Evening star., 1900-10-18
OUR TROOPS IN HAWAII
REPORT OF THE DEPOT QUARTER
MASTER AT HONOLULU.
No Person in the Military Service Had
the BubOnic Plague More Land
Needed for Reservations.

In the report of Maj. Gen. Shafter, COM
manding the department of California, there
is report from Maj. George Ruhlen depot
auartermaster at Honolulu. The garrison
at Honolulu consists of two batteries or the
9Th Artillery, in quarters at camp Mchin-
ley, four and one-half miles from the bust
ness center of Honolulu. Maj. Ruhlen says
that troops should be quartered In pam
frame buildings rather than in tents, as the
climate along the seashore is very destruct-
i've IN the latter Galvanized sheet iron Is
the best material for roofs. ANY sheet iron
not galvanized is wholly useless In that eli
mate Building operations during the year
have been confined almost exclusively to the
erection of sheds and corrals for animals
on rGute to the Philippines. No action has
been taken looking to the selection Of per-
manent site for a military post IN the Ha-
waiian Islands. Some difhculty mas beeh
found in securing pasturage for the large
number of animals that have Deen unioaded
temporarily at Honolulu.
The water supply has been obtained from
the Honolulu system, which Is furnished
by artesian wells. Large extensions I1 are
of Honolulu. The city has heretofore been
without sewerage. but complete plant IS
now in course Of construction
Plague Did Not Attack the Army.
Speaking of the bubonic plague. Major
Ruhlen says that no person connected with
the military service took the disease Ihe
only direct effects of the plague were that
the quarantine restrictions prevented for
time the use OF Honolulu as port ior the
transport service.
The transport service has. however, used
the port of Honolulu quite extensively dur
ing the year. During the year there
Francsico to Manila fifty-three transports.
with troops and supplies, one with supplies
| ONLY thirteen with horses. mules and sup
| plies, and one hospital snip. From San
| Francisco to Honolulu only there stopped
one transport with supplies, and four with
| horses mules and supplies. From Seattle
| to Manila there stopped one transport with
| supplies, and three with horses, mules and
| supplies From Portland to Manila there
| stopped one transport with horses. mules
| and supplies. and two with troops and sup
| plies There were sent from Honolulu to
Manila two transports with horses, mules
| and supplies. From Manila to San Fran
! cisco there stopped two hospital ships, one
| transport with troops ana discharged en-
/ listed men, and two transports In ballast.
| There have been issued to the transports
32 1913 tons Of coal during the year The
| average cost of coal was S7.96ta per ton.
| Australian coal cost $7.6Ih per ton.
| The auartermaster says no progress has
been made by the local authorities In con-
! nection with increasing the harbor facilities.
wide and 500 feet long has been completed
| and Is available for the army transport ser
| vice.
Land Required.
| In addition to the land required for mill
| tary reservations, he advocates the pur-
1 chase of about thirty acres more, in order
/ to make it desirable as military site. One
| reservation contains 1.344 acres. and an
other IA, 400 acres. The latter is eighteen
/ miles from Honolulu, and Is about seven
| miles from the railway station at Pearl
City. One of the indentations of the coast
| is called Pearl Harbor. He thinks that
/ site Is very well adapted for o military