The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-02-11
TRANSPORT
SERVICE.
Changed Attitude
Of Secretary
Root.
AN FRANCISCO, Jan. Ex-senator
Perkins said today that he had

~ been assured that nothing would
be done in the matter of turning the
transport service over to private con-
tractors for at least a year.
Secretary Root has changed his at
ttude somewhat on this matter said
Senator Perkins. He was very anx-
ious to have authority from Congress
to sell the government vessels and
make contracts for the transportation
of troops and supplies. but in view of
the showing made by Quartermaster-
General Ludington and the officers of
the Quartermaster Generals depart
ment, Secretary Root is now loath to
act. 1 am satisfied that nothing will
be done for year, IL at ALL"
Representative Kahn said tonight
that he had talked with Representa-
tive Hull, chairman of the House Com
mittee on Military Affairs, and that
Hull said he was much opposed to
turning the transports over to private
contract. so far as the House is con-
cerned." said Representative Kahn, II
think it is safe to say that nothing will
be done this session looking toward
disposing OF the government transport
service or letting private contracts for
the transportation of troops and sup
plies. The system appears to be salts
factory to the House, and will remain
as 1t is"
WANT TO SELL US OIL.
To get slice Of the oil trade in the
Hawaiian Islands is the ambition Of
few local producers, says the Los An
geles Herald, who are now considering
the proposition of opening negotiations
with some of the sugar refiners and
planters in the hope that>cOntracts will
be closed for Los Angeles petroleum.
1t is a well known fact that fuel con-
sumers of the islands are looking to
California for oil, which they will sub
stitute for coal because 1t means a
large financial saving. Already con-
tracts have been closed by certain
Kern river producers, and the coming
year 100000 barrels of Kern river oil
will be shipped to the islands. Experts
who are familiar with the fuel situa-
ton in Hawaii state that approximate
ly 100000 tons of coal are consumed
yearly there, and that the bulk of it is
used in pumping water for irrigating
cane. The cost delivered at the pumps
is close to $40 a ton, or an annual ex-
penditure of $2,000,000: this is equal to
6 per cent on over $50, 600, 900. How to
reduce this enormous expense Is Of vi
tai interest to the sugar industry
there.
1t is believed that local oil could be
delivered at the cane plants at a con-
siderable saving over coal. Tank
steamers could be loaded at San Pedro
at a cost of considerably less than it
costs to ship the oil from the Kern
river fields to tidewater.
CLAIMS FOR RIO LOSS.
United States Commissioner Morse
has filed in the United States District
Court his report showing that the fol-
lowing claims have been filed against
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
for damages for loss of life and prop
'erty in the wreck OF the Rio de Janeiro
near the Golden Gate on February 20
of last year:
Sarah Jehu loss of life of her daugh-
ter, Sarah Rowen. $4,000: r. c. Halves,
administrator, loss of life of Naomi
Wakefield and property. $26,73O; RUN
Miller, executriX of estate of Sarah
Wakefield, loss of life and property,
51,075: Maria Gussoni and Fslice Gus
sUni, wife and child of the late Angelo
Gussoni, loss of life and property, $780,
600; Frances Ripley, loss of her proper
ty, s4S650; Clara Barwick, wife. and
Hattie and Henry children of Edward
Barwick, ships butcher, who was lost,
s25,245; William f. Adrich, executor,
Joss of life of Lilitia Wildman, $4,000;
loss of property, $4,000; Sarah Guyon,
administrative, loss of life of her hus-
band, Henry Guyon, $4,000, and Sarah
Guyon for breach of contract and prop
.erty lost and her children, Milton, Err
nest and Edward, for property lost
s525-total amount of the claims, $780,
'O4S.50
The value of the steamer after the
wreck, plus freight and passage money
pending, has been appraised at S2i,-
S7S.93. but the claimants aver that the
company is responsible for the whole
amount of the damages asked for. and
that the vessel was lost because of the
negligence and unskillfulness of tbs
servants of the company in attempting
to bring the vessel into the harbor in
thick fog and without taking any
soundings.
FOR STEAMSHIP MEN.
The United States local inspectors OF
steam vessels at this port are very
much interested in the fate of bill
recently introduced in Congress by Mr.
Morris to amend the Revised Statutes
of the United States so that the loca
boards OF inspectors shall be aided by
a jury in their Investigations IN cases
of incompetency and misconduct com
mitted by licensed officer while act
ing under the authority of his license
The new bill provides that If the &C
cused be an engineer the jury shall
consist of engineers, but If he be {
master pilot or mate, then the jury
shall consist of either masters. pilots OF
mates. In enforcing the attendance o
jurors the inspectors shall have th'
same powers as those exercised by tn
Circuit Court of the United States. Thu
accused shall be entitled to be repre-
scented by counsel and shall have tn
privilege of questioning and objectini
TO jurors. The verdict Of the jury shai
he final so far as the facts are con
cerned, except that the board of in
spectors, If it deems the verdict con
trary to evidence, may set the sam
aside.
II a majority of the jury shall be sat