The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-11-16
SLATTERY
ON HARB0R
tFrom Thursdays Adverltser)


up for consideration before the Cham
Der of Commerce yesterday was Cap
tain Slattery's report on harbor i'm
rrovemeuts. Captain Slattery holds TO
his original proposition that the entire
harbor outline as suggested and rec
commended by him should be included
IN any request for appropriations for
its Improvement. His letter. submitted
through the Committee on Harbors,
etc, by f f.. Paxton, chairman. was
as follows:
SLATTERY'S RECOMMENDATIONS,
Honolulu, T. H.. Oct II, 1906.
Honolulu Chamber of Commerce, Ho-
nolulu. 4. II.
Sirs: In reference to the recent dis
cussions before the Chamber OF Com
merce, concerning continuing the inn
provements of Honolulu harbor and
the recommendations of the Pilots
Association, l desire to call the atten-
ton of the chamber to the following
points:
FliSt. BItctht pipi'tt Aol e'N
Improvement of Honolulu harbor con-
templates dredging to a depth OF
thirty-five feet that portion of the
harbor now occupied by the marine
railway. There Is no question but that
this railway is a menace to navigation,
and should be removed. Before COM
mencing work on the Improvement OF
the harbor, 1 considered the advisable
ity of recommending to the Secretary
of War that the owners OF this marine
railway be required to remove the
same, because 1t constituted menace
to navigation. / decided. however, that
II would not be advisable to require
the removal of this railway until a new
one or drydock was constructed. II
the Secretary of War required the re-
moval of this railway, on the grounds
that 1t was menace to navigation, as
1t undoubtedly is. 1t is highly probable
chat no compensation would be allow
ed the owners. For these reasons, no
action was taken toward the removal
Of the marine railway. and the work
in that part of the harbor was ac-
cordingly abandoned until such time as
the present marine railway should be
1t does not appear likely
that new railway or drydock can
be constructed and the present railway
In time for work to be done
I'm that portion of the harbor from
made in the next River
and Harbor Bill. In my opinion, 1t
would therefore be much better not to
ask for appropriations for this work
4
as 1t Is almost certain that another
River and Harbor Bill will be passed
before it will be possible to undertake
work in this corner of the harbor.
Second. There is no other work. ex
cept the above, provided for In the
present project for the Improvement
Of Honolulu harbor, In the Waikiki
end of the harbor, and 1t will be use
less to attempt to get appropriations
for any work not covered in the prof.
ect. If further improvements In that
portion of the harbor are desired, au-
.hority should be asked from Con-
sress, for the preparation of further
projects / doubt, however, IL any such
authority viii be given, or, If given,
4 any further Improvement In that
Any deepening between
he present limit of the Improvement
md the channel wharf is a matter for
private individuals to undertake.
'ather than the Federal Government
II the Federal Government at any time
acquires the channel wharf, this condi-
ion will. of course be changed.
Third. In regard to the stone wall
the reclaimed land immedi-
tely seaward of the lighthouse. ! beg
o state that even IL appropriations
we're obtained for building a stone wall
round this spit, that the same char
cter of wall would be built as the
xisting one. This character of wall
as been used extensively In the Unit
d States, In jetty construction, for
he purpose of protecting navigable {
hannels against filling with sand. The {
tone In the present wall is compare
vely light but the wave action Is
kewise comparatively light, and, as n s
eneral rule, runs nearly parallel to /
ne wall, and not perpendicular to 1t. I
4 the $4,000 remaining available for c
arbor improvements. under control of s
mis- office, | expect to reserve about g
1000 for the maintenance OF this wall
nd existing bulkheads. This sum |
ILL., / think. without doubt, enable me !
} keep this wall I'm such condition as c
prevent the sand behind II getting O
ack into the harbor. There IL no one T
ore anxious to prevent such catas- I
ophe than /. 1t Is therefore, In my v
)lnion, unnecessary to ask special ap- c
OPERATIONS for maintaining this wall !
building new wall II a new wall "
ere built 1t would be OF exactly the II
me character as the present wall. n
.cept that possibly heavier stones e,
ould be used. Such wall, however. II
ould not be built until 1t was clearly "
monstrated that the present wall was N
sufficient, IT would be highly advan-
geous II stone wall could be built N
replace the present timber bulkhead Il
ong the harbor side OF this island. 81
ID II stone wall could be con- T.
lued around the other two sides OF et
e island. Any recommendation for d.
g continuing of the existing stone OF
all would meet with my hearty ap- Il
oval. n,
Fourth. 1t would, In my opinion. be st
ghly inadvlsable for the delegate et
I'm Hawaii TO content himself with In
king for an appropriation only sum
mt to cut off the lighthouse point. III
can not urge too strongly that an