The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-12-11

FOR SITES
The Postoffice Plot
Causes Much
Discussion.
COMMITTEE ADDS
NEW MEMBERS
The Sub-Bodies viii Report This
Morning Upon the Various
Locations Suggested.

Work toward securing a site for the
proposed Federal building has taken
FORM and is being so actively pros
ecuted that when the committee APP
pointed by Governor Dole, for the pur-
pose of securing plot of ground. meets
for the second time this morning, the
pected to bring into shape for argu
ment, the various qualities and advan-
tages of the several locations which
have been suggested.
The organization meeting of the COM
nittee, held in the directors room of
Alexander & Baldwin, yesterday morn
ing, was most successful inaugura-
ton of the work, and the opinions of
the committeeman and the visitors free
ly expressed, give ground for the hope
that in the end the site chosen will be
one which will meet with the approval
of the community. The committee was
fully represented at the meeting, and
there were several others who attended
for the purpose of hearing the discus
sions. Those present when Chairman
L. A. Thurston called for order were:
F. A. Schaefer, Prince David HAVANA
nakoa, Matthew Heffern, J. M. Dat, A.
Gartley, T. w. Macfarlane and George
R. Carter of the committee and Gov
ernor Dole, w. L. Hopper. F. S. Dodge,
Gen. A. S. Hartwel and F. E. Nichols.
The committee got to work by the
election of A. Gartley as secretary,
after which the chairman went over the
various plots of ground which have
been discussed as prospective locations.
These are as follows: The lot bound
ed by King, Merchant and Alakea
streets, known as the gore; that of
Samuel Allen, at the mauka- Waikiki
corner of King and Alakea streets; the
Bishop estate lot on King street, near
the Young building; the Hopper prop
erty at King and Punchbowl; the cor
ner of Richards and Union Square, and
the Lewis property adjoining the pres
ent postoffice site in Bethel street.
The chairman said that he would sug-
gest that there be named committees
which would have for their purpose the
ascertaining OF the will of the owners
of the lands, so that in the event of
any one being determined to fight
against the government taking the plot,
. even through the courts, the matter
could be dropped as to that location.
He suggested also that it would be
we'll to feel the pulse of the government
so that it could be learned whether or
not it would transfer lands in exchange
for the site chosen by the committee, If
it should be another than the present
one.
F. w. Macfarlane raised the point as
to whether or not the committee would
be acting within its province if there
should be inquiry as to prices of land,
and the chairman thought this was an
essential, Mr.. Schaefer suggesting that
the terms could be treated confidential
ly. Mr. Schaefer also thought it would
be best to take the temper of the COM
mittee as to the propriety of recon-
mending that there be one building for
the postofffce and another for the
courts The feeling however seemed
to be that this would be largely mat
ter depending upon the sites which
would come before the committee.
Mr. MacfarIane said that the Cham
Der of Commerce would take no action
until the committee had made a report,
and he thought this would give the for
rner body a chance to approve. He
said that he had heard the suggestion
made that the postoffice be placed as
close to the wharves as possible, so
that the cost of transferring the mails
might be kept down. He called atten-
ton TO the fact that in San Francisco, /
where the postal work is mostly done
in the Ferry depot, the cost of handling
the mails is smaller than in any other |
American city.
Chairman Thurston said that the
point brought out by the last speaker
brought up the point that each of |
the organized bodies of the city |
be asked TO send a delegate to the meet |
ings of the committee, saying that in |
this way there would be reduced the
chances of a delay or split in the rec |
concentrations of the various organiza- |
tions, over the committee report.
George r. Garter said that he had |
the same opinion. There was he thought !
a danger of a split, owing principally to !
the fact that the people were too much !
tied to their old ideas and associations. /
He called attention to the example Of /
Chicago, where the people bury local ]
differences when they want anything /
and so generally get it. He thought |
every argument should be prepared in
advance. for the Secretary OF the Treas
ury. for each member of the Cong
sional committee would have