The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-01-10
CHANNEL TO
BE DEEPENED

The contracts for dredging Honolulu
harbor in anticipation of the early
coming of the big Pacific Mail steam
ers were let yesterday by t.c Pubic
Works Department. For dredging tha
slip at the new Hackfeld wharf Gotten
Bros. were given the contract. and
they will also dredge the harbOr he-
tween that wharf and the Oahu Rail-
way Company wharf.
For cleaning out the harbor proper
TO uniform depth of thirty feet the
Hawaiian Dredger COMPANY was
awarded the contract by Superlntend-
ent Boyd of the Department of Public
Works. The total expense for the en-
tire Improvement is not to exceed
$4,000. the amount allotted for the
work by the Executive Council at Il
recent meeting. The work is properly
the duty of the United States govern
ment, but as it's necessity Is immedi-
ate. and no appropriation could be Sc
cured from Congress probably for
months, il was decided not to wait as
the Korea and Siberia are expected in
Honolulu within few months, and
shipping would be seriously crippled
while waiting for the national govern
ment to act.
Under the contract made by super
intendent Boyd yesterday the work is
to be done under the supervision of the
Public Works Department, and Engi-
neer G., II. Gere win have direct charge
of the dredging.
Bv the terms of the contract the
dredging firms are to furnish all labor
machinery, material and bear all ex-
penses of any kind. For dredging the
slip Cotton Bros. Will receive Sll per
hour. the job to be performed by the
day, and the work to proceed as rapid
ly as is possible. The Hawaiian Dredg-
.er Company, for dredging the channel
will be paid at the rate Of Sl2 so cents
an hour, all supplies, labor. ETC., re-
CURED to be furnished by the contract
ors. The Public Works Department
simply has n supervising control OF the
dredging, and will place men in charge
of all work, to see that the terms OF
the contract are carried out. and that
there are no unnecessary delays. The
work must begin by the first or the
coming month, and the contract should
be completed within a few months
Superintendent Boyd believes that by
this method the dredging will not only
be completed in a shorter space oil
time but II will be more economical In
the end. The appropriation for the
work is $40 900. and this he expects to
cover all expenses connected with IT,
When the channel is dredged 1t Will
be possible for the largest ship to man.
lines, and the Wisconsin or any of the
big vessels would have not the slight
est difficulty in making the wharf The
dredging of the slip will allow a vessel
to Law along either side of the new
Hackfeld docks when completed. The
harbor will have n uniform depth of
at least thirty feet from the 1nter-lsl-
and wharf at the foot of Fort street
TO the end of the harbor.
The harbor will then form big
basin in which the largest vessel can
float. Soundings OF the harbor were
made several months ago, and in some
places a depth of but ten to fourteen
feet was found. Even the transports
have had considerable difficulty lately
In getting mp to the wharf, while Ad-
miral Casey found 1T altogether impos'
sible to even attempt to bring the WIS
consin within the harbor. Upon the
completion of the improvements there
will be no difficulty for any vessel
whatever her size. to enter the harbor
and to turn within its confines.