev< ral leading newspapers
expressed their willingness to print the
matter and await Congressional b
This the Secretary also declined. Mean
time the subject was referred to the
proper Treasury officer, who ruled that
there was something like 116,000 on harm.
The expenses of advertising were merely
nominal. Bids were advertised for. and
the bidders ranged all the way from the
price tixed by th<- present contractor to
the full amount allowed.
"Still the Secretary was not satisfied.
but failed to proceed, and declared his in
tention to present the act once more to
the Attorney General (then Governor
Griggrf) for construction. He assured
ral persona that he had done so, when
as a matt' r of fact he had made no such
submission. The Bession of Congress was
coming to an end. and we naturally be
came exceedingly nervous. Several of us
railed upon the President, and I !■•
that I there expressed my opinion of the
conduct of the Secretary of War in an
emphatic manner, and we all urged
promptness. Finally the President, alter
having looked over the situation and
having determined that the harbor ought
to be located at San Pedro, asked the
Secretary when he intended to seek the
advice of the Attorney General. Pressed
uii.itly by the executive, he was com
pelled to make the submission, and once
mon tlie matter was decided against him.
as Gei.eral Griggs promptly concurred
with Judge McKenna. After this there
■w:-.s nothing to do but let the contract.
"Perhaps there has never been any
work projected in the United States so
embarrassed by unnecessary difficulties.
.Many of those who opposed the present
Location did so in the best -of faith, but
the public will never believe, nor would
it be justified in believing, that had not
the powerful interests headed by Air.
Huntingdon been behind Santa Monica
there would have been no serious oppo
sition after the making of the Mendel!
report. Individual Senators or Represen
tatives might have expressed dissent, but
the project would have gone through.
Mr. Huntingdon has had vast experience
in Congress, has many friends there who,
recognising his great ability, find it im
possible to find him in error, and they
Implicitly follow him. Then, of course,
there is another class, to l»e found every
where, who seek the approval of wealth
and power and hope for its smiles.
"During the battle which was waged
at the time of the appointment of the
Walker board the people of Los Angeles
were in a state of ferment, but the
masses and the overwhelming body of
business men, who were unawed by rail
road domination, advocated San Pedro.
A number of good citizens, however, it
must be said— among whom I count many
of my personal friends— preferred the
other "place. Now that the victory has
been achieved and the last opposing of
ficial nas been rudely thrown aside, there
ought not to be further trouble. After a
continuing contract such as that involved
here has been let, appropriations follow
as a matter of course— not in the river
and harbor bill, but In the general ap
propriation bill, the average amount ap
propriated being about 25 per cent for
each year. The proper amount was ap
propriated by the last Congress.
"The success with which the efforts of
those who advocated San Pedro was at
tended cannot be measured by the or
dinary embarrassments of such an un
dertaking. The character of the opposi
tion suggests Btrlklngly the necessity of
continued vigilance. Anything like pub
lic apathy, such as the election of men
who might be dominated by ulterior mo
tives, cannot hut result disastrously.
"The last Congress, at my suggestion,
ordered an examination of the inner har
bor, and when that examination has been
made it is quit*- possible That further im
provements will be accomplished. But
the construction of the breakwater pro
jected will furnish a harbor of refuge and
an anchorage for merchant vessels and
for our warships, which must be of vital
Importance, especially in view of the de
velopment of Oriental commerce."
GOVERNOR GAGE SNUBS
JUBILEE COMMITTEE
It Is Not the Habit of the
Executive to Acknowledge
Courtesies.
I.OS ANGELES. April 25.— Governor
Gage will be in the city during: this (jubi
lee) week. As the Governor's name does
not appear among the list of distinguished
speakers who will address the people at
San Pedro to-morrow, his friends are crit
icising tne management of the harbor
jubilee celebration, claiming that he has
been slighted and that he has not been ac
corded a proper place on the programme.
The officials of the jubilee combat this
Inference and bluntly state that Governor
Gage received a special invitation, in
common with 30'J other dignitaries of the
T'nited States, but that the Governor has
not replied to the invitation. They also
say that a personal invitation, through
John T. Gaffey. one of the executive com
mittee, was tendered to Mr. Gage, and
nothing is on file to show that he took the
\ slightest notice of these courtesies. This
I condition may account for the fact that
! the Governor brought no members of his
I staff to the jubilee.
MEN WHO FOUGHT
FOR THE HARBOR
Los Angeles Citizens Untiring in
Their Onslaught Upon the
Common Foe,
Three centuries ago OahriUo, the. great
navigator, who first landed on the shores
of Southern California, anchored in the
harbor of San Pedro. Cabrillo sailed Into
the harbor and christened the quiet wat
ers Bahia de los Humos— "the bay of
smokes" — owing to the clouds of vapor
hanging over the bay, the result of In
dians burning the marsh grasses. The
name of San Pedro was given the harbor
by Viscaino. an explorer who followed
Cabrillo. This was in honor of Saint Pe
ter of Alexandria, who suffered martyr
dom in the third century, whose day in
the calendar is November 26, the date
when Viscaino entered the bay.
From that date to the present San Pc
3