Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-09-12
K0hala Water Promoters
Have Some Hot Words
Before Commission

When the Commission came togeth-
err after luncheon, A. G. Gehr was plac-
ed on the stand for cross-examination
by McClanahan. Witness was asked
about his connection with the Hilo-
Kohala railroad and he denied any
connection whatever. He had brought
q party of engineers from Chicago, cut
$50 miles of trails and surveyed the
mountains. As to Col. Jones' connec-
ton with the scheme he said he had
associated the colonel with the plan
because of his influence. When he was
making surveys he did not know Of
anyone interested.in the water scheme
other than himself He had learned OF
Parker's plan about the time of the
filing OF the first application for the H.
cense.
Witness stated that the delay in
signing the agreement was because OF
the desire Of the Jones party to not be
held by the Booth option. McClana-
han stated he wanted to show thas
there never was any agreement but
only an abortive attempt to reach such
an understanding. Gehr would not
positively identify any of the contract
drafts as such, combining himself to
statements that they were similar. He
said that some of the drafts were drawn
by Col. Jones, assisted by persons in.
terested. Witness here stated that
upon the return of Mechanism from
Kauai he had assented to the agree
ment although he said he could have
drawn 1t differently. After the receipt
of the Ryan letter both McClanahan
and Wundenberg had refused to sign.
Mr.. Gehr stated that he and his asso-
ciates knew from McClanahan that
Parker had an option on the Laupa-
hoehoe strip, Ballou showed the option.
The Booth option. he said was the only
thing In the way Of Parker's signature
to the agreement. The Booth option
was not considered OF great value. Tho
ditch could have been built without
the Laupahoehoe property. The wit
ness stated that II was said by the Par
ker company that they controlled all
the waters and the other parties could
not do without them. Booth himself
had talk with Jones about giving him
and his associates an option. II did
say" said the witness, that we prob
ably could have got the same option
because Booth over year ago saw
Jones with the idea of our acquiring
II in case Parker and his associates did
not build the ditch.
Three-cornered.
Just here McClanahan asked II Sena-
tor Thurston did not prepare the state
ment made by Boyd in Washington.
The Senator himself answered the
question, stating that he had had abso-
lutely nothing to do with 1t. McClan-
ahan said he had thought the Senator
had done the work on account OF Its
picturesqueness and Mr.. Thurston re-
piled that II would do credit to whom
soever did write It. McClanahan
agreed to this and Boyd, who was seat
ed in the corner, made statement to
the effect that he had sufficient knowl-
edge OF the English language to pre-
pare the statement himself.
Would Not Produce.
Next came a request on the part OF
McClanahan for Gehr to present before
the Commission the maps which he had
prepared of the lands over which 1t
was proposed to run the ditch. This
was met with fiat refusal, the witness
stating that the maps had cost money
and besides that, he did not propose to
give any more information to the oppO-
sition. Witness went on to talk about
the actual work which he and his en-
gineers had done In the mountains. He
then referred to a statement by Parker
in which the latter proposed the COM
bination OF the two factions and during
which he said: IF there is nothing in
this scheme OF ours why then there
will be no harm done. IT, on the other
hand It is valuable, then there is
enough in 1t for us all. III we fight,
there will be nothing in 1t for either OF
u.s." Witness went on to tell McClana-
han that he did not know what rights
he and his associates had but that he
himself did because he had been up
into the mountains and had investigat-
ed.
Just here Senator Mitchell interpos-
ed, stating that too much time was be-
ing taken up in cross-examination, re-
questing Mechanism to be as brief as
possible, A few more questions were
asked and then Il. S. Boyd, Commits
sioner of Public Lands, was called.
Boyd and Correspondence.
The Commissioner OF Public Lands
took the witness chair loaded down
with maps, letters and other documents
galore which he proceeded to hand out
to McClanahan as they were called for
THE original application OF Parker was