The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-12
HARBOR NEEDS
Work of United States
Commission.
Report on HonoluIu's Necessities for
Additional Wharfage is Nov
In Washington.

For a month past a United states
harbor commission has been stang
here. 1t was Instituted 10 ful nlsn tie
Government in Wasninet.n cert-in III
formation about the harOor, TO make u
report and recommeAGalIUns. 81
quietly has 1t worked tnaC Lite of Ito
dolngs has transpued I.s IeSOII 10
now III Washington Aud sou lISlSO4u4u
snouiu near weicOnie news.
Inc omclais con- pOoiho tne board aIe
Mayor WnnaIn r.nnis, Odp.d.n -.
SHAKER and second LneutenaHI ". L..
Hancock, all Oh the b.A,n ArJiLeI }.
Two main propositions nave ehaased
the board. Une contemplated diI ca
change OF land between me HAWAIIAN
Government and the railroad company.
The local government some time ago
sent to Washington suggestion TO the
effect that an exchange CouIu Ne Ilduv
of two small pieces of land owned
by the government here, together WIN
another piece In dispute between the
government and the railway company,
for a strip owned by the latter along
the waterfront, which would admit Oh
largely increasing the wharfage facil-
tiles; the two governments TO develop
the waterfront together. The authori-
ties at Washington did not take action
on the matter Immediately, possibly
because they felt that the information
at their disposal was not sufficient to
warrant them in doing SO. They for
warded to the officials above men Toned,
who considered the matter in all its
bearings and investigated 1t from all
points of view.
What the government at Washington
sought in this matter was information;
and the board sent thither all that
could be obtained. They secured the
opinions of ali the business people of
prominence in Honolulu, including the
chief merchants, the heads of the bank
ing houses and all persons interested
in shipping and in the extension OF the
waterfront. All approved OF the pro-
posed barter, as well as most of the
members of the government; and the
Chamber of Commerce adopted resolu-
lions favoring the proposed method of
extending the harbor lines. The re-
suits OF this investigation were for
warded to Washington, together with
the commissions report, on March 81,
and the documents should arrive today.
The matter may be hearu from In TWO
weeks time If the authorities there act
promptly, which they probably won't.
There were no engineering problems
connected with this affair nor was ii
in any respect military proposals
looking to the defence of the harbor in
time of war. IT was purely CONNER
cial matter, intended to determine
whether or no the plan involved a fair
business exchange and promised to re-
suit in a substantial increase in the
dock room. The exact recommended
tons made by the board could not OF
course be learned, but IL found that the
plan offered the quickest and most
feasible way OF eRlarglng the harbor
facilities. IL carried out, 1t will nearly
double the dock space without en-
croaching upon the harbor proper.
This transfer will enable a number
stream to be extended out a hundred oil
hundred and twenty feet into the har-
Dor, SO that large vessels can discharge
on them from both matches at once
or two small vessels can unload at the
same time. Besides this the transfer
makes available for new docks a striI
OF land not at present equipped witt
wharfage facilities. The commission
il may be mentioned, caned the atten
ton OF the Washington authorities Il
the large number OF vessels which arr
compelled to be out in the harbor FOL
ten days or more while awaiting /;
chance to unload. and showed the UT
gent need of an increase in the docl
room