The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-09-12
KOhALA WATER SCHEME
AIRED BEFORE SENATORS

referred 90 the ailorrdiy false state
weuts ~ McDr1ssun before Courres
siuuai committees and then continued
Statements we're made rejecting of
our attitude with Territorial officials
Mr. McCrossan made q statement a. al,
efeCt that We had improperly infuenc.
"a the government officials chalienr.
"a Mr.. McCrosson. who Withdrew IN,
name Of Governor Dole. but not IN,
others. Repeatedly similar impropri.
etics were charged.
Delegate Wilcox before the commit
tee On Pacific Islands and Porto Rico
charged Governor Dole with Vacillation
and that " the name ~ Colonel Jones
one OF his political managers. was sub
stituted FOR that OF the head of IN,
Hawaii Ditch Company all opposition
would be withdrawn with that of the
Bishop Estate.
1T was charged that u. s. Boyd was
tied up with us, that Colonel Jones was
holding five government positions under
salary.
II ask you gentlemen, now you have
the opportunity, to prove or disprove
these charges. | make no apologies for
Governor Dole or the others. but II
these charges are not proven, | submit
that they have no right to come into
Congress and ask for these entire rights
and that your court should find that
the opposing parties have not come
before you with clean hands"
Mr.. Gehr answered some OF McCros-
sons statements before the Congress
sional committee saying that he
thought 1t would be found that Col.
Parker was not rich enough TO build
the ditch himself; that he was never
connected with the railroad matter;
that the Hawaii Ditch Company con-
trolled all the rights of way and that
there had never been attempts to in
fluence the government.
Gehr closed by asking that the COM
mission interrogate the Governor and
Land Commissioner Boyd, to show that
there was no collision.
GEHR ROsS-EXAMINED
When the commission resumed hear
inGs after luncheon a. c. Gehr was on
the stand for cross-exam' nation by t..
II. McClanahan. The first point brought
out was as TO the connection of Mr..
Gehr with the Hilo- Kohala railroad
He denied that he had any connection
with the railroad except as he visited
certain cities las, winter. He said he
brought party of engineers from Chi
cago, cut $50 miles of trails and sur
veyed the mountains. AS to Col. Jones'
connection with the heme he said he
had associated the colonel with the plan
because of his influence. When he was
me king the surveys he did not know OF
anyone interested in the water scheme
other than himself, learning of Col.
Park $ plan about the time OF the fl
ing of the first application for the IL
cense.
Taking up the agreement of coalition
Mr.. Gehr brought out the fact that the
delay in signing the agreement was
because of the desire of the Jones par
~ TO not b. held by the Booth option.
Preliminary drafts OF the agreement
between the parties We're shown and
being admitted by Gehr to be of the
same verbiage We're offered in evidence.
| Upon questions by Senator Mitchell
McClapahan said he wanted to prove
/ that there never was any agreement
only az abortiye attempt to reach such
an understanding. Gehr would not pos
/ itiveiy Identify any OF the contract
drafts as such, combining himself tc
statements that they We're similar
Some drafts he said were drawn by
/ Col. jones assisted ty persons inter
ested. Gehr said that McClanahan, aft.
/ er returning from Kauai, had said he
assented to the agreement although he
would have drawn II differently. After
the Ryan letter Mechanism and Wun.
denberg refused to sign.
| AS to the inducements held out by the
Gehrs to the Parker interest, Gehr said
the surveys We're the only consideration
offered. McClanahan asked, however
/ If Jones did not state that coalition
would prevent an auction of the privi.
/ lege and several attempts were made e
have him admit that the sense of the
words used was n delivery of the good.
and the real basis of agreement. Gehi
denied categorically that an assurance
was given that the privilege would moi
/ be auctioned.
TALK OF OFFICIALS.
! Mechanism had Gehr prove that Nc.
Clanahan had asked Jones IL a certain
official was interested in the concern
ana Mr.. Gehr said that at the time the
question was resented and assurances
given that no official was connected
with the plan. lie said also that the
reference was to the Commissioner OF
Public Lands or the Commissioner OF
Public Works.
Gehr said that he first heard thai
Parker was going to break the agree
ment while he was at Chicago about
November. Mechanism then led up t.
a conversation between McCrossor
and Gehr at Washington, and said thai
meeting was for the purpose of keeping
the agreement. Gehr denied that h,
stated that the basis of "A new agree
mcnt should be the Parker agreement
Mechanism tried to make 1t appear
that Ballous statement before council
was made simply to facilitate consid
era ton of a license, but Gehr said Bal
lou had made the withdrawal of tn,
Parker application as the negotiation!
for coalition We're far advanced. II,
said also that the Booth option alon,
prevented agreement, which was to b,
transferred to the combination.
l AS to the Pooth option, Gehr saiC
that Booth had had some talk with Col
Jones looking to giving the option t.
the Gehr company. AS to the Statement
OF T.. S. Boyd at Washington. McClan
ahan asked If Senator Thurston did no
preparp n and both Thurston and Row