The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-12-28

IN CONGRESS
Continued from Page one.)

ders are not asked to bid on any
specific sum for which they will do the
work. 4..4L
Each bidder is to name the lowest
percentage of profit on the cost of the
canal work, for which he will under
take to do the work. Supposedly, con-
tractor asking the lowest percentage
of profit is to be awarded the contract,
unless all bids are rejected.
The oldest feature of the whole prop
osition is the method of ascertaininB
the basis on which to estimate the per-
centage of profit to the contractor. The
| 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
tOSb 10 UlRHtl IMAM tHt t5IiIhdtt, lut
contractor will forfeit the same per-
centage of the excess cost which he is
receiving as profit. If the actual cost
is less than the estimate, the contractor
gets as a 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 $1,000, 900,
| 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 bonus of ten
per cent. of the amount saved or
$4,000, making a total profit of $780,
600 on this particular section.
The bidders must post certified
check for 100000 and give bord for
100000 to carry ont 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.
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
predominant feeling of the great ma jor-
ity of people is that going ahead on
any basis is better than the present in
active policy; and the contract, which
is being negotiated by the Executive,
will undoubtedly be ratified by Con-
gress, by the appropriation of the re-
CURED 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 mt EVA, has been
here for over Il week, in consultation
with the fiber experts of the Agricul-
tural department. They are much in
terested in the development of the fiber
| industry of the islands and are not
only furnishing Mr.. Weinrich with all
the literature and information upon the
subject, at their disposal, but are max
ing up for him complete collection
of seeds and plants of all the fiber
plants which they have. 1t is the in.
tention of Mr., Weinrich to form a
nursery and experiment station, for the
purpose of testing practically what can
be done with the various fibers at the
islands
! Mr.. Weinrich has just returned from
n trip to the Bahamas, Cuba and Yuca'
tan, to study the sisal industry in those
countries, He states that in the Ba
hamas it is run only as side issue to
the cultivation of pineapples; that il
ia neglected; that there is fungus
disease which destructively affects fully
one-half of the plants; that the industry
is not increasing and that the planters
are rather discouraged.
, In Cuba the plants look mucf
healthier, but the industry is still or
small scale.
, Mr.. Weinrich wakes enthusiast,
over what he saw in Yucatan. He wen
there expecting to see a barren, drieC
up, down at the heel, typical back mum
Der, tag end of creation, Mexican set
Element; but to his establishment b,
| found country as green as Ireland
with fifty inches of rain year. Yuca
tan produces 9S per cent. of the world Z
product Of sisal, and her sisal planter
/ are among the nabobs OF the world
Their principal town, Merida, is one
, of the best built and eleanest towns OF
earth. fhe people are largely educated