The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-28

IN CONGRESS
CONTINUED from Page one1

II SpGClnC Sulil IOI With luSG Will uO Ill
work.
Each bidder is to name the loves
; percentage of profit on the cost of tn
canal work, for which he will under
take to do the work. Supposedly, con
tractor asking the lowest percentag
of profit is to be awarded the contract
unless all bids are rejected.
The oldest feature of the whole prop
Il osition is the method of ascertainin.
the basis ON which to estimate the per
centage of profit to the contractor. TIL,
| basis is by no means the actual cost
| 1t is to be ascertained in the following
| manner:
| After the contract is awarded, the
| contractor is to name two engineers
and the government two. These four
together with the chief engineer of the
canal commission, are to constitute a
Board of Estimate, who shall, before
| work is begun, decide upon what the
different sections of the work ought to
be done for. This estimated sum is the
basis on which the profit of the con-
tractor will be calculated. If the actual
cost is higher than the estimate, the
contractor will forfeit the same per
centage of the excess cost which he is
receiving as a profit. If the actual cost
is less than the estimate, the contractor
gets as bonus the same percentage
of the amount saved that he is receiv-
ing as profit.
For example; if the contractor has
agreed to do the work for ten per cent.
profit on the cost of the work, and the
Board of Estimate calculate that a
given section of the work should be
done for $1,000,000, and the contractor
actually does the work for 100000,
he will receive 100000 as his profit.
If, however, the work actually costs
81, 100000, the contractor will forfeit
ten per cent. of the excess cost, or
$4,000, so that his profit on this sec
ton of the work will be only 100000.
On the other hand, if the actual cost
of the work is only 100000, then the
contractor will receive a bonus of ten
per cent. of the amount saved, or
$4,000, making total profit of $110,-
900 on this particular section.
The bidders must post certified
check for 100000 and give bond for
So, 100000 to carry out the contract.
Only American citizens can bid.
There are numerous provisions for
changing the basis of estimate in case
of unforeseen conditions arising, act of
God, etc.
The contract is considered a snap for |
whoever gets it.
There are great opportunities for |
fraud and collision in the method pro- |
posed, and there is strong criticism |
thereof, but the progress up to date |
in the construction of the canal, by the |
government, has been so slow that the
feeling of the great major |
fu nf ic hot obo
any basis is better than the present in
active policy; and the contract, which
is being negotiated by the Executive,
viii undoubtedly be ratified by Con-
gress, by the appropriation of the re-
quired sums to carry it out, on the
theory that somebody must be trusted,
and the hope that the canal officials
will prove honest.
WEINRICH AND FIBER.
William Weinrich, Jr., manager of
The sisal plantation at Eva, has been
mere for over a week, in consultation
with the fiber experts of the Agricul
,ural department. They are much in
crested in the development of the fiber
of the islands and are not
,nly furnishing Mr.. Weinrich with all
he literature and information upon the
subject, at their disposal, but are max
ng up for him a complete collection
If seeds and plants of all the fiber
plants which they have. 1t is the in
,ention of Mr.. Weinrich to form a
nursery and experiment station, for the
purpose of testing practically what can
,e done with the various fibers at the
stands.
Mr.. Weinrich has just returned from
trip to the Bahamas, Cuba and Yucca
an, to study the sisal industry in those
countries. He states that in the Ba-
lamas it is run only as side issue to
he cultivation of pineapples; that it
s neglected; that there is a fungus
disease which destructively affects fully
ne-half of the plants; that the industry
s not increasing and that the planters
re rather discouraged.
In Cuba the plants look much
lealthier, but the industry is still on
small scale.
Mr.. Weinrich wakes enthusiastic
yer what he saw in Yucatan. He went
here expecting to see a barren, dried
Ip, down at the heel, typical back num-
'er, tag end of creation, Mexican set
cement; but to his astonishment he !,
ound country as green as Ireland,
With fifty inches of rain year. Yucca