The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-08-05
Capt. White on the
Next important
Steps.
Two Gigantic DryDocks
Now on the
List.
Estimates Calling for an Outlay
of More Than Five Millions
Of Dollars.

| Now that Pearl Harbor is opened for
steamers it is very likely that the au-
thorities at Washington will begin to
take action in the matter of making
| improvements on the government prop
erty, Speaking of the matter yester-
day Captain White, the civil engineer
of the Honolulu station, spoke as fol-
lows:
Judging from the past I consider it
quite likely that the Secretary Of the
Navy will appoint board at Wash
ington to draw up general plans for the
work to be done. I have sent on my
estimates of what in my opinion should
be done. These suggestions will be sub
mftted to the board, who in turn Will
submit their report to Congress, and
it will rest with that body as to what
action will be taken towards beginning
the work here. Heretofore the depart
ment would take no action in the mat
ter as our title to the necessary land
was not clear, but with everything sat
be taken in the near future. If the
plans which I have submitted are fol-
lowed out over S.. 900, 900 will be spent in
improving our holdings around Pearl
Harbor. I have asked for two dry
docks for 1 think that they will be no
more than we shall need and it will be
cheaper to build both at once than to
build a second later on. The place
which 1 have selected for the dry docks
is on the mainland across the channel
from the southern end of Fords Island.
One of the dry docks will be $50 feet
long and the other $50 feet in length,
and the gateway Will admit a vessel
with a beam of ninety feet. In fact
any vessel in the world would be able
to enter the docks. Nothing will be put
on Ford's Island. The land which we
have there was only obtained that we
might control the channel. There is
reef which crosses the channel and
shall ask for an appropriation to have
this removed, and also to have some
dredging done along different parts of
the shore line. The ordnance depart
ment, according to the plans, will be on
Kuahua island. The site for the dry
docks is about 1890 feet from the Oahu |
Railway, and the line of our land |
crosses the railroad tracks about HOO |
feet from PlIlloa station
I'VE shall have our own system of |
railroad in the running over the gov
eminent grounds. No." he said in an
swer to a question. ''as the government |
does not allow outside parties to use
it's land the Oahu Railroad will not be
allowed to extend its tracks across our |
territory, save where they already have
the right of way and are now running
their trains. However they may run a. |
branch line along the Bishop Estate
lands just outside, but following the
course of our property line. The way
has already been surveyed in fact, but
what the railway company will do in
the matter I do not know
Captain White in his annual report to
he Navy Department sent in the fol-
owing detailed estimates of the work
% be done in improving the Pearl Har-
Dor property. 1t will be seen at a
glance that the work to be done is
enormous and will give employment TO
,undredS of mon for months: