The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-11-13


To the Mckinley Memorial Commit !
tee, Honolulu, T. H.
Gentlemen: In reply to a recent |
article appearing in the morning paper !
IN which you invite suggestions or cri-
ticisms respecting the proposed Duild-
ing of a Mckinley memorial in Homo !
lulu, the City Improvement Circle OF
the Kilohana Art League respectfully
submit the following:
We know that no cause, however
good, is benefited by undue criticism
OF another cause, and therefore would
rather urge the merits of a new plan
for establishing and maintaining a
Mckinley Memorial, which we believe
to be more practical than either the
monument or the amphitheater plans
which your committee have under
consideration Both plans before YOU
have merit, and if Honolulu had the
public buildings that the city requires.
it would then be difficult to know
which OF the two plans you are con-
sidering should be first carried out.
But we call your attention to the
fact that there is not in our city
single available building where large
public or private meetings. exhibit
lions, fairs or entertainments NAV be
satisfactorily held We need a large
| airy meeting place under cover. A
| place where our citizens could meet
and miRgle when occasion requires,
and in so doing secure the advantages
which surely come from such gather
ings.
The government now has a roof
worth more than $4,000 located on a
block Of government land, valued at
more than 100000, which is being held
for public use. We have every reason
to believe the Territorial government
would be willing to join with the
| Memorial Fund Committee for the
purpose of providing a dignified per-
manent Mckinley Memorial where
large public gatherings can be held.
From preliminary estimates, we find
that the remodeling OF the market, on
.Alakea street, into a Mckinley pavil-
! ion completed to the satisfaction of
| all can be accomplished for the sum
which your committee now has avail
able in the Mckinley Memorial fund
The advantages we call your atten-
ton to in this building are its ample
size, central location, permanency,
perfect ventilation and not inartistic
design.
The remodeling of the market would
include enclosing the outer walls with
heavy wire netting, suitable to serve
as a trellis for climbing vines, which
would preserve the present airiness OF
the building, and at the same time
give the seclusion a public entertain
ment would require.
The architectural feature which
would change the building from a
market into a memorial pavilion, and
to which we invite your especial at
tention, would be the erection Of the
Mckinley arch at the waterfront end
of the pavilion. Thus the Robinson
plan for The Beautifylng of Homo
lulu" would be carried out by digni-
fled city water entrance, that would
also serve as the main entrance to
the pavilion. The Art League is pre-
pared to submit a design for this feat
ure of the building which would for
mally dedicate the whole structure
building and arch as a Mckinley Me-
mortal.
The interior of the building could be
divided into stage, floor, dress circle
etc, as suggested in the accompany
ing rough sketch. Those familiar with
the building will recall that two rows
f pillars divide the entire building
into three sections. We recommend
that the center section be made short.
er by placing a stage in one end anC
the dress circle of 1000 seating capa
city in the other end BY taking of
in this way the distance of two pill
lars at each end, the intervening spacC
will be properly proportional for Z
floor. Connecting the dress circle ant
the stage, a row on each side between
the pillars, of removable boxes, shout,
be made.
The remaining two sections of tn
building we recommend be paved witt
some inexpensive material, as there /
already a very good foundation. IN