The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-05-31
EI-MiliStRT Of the interior Makes
Statement on Wharf Matters.
HAD A WELL DEFINED POLICY
Was for Government Ownership
and Control - Gives Version of
Transactions With o. R. g. L. Co.
washington, D. G., May 10, 1898.

Honolulu, H. l.
Sir:-Your communications of April
18th and 22nd are duly in hand with
enclosures.
1 note that you request me TO make
a statement OF the circumstances
which led up to the granting of the
lease TO the o. R. & L. Co. of the
wharf frontage.
AS il is now over eight years since
the transaction and l have not access
here to the correspondence and the |
documents connected with the matter, |
1t is impossible for me TO give exact |
details 10 make as full a statement |
as / could if were in Honolulu; but |
1 will make as full a statement as
can from my personal knowledge, hop |
ing al an early date to be able to re-
turn 10 Honolulu and there complete
the details
According to my best recollection, |
and subject TO correction upon further
examination Of documentary evidence,
the circumstances under which the
lease from the Government to the o.
R. & I. Co, Of the wharf frontage
and the location of the terminal divi-
sion was granted, were as follows:
The original location Of the Railroad
began at King street, including the
present depot and railroad yards.
Sometime after this location was APP
proved. Mr. Dillingham; had an inter-
view with me in which he stated that
il was necessary for the successful
conduct of the railroad that they
should be able to receive and deliver
freight directly from and to the ship
ping, and wanted to know if the
Government would not put in a wharf
on that side of the harbor.
Nv reply was that 1 could see the
value TO the Railroad of access to the
harbor. but that there was no appro-
priation then available with which the
Government could construct the wharf.
Mr. Dillingham; then proposed that
he should build the whaff There had
already been considerable discussion
in the Cabinet and between myself
and Mr., Rowell. the Superintendent
of Public Works, concerning the grow
ing needs Of the port for wharf room,
and plans had been discussed for build
ing additional wharves on the Eva
side of the harbor / informed Mr..
Dillingham; at the time that / was
firm believer in the policy of the Gov
eminent absolutely owning and con-
trolling the wharves and the harbOr
front; that the Government was not
in a position TO now build wharf,
but recognizing the value to the pub
n
facilitate his operations in every prop
er way, ] would consent to his con-
structing a wharf, upon the condition
that il should not interfere with the
plan of location of wharves on the Eva
side of the harbor which might ulti-
mately be adopted, which proposition
Mr.. Dillingham; Immediately agreed to-.
About this time, or perhaps little
previous thereto, the railroad acquir-
ed the Youman's estate land on the
west side of the harbor and claimed
that it reached TO deep water, giving
him the deep water frontage on the
harbor.
I caused the line of the Youman's
land TO be located either by the sur
vey department, or by the Superin-
tendent of Public Works, / forget
which. and found that between that
line and deep water, there lay strip
of shoal water of practically the same
depth as that over the Youman's prop
erty which the railroad had acquired.
I thereupon informed Mr.. Dilling-
ham that did not admit that his prop
erty came TO deep water: that the
strip of shoal between the line of his
property and deep water belonged to
the Government and that in pursuance
OF the policy of Government owner
ship and control of the harbor 'front.'
age l could not consent to the loca-
ton of the terminal division which he
was then seeking 70 obtain, unless
and until the question of the owner
ship of this strip was settled. He urg-
ed that the question of the ownership
of this strip be postponed and be set
tied by itself
| refused to consent to this. | told
him that the Government had no de-
sire to hamper him in his operations
and that no charge would be made
TO him for the occupation of the strip,
but that there must be a definite agree
ment and understanding as to the title.
I thereupon offered to lease to the
Railroad the strip in question at a
nominal rental for a limited period.
Mr.. Dillingham; was very Ioath to
acknowledge the Government owner
ship in the strip in question. but final
" after several weeks negotiation, the
matter was agreed TO.
Not having the documents before me
do not know what the relative dates
Of the location of the terminal division
and the lease are. The official approx
al of the location of the division is
endorsed upon the map showing the
location.
note that in Mr.. HartwelPs notes
given to you he suggests that the ap-
proval Of the harbor location which is
recited in the lease as extending to
deep water, may give the Railroad the
right to condemn The harbor frontage.
The fact is that the location of the
terminal division and the lease to the
Railroad of the Government strip in
question. were all part of the same