The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-09-16

1
Of somebody.
In reply to this formidable ap-
pearing charge I desire to state:
That the committee has ignored,
misstated and suppressed mate
rial facts, without knowledge |
of which no Judgment of the
transaction can be formed.
The correct statement of the |
facts of this transaction are as fol-
lows:
l. When l came into Office, Mr..
c. B. Wilson, Chief of the Fire De-
partment, informed me of the ne
cessity of a Central Station, and
stated that Mr.Allen would sell the
old Mossman lot for about $500,
and that enough more to make the
required sized lot could probably
be bought from the Bishop Estate,
who owned the adjoining land.
2. On the 2lst of September, 1887,
Mr.Allen offered to give the "Moss-
man lot and $4,000 cash, in ex-
change for the q Pierce lot on
Queen street. On the Goth of De-
tober, 1887, he increased his cash
offer to $4,000. These letters are
on file in the Interior Department.
3. l did not then accept Mr.. AL
lens offer for two reasons. First,
it could not be known until the
meeting of the Legislature whether
the policy of renting fire engine
stations would be continued by the
Legislature, or whether they would
decide to build. Second, it seemed
to me then preferable to buy the
Mossman Tot at the figure asked
rather than accept the exchange
proposition.
4. In the spring of 1888, when
making up the Appropriation Bill,
the subject was again considered,
and it was ascsrtained that the
Bishop Estate would sell the ad-
joining land desired for $3.50.
5. 1t was first decided to recon-
mend the Legislature to buy both
pieces, and the Appropriation Bill
was made up on this basis, the sum
of S6,250 being the amount to be
asked for.
This appears on page 10 of the
Detail Book of the proposed Inte-
rior Department appropriations for
1888, which book is now in Mr..
Spencers possession. The estimate
of cost is also given in the Interior
Report for 1888, ON page 1913, in
the Chief Engineers report, bis
estimate being $1,000.
6. Meanwhile the Pierce building
was bringing in little or no rent !;
it was in bad order, and no tenant
could be obtained without heavy
expenditure for repairs. I accord
ingly requested Mr.. ]. F. Brown,
Mr.. L. J. Levey, and Mr. Hassinger
to appraise the value of the lot and
building, with view to considering
the advisability of the exchange
offer. Mr.. Brown valued the prop
erty at $500, Mr.. Hassinger at
$1,000 and Mr.. Levey at $4,000
Mr.. Browns and Mr.. Levey's
estimates are in writing, dated re.
spectively June 22nd and 2lst
1888, and are on file in the interior
office.
Z. The Mossman lot was larger
than was needed, and l then saw
the Bishop Estate Trustees and
came to AN agreement with them
that they would take the surplus
land at the mauka end of the lot in
lieu of $3.50 and would sell the lanC
belonging to them which was de
sired, for $4,000 cash, and the small
piece off the mauka end of the
Mossman lot. Matters were in this
condition on the 10th of July, 1888
when the item for "New Lot fol
Honolulu Fire Department" came
up for consideration in the LegisIa
ture. 1 then and there explained
to the Legislature of 1888 what
propositions had been made
and what could be done
and upon all the facts recommended
? that both of the exchange PROPOSE
, tions be accepted, and the cash sun
of $4,000 necessary to complete the
transaction be appropriated. The
recommendation was followed, the
appropriation made, the Allen anC
Bishop Estate transactions were
, carried out as agreed upon, Mr.
? Allen paid in $4,000 in cash, which
t was paid into the treasury as real
ization, and the $4,000 appropria
: ton was paid to the Bishop Estate
Z. 1t was proposed to Sc
, back the building little OF
5 the Fort street side, ant
gain little more room. The
; Bishop trustees agreed to sell th'
few additional feet required at tn,
3 same rate, which came to S647
This 1 have recommended the Legis
: lature to appropriate, which recon
9 mendation they have followed tt
the extent of passing it's secon,
= reading.
: 8. AS to the committees " lega
: opinion about my authority t;
make the exchange of land, the!
r have simply shown their Ignorance
of law and the English language
: There is no doubt as to the entir,
: legality of my action under tn
} statute allowing the Minister o
: Interior to make exchanges, as any
one can satisfy himself by referring
to page IL of the compiled laws.
3 This is fair sample of how