The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-09-12
KOHAL.A WATER
SCHEME
CONTINUED from Page 80

of a Federal statute.
Jones also repeated some converse
lions with Col. Parker, in which he
said, even up to the time Of his depar-
ture, that ne was in accord with the
agreement and yet his attorney in fact
would not sign it. He stated that there
were no facts in existence or no reason
why Col Parker would not receive as
favorable consideration as himself, and
he feared more so. He said also that
there was not single government Off
cial interested in the matter.
F. Wundenberg said he had refused to
sign the agreement on account of his
belief that it was one-sided, and Great
ed a laugh by asking what was the
governors council.
MCROSSON TALKS BACK.
J. T. McCrosson, who has worked up
the ditch scheme, was next called and
he told his story as he wished. He went
over the bringing in of the second ap-
plication for a license, which came aft
er the license for Col. Parker's plan had
been agreed upon, framed as it was on
the plans of the council. He said he
noticed a change in the attitude of the
council as soon as the new application
came in, and the members then wanted
to see into the matter more closely.
While the council was considering the
question a letter came to Acting Gov
ernor Cooper, and it proving to be one
from the Interior Department saying
that in the absence of express authori-
ty the Territory should defer action
until Congress had acted, the governor
suggested that all consideration cease.
At once he went on to Washington to
try and induce the department to
change it's mind, and failed for the pre-
vious opinion was reaff1rmed. He said
he still argued for reversal, believing
that there would be a chance for the
local government to carry out what
was the proper course, which was to
give the right to those to whom it be-
| longed.
! Upon his return he went to Kohala
| and got the planters to sign a petition
| to Congress to pass the bill, and had
| e mass meeting held which passed reso-
| lutionS to the same effect. AS we'll the
| signatures of land owners were secur-
| ed. He then traced the course of the
| bills introduced and saying that Mr..
Gehr had threatened to call him to ac-
count for certain language he would
repeat it. He said: 81 said to Senator
Thurston that knowing him for an hon
orable man, I was surprised that he
would take up the case of a client who
was only an ordinary blackmailer,
whose only stock in trade was the pow
er ne gained through the influence Of
certain government officials in Ha-
wall" He said that Gehr was only an
obstructionist, that he could not have
| thought there was valid agreement
or he would not have sought to defeat
the ends of the BILL Since his return
| he said he had visited Kohala and the
planters had again given him their en-
| dorsement.
| When asked by Senator Foster why
the Kohala people preferred the Hawaii
Ditch Company to the Gehr people, Nc
Crosson said probably because they had
/ good sense. He then took up a map
and showed the location of the public
and private lands, and the location of
the Puukapu watershed. In this con-
nection too E. S. Boyd showed that
there were private lands, public lands
and some portions of the highlands be-
tween, that could be traversed. He also
said that much of the water of the
Puukapu lands flowed into s. Kohala
and that the government was opposed
to the diversion of the water from that
region.
while was in Washington" Mr..
lMcCrosson continued, MIR. McClana-
han wrote me that he had talk with
the governor who had said he would
withdraw his objections if certain
amendments were made. I saw Gov.
Dole and an amendment embodying his
suggestions was offered, in which a
rental was provided and other points
raised. I had an interview with Gov.
dole Sunday night and he said he
would withdraw his objections, but the
next day he told me the Secretary of
the Interior had asked him to not with
ldraw his objections
Further, McCrosson read letters from
McClanahan announcing that all nego-
tiations were off. There was a. great
deal of amusement when the letter was
read, for Mechanism, commenting on
the political situation, once saying that
the influence of Senator Cullom with
the present administration would not
be material and again suggesting that
| SANS influence would be valuable in
lcorralling the votes necessary to pass
any bill.
| MIR. McCroSSon said that Mr. Gehr
had claimed he had been where no one
had been before whereas SURVEYS had
been made on both Sides Answering
Senator Mitchell, McCrosson said the
money was ready for the work and the
surveys would cost between 1000 and
$50, G00
| On cross-examination by Senator
Thurston McCrosson said all stock had
been subscribed but he could not tell
II any money more than 800 had been
paid in. Mr.. McCrosson said he could
not say how many shares of stock or
what was the par value of the shares,
the papers showed the stock was $1,000,
with 500 paid in. Col. Parker is pres
ident of the company and it's stock has
not been increased. McCrosson said he
went into it in 1900, he to have one-third
OF the stock. He said he had employed
himself and he was not a civil engi-
neef. he said he never ran any lines
but had taken levels and measured wa
tiers. He said he had expended about
$4,000, principally for expenses in attend
ing to the company's business. He
said there was no contribution to his
support by other members until after
the organization of the company. Nc
Crosson refused to answer a question
as to what Ballou and McClanahan had
put in, saying it was not his business
and reiterating this until Senator
Thurston appealed to the commission
and then refused to continue the hear
ing any longer.
The hearing was closed by Senator
Mitchell, who said enough time had
been taken up.
A committee of the Merchants Asso-
cation met yesterday afternoon in the
Chamber of Commerce and prepared
its memorial to the Senatorial Commits
sion ha ad 70