The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-12-22
THE COMMITTEE RECoMMENDA-
TON.

The SOhMl lee kEAOFinENUA-
TON.
AS mistaken impression appears to
have gone out on Saturday last as to
the action of the Committee on Site for
Federal Buildings. The committee has
not recommended an alternative site,
nor a site upon which all of the Federal
buildings shall be located
The committee has recommended,
first: that the Territorial Government
set apart for Custom House purposes
the three water front lots lying be-
tween Fort and Alakea street; what
ever is not needed for building purposes
to be erased over. planted with palms
and used as park.
A separate and entirely distinct rec.
on1nendation is, that if the govern
raent and the Bishop estate can agree
upon an exchange of land for the
Bishop estate lot at the corner of King
and Bishop streets, then this site should
be acquired by the Territorial govern
nlent and presented to the Federal gov
eminent as a site for building for the
Postoffice, the Federal court, and all
other Federal offices other than the.
Custom house
If the Bishop estate does not agree
with the Territorial government upon
the lands to be given to it in exchange
for the Bishop street lot, the question
will still be open as to where the POST
office and court house will be located.
The committee has given no notice of
intention to recommend one building
for all the offices including the Custom
house. On the contrary it expressly de-
clined to so recommend.
The reasons given during the discus
sion in the committee, for recommend
ing the Bishop street site were, first.
that of the other lots most strongly adj
vocated. the availability OF the Irwin lot
was unknown, as Mr.. Irwin is away
and no one is authorized to speak for
him. The Allen lot has had no price
put upon it by the owner, nor has he
said that he would exchange it for other
land. The gore" lot is owned by nine
different interests. several of whom
want such high prices that condemna-
ton proceedings would have to be taxi
en-, involving much delay, and finally a
payment in cash, which is not available.
The Union Feed lot was only present.
ed for consideration in case Congress
required that all Federal offices be in
one building. Second, there is a very
strong sentiment among many business
men against taking the postoffice to
Union Square. AS compromise be-
tween holding it where it now is, and
taking it to one of the Square sites,
they are ready to unite upon the Bishop
street site.
While not as fine a location to display
the architectural beauties of a building
as some others, it is one of the most
eligible and central sites in the city.
and will receive a united support, if the
Territorial government will accept the
Recommendation of the committee. Any
Union Square site is certain to meet
with opposition. which will weaken the
probabilities of immediate action, and
immediate action is what is wanted, so
that Mr.. Eustis can get back to Wash /
ington early enough to make his rec
concentrations, and secure an appro-
priation at the present session of Con-
gress. If this is not done, we will have
to wait for eighteen months before it
will again be possible to secure an ap-
as Congress does not meet
again until December, 1908, and the APP
bills are not passed until the
May or June