The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-06-30
WANT THREE
ENGINEERS TO
INSPECT DAM
The Merchants Association Promises the Gov
ernor to Accept Their ReportToo Much
Corporation Publicity Opposed.

Members of the Merchants Associa-
fion had an opportunity to express
themselves freely on the Nuuanu dam
question at their special meeting yes
terday afternoon, an opportunity which
everyone of those present took ad-
vantage of. The executive committee
had already been in correspondence
with Governor Carter in the matter,
the correspondence having already been
published with the exception of the
last letter, which was:
Executive Chamber,
Honolulu, Hawaii. June %. 1906.
E. H. Paris, Esq, Secretary, Merchants
Association, Honolulu.
Dear Sir: While it is very satisfac-
tory to know that your organizations is
pleased to note that the GoVernn, ent
has secured the services of Mr.. Kellogg
to inspect the NuUanu dam, yet this
fails entirely to respond to my request
for it's opinion (and of course it cannot
speak for any other than itself as to
the confidence, or otherwise, of the
Merchants Association in any report
Mr.. Kellogg may see fit to make.
/ have already advised you by tele-
phone that 1 have no objection to the
correspondence being made public.
Kindly present this letter to your or
ganization and inform me as to what
they think of Mr. Kellogg's ability to
pass on the questions involved in this
controversy; for it is useless to proceed
-5rJ, Iar-
of the community think he is incom-
petent.
Very sincerely yours,
G.. r. CARTER,
Governor.
It was to deal with this letter that
the meeting had been called, explained
George W. Smith, the chairman 1t
was legitimate for the Association to
take up the subject when it did, but
the directors had not felt themselves
justified in dealing with this last re-
quest of the Governor and had there
fore called the general meeting. The
question for decision was not as to the
qualifications of Mr. Kellogg, but
whether two engineers would not be
better than one, or three engineers
better than either one or two
Mr. Cation was not in favor OF of
fering any advice to the Governor
whatever.
Colonel Soper did not agree with
this. The safety of the Nuuanu dam
was matter affecting the whole com
nlunity and he thought that a searching
and thorough investigation of the
whole construction should be made.
Similar remarks were made by W. w. I
Harris. who thought the Association
should make a definite suggestion. He
favored having three engineers on the :
investigation committee. The govern /
ment had spent $4,000 already ON the !
work and if this had been expended on
improper construction it ought to be /
found out and definitely determined. +
G. J. Waller wanted thorough re-
port from three competent men.
r. Reidford said that there was too
much at stake TO hesitate about having
competent commission investigate.
He believed Mr.. Kellogg to be com
petent man, but everyone here may not
know him and the question was to sat
isfy the people.
E. A McInernv thought that there
should lie no good reason for going
away from Honolulu to secure en-
,gineers competent to investigate the
dam. The Engineering Association
might be asked to name two of their
tnembers to act with Mr. Kellogg. He
suggested that the Governor be adj
zised along those lines. The presence
f a reservoir under suspicion would
keep tourists away from here. and the
loss Of property and lives if the dam
should break would be heavy.
Other remarks of a like tenor We're
heard, the chairman remarking on the
stiffness of the tomb which came from
tAe direction of the Engineers Assoei-
a-Ton in the matter.
: The following motion was then made
~ AIr Reidford, seconded by Colonel
@A6r and passed:
zeNhat the Merchants Association
iEnd to Governor Carter that he ,
: Ghis present selection two more
. ent engineers. and that all three 5
inspeet and report on the '