The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-03-02
GAY The STAR
LANAI WITNESS
VERY INTERESTING TESTIMONY
BROUGHT OUT AT SESSION OF
THE HOUSE LANAI COMMITTEE.

The Lanai investigation was resumed
last night by the committee on Public
Lands.
f. E. Harvey Of the Territorial Sur
vey office identified various points on
may Of Lanai, and also testified in
regard to the water supply on that ISL
and.
NJ. T. Lyons of the Public Lands Of
flee stated that shortly after the pub
LEGATION of the Lanai exchange adver-
| easements Mr. Pratt left Honolulu.
! Lyons took charge of the office during
Mr. Pratt's absence and in that time,
! he said Mr.. Cooper filed the only APP
Ipication that was received.
/ F. S. Dodge, superintendent of the
| Bishop Estate said that as long ago as
! 1904 Mr. Holloway had told him that
the government would like to secure
the Bishop wharves; the deal had not
been made because, Mr. Dodge thought
no appropriation for this purpose had
! been asked for by Mr. Holloway. In
1906 a third party had offered a certain
sum for the wharves. it being under
stood that this property if sold, was to
! be exchanged for Lanai lands. He af-
telward learned that the third party
was the Territorial Government
L. NJ. Vetlesen of the Mutual Tele
phone Co. testified regarding the water
supply and the character of land on
Lanai. He thought the island is fit only
for grazing purposes; he never knew
of any crops being grown there. A
thousand acres, said Mr.. Vetlesen,
would hardly suffice to support a man.
Charles Gay then appeared before the
committee He stated that he had been
engaged in ranching on Lanai about
four years and half.
In 1900 Mr. Pain set a price on Lanai
to Mr. Gay of 100000; he (Mr. Gay)
who at that time was unaware that
any portion of the island was govern
ment land, offered $l5OOOO. The deal
fell through. At the time of the Pain
and Neumann foreclosure Mr. Gay
bought Pains interest Ctwo-thirds) for
$1OS,OOO this comprised about 5000
acres
He stated further that to secure all
the island exclusive of the government
lands and the Gibson and irwin tracts,
he had paid $4,000.
Governor Dole in regard to some agree
ment whereby the government lands
could be consolidated and the Gay
ranch lands likewise; in other words by
a system of exchange all the govern
ment lands and all Mr.. Gays lands
could be brought together in two sepa-
rate divisions of the island. Governor
Dole retired before the arrangement
lcould be effected. Afterward Mr..
Pratt offered Mr. Gay all the govern
ment lands on Lanai for S150,000, which
he (NIr. Gay) rejected as absurd. After
ward Mr.. Gay had another conversa-
ton on this subject with Governor Car
ter and Mr.. Pratt, and was then in
formed that negotiations were pending
for the requirement of the Bishop
wharves by the government, the price
set upon this property being, so Mr..
Gay understood $4,000. The deal
again fell through. Since that time,
GAY says, he has not been personally
connected with the affair. He stated
that at the time he bought the Lanai
lands his idea was to eventually ac-
Iuuire the whole island. He now I'M
derstands that to acquire the whole
island with the exception of the Irwin
lands, his total outlay will be $685. OO
If however, Mr.. Gay stated, he had
known at the time he made the first
purchase, the lands he now expects to
acquire would cost him $252,00O, he
would never have bought any property
on Lanai. The whole question seems
to hinge upon the possession of the
Maunalei spring; whoever holds the
spring, in Mr.. Gays opinion, controls
the island, as it is the only dependable
source of Water on Lanai.
The committee adjourned at 1915 p.
m. until this evening at I.