The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-12-15

of its deliberations telegraphed to the
California delegation to Congress to
urge upon the War Department not to
make any change detrimental to this
city.
WASHINGTON, December flames
j. Hill arrived in town tonight and is
at the Arlington Hotel. He was asked
regarding the report that he was be-
hind the bids offered by the Boston
Steamship Company for transporting
men and material to the Philippines
from Seattle.
''These stories are foolish" he re-
piled. II knew nothing of the bid UNI
til l read 1t in the papers. l don't have
any interest in the Boston Steamship
Company. 1t used to be a Boston tow
boat company. Kidder Peabody & Co.
own most of the stock. 1t has nothing
to do with us. 1 have no interest in
this matter except that our railroad
would be glad to get the connecting
business, and so, of course, we would
like to see the steamship company get
the contract. The Government cannot
begin to carry it's own men and sup
plies al the figure named in this bid.
Nor can anybody purchase the Govern
ment transports and run them at those
figures. l would not buy those trans
ports for scrap iron. They cannot be
handled in a commercial line at pro-
| fit"
Hill declined to talk further, and
would not say what his business was
in Washington.
The only bid that met requirements
was that of the Boston Steamship
| Company as follows: For tirst-class
passengers including subsistence, $lOO
each; second-class passengers, $35 each.
Berths to be same as those on regular
Army transports and regular garrison
rations for enlisted men, Animals $40
per head when foraged and attended to
| by Government or 800 per head when
fed am handled by the steamship COM
| pany.
Coal in sacks $3.50 per ton, lumber
$1050 per thousand feet, but no steam
Ler to carry more than 100000 feet on
one voyage. General stores S4.20 pei
ton. This is for transportation from
Seattle to Manila. There is nothing in
the bill offering 81 or any other rate
from Chicago to Manila, though an Of
ficer or night rank in the War Depart
ment said such an offer had been made
and M understood it to have been
made by a steamship company in COM
binatioI with Hill.
General Ludington denied that the
| bid had been submitted to Secretary
Root, who is absent in New York. The
bid is on my desk now" said Luding-
ton. 1T may be quite a while before
the Secretary passes upon it, and he
may decide to reject it, as the contract
to be let under it would run only six
months, in any event to the end of the
next fiscal year. Then there would
have t. be a new contract made. The
Secretary may decide that it is better
to wait until the end of the fiscal year
before making any change. If the con-
tract Is awarded to the Boston Steam
ship Company it is proposed to begin
service February LIST with the steam
ship Ohio, 34SS tons, to be followed on
the LIST of each month by the steamers
fremont. Shawmut and Lyra. The first
two have a tonnage of 1905 and the lat
ter 4417. The fremont and Ohio have
accommodations for 65 first-class pas
senger5 and can be fitted to carry 1000
enlisted men. The Lyra can carry 4C
frst-class passengers and 700 enlisted
men. All are American vessels