The San Francisco call., 1899-05-18
MECHANICS OFF
FOR PAGO PAGO
COAL STATION
Tibbits Goes on the
Moana.
COMPETENT MEN WITH HIM
PREPARE TO REMAIN IN THE
SOUTH SEAS OVER A YEAR.
Have No Fear the Natives Will In
terrupt Operations on the Big
Undertaking for This
Government.
COMPETENT MEN WITH HIM
PREPARE TO REMAIN IN THE
SOUTH SEAS OVER A YEAR.

When the Moana sailed for Australia
yesterday by way of Samoa she took with
her the headquarters staff of the Pago
Pago coaling station expedition. The con-
tractors, Healy. Tibbits & Co. of
this city have now completed all their
arrangements for commencing work on
this most important strategical position.
They are bound by their contract with
the United States Government to erect
within the present year steel wharf run
ming out over the reef into deep water.
as well as coal sheds ashore capable OF
holding at least 5000 tons In addition
there will be a caretaker's house and va
rious Subsidiary buildings. all of which
Will bring Uncle Sans expenditure on
this station to considerably over 5000 900.
There is a great deal of work to DO
and but little time in which TO do it re-
marked General Tibbits yesterday, as
he sat in close consultation with his engi
neers and draughtsmen over the plans for
the pier. In consequence we have had
TO hasten our preparations.
when we took this contract" con-
'inued Tibbits, deep peace brooded over
Jhe land and we thought we had an easy
job But now since the war has devel
oped We do not know exactly how we
stand. We have applied TO Washington
and the naval authorities have promised
us ample protection while we are carry
ing on the work. The armed collier Bru-
tus is there and will probably be detailed
as a guard ship at Pago Pago."
Mr.. Tibbits takes with him on the Mo-
ana a force of thirty-five skilled artisans,
three foremen, fifteen steel workers, five
carpenters and ten structural steel build
ers. Lieutenant +. 7. Chambers, United
States navy, accompanies the expedition
to represent the Governments interests.
He is accompanied by two engineers as
assistants, G. A Maekay and E. r. Gay
lor. These gentlemen will see to ii that
the pier and coaling station are erected
strictly in accordance with the specitica-
tions, and that the country gets full
I'VE have arranged our dates" said
the general, 80 that If all goes well we
should be able to commence operations
should land in Apia on June l, and my
first step will be to see the United States
Special Commissioner, Bartlett Trip.
who is in Samoa. If possible | will ar
range to have our force taken to Pago
Pago on a United States war vessel, as
that would have an excellent effect on the
wild natives of Tutuila- We are taking
with US provisions and all the materials
for house building. We have no fear of
trouble with the natives AS long as we
are under the protection of a man-of-
wars guns they will be hardly likely to
attack us
The contractors have had to take their
chances of the risks and delays of the
sea A storm or shipwreck may at any
time upset all their carefully arranged
plans. For instance, their plant and ma
terial for construction is on three diff
ferent vessels. The United States collier
Abarenda sailed on the first of this
month from an Eastern port, having on
board some 1000 tons of steel piling manu-
factured by Carnegie at Pittsburg;, She
is due at Apia about the middle of
August The Cardigan Castle, sailing
vessel. left San Francisco on April 25,
carrying all the machinery and con-
tractors plant as we'll as large guam
tity of iron castings made in this city.
She should arrive, if she makes a good
passage, about the same time as Mr.. Tib
bits and his party.
In spite of the fact that the greater
portion Of the steel work had, because of
excessive railroad rates, to be made in
the East, San Francisco is not going to
do so badly out of this contract. At least
one-half of the S200,000 will be spent
directly or indirectly in this city. The
wages bill alone will come to more than
$50 900. Altogether some fifty or sixty men
will be sent from here at wages ranging
from 500 TO $50 per month. The men are
guaranteed a. least eight months con-
slant work. and probably the term of op-
erations may extend over a year.