The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-12-06
CHANNEL WHARF
FOR TRANSPORTS

The Channel wharf is to be tran,
ferred by the Navy Department to tf
War Department for the joint use {
the latter department and of the In
migration service of the Departmer
of this import was received by Ray
mon C. Brown the inspector in charg
Of the immigration Service at thi
port. He communicated it to Captai
Humphrey, United States Depot Quar-
termaster here, and from that fac
seems to have grown a report tina
cable advices on the subject had bee
received lately.
''The land on which the whar
rests,' said DR.. Brown yesterday
"belongs to the Navy Department. TIL
wharf itself was built by the Terri
tory under an agreement or understand
ing that the United States might TAX
the wharf at any time on paying it
appraised value at the time of taking
it.
GA good many months ago / urged
upon the Department of Commerce and
Labor the need and utility of that
wharf for our service Take for in
stance the arrival of the European i'm
migrants some months ago; without the
use of that wharf we would have been
hard put to it for accommodations
But we need it at other times. When
immigrants are brought on the scow
from Quarantine island unless we have
right to the use OF this wharf we
have no place to land the scow. For
these reasons 1 urged on the depart
ment the desirability of having that
wharf turned over to the department.
When Secretary Straus was here, pre-
sented the matter to him. He told
me to find out on what terms the Ter
ritory would turn it over to the de-
partment. l went to Governor Frear
He said the Territory would turn it
over to any department which the Navy
it to do, on the payment
to the Territory of its appraised value,
according to the original terms with
the navy. The matter was then con-
sidered by the departments in. Wash
ington, and some time ago l received
advices to the effect that the wharf
would 1ot be turned over to the De
partment of Commerce and Labor, but
would be turned over to the War De-
partment. At the same time I was
instructed to confer with the military
here to plan a working ar
with them whereby the I'm
migration Service should have the use
of the wharf for its purposes when
ever it needed them. The idea was sim
ply that one branch of the national
service should not interfere with
another and that they should cooperate.
In accordance with these instructions |
spoke to Captain Humphrey about the
matter, and at that time he had re-
.eived no advices from the War De-
1artment in regard to the matter. The
ldvices / received, however, were ex-
llicit that the wharf was to be turned
'ver to the War Department and that
he immigration Service was to ar
'ange working plan with the Quar-
ermaster's department here for its
lse.D
At the United States Depot Quar-
ermaster's Office, it was said yester-
lay that no cable or other advices had
,een received from the War Depart
nent on the subject but that they were |
expected in regular course. At the
,apltol it was said that no cable or |
ther advices in regard to the. matter
ad been received.
The War Department has been using
he naval wharves in the past for its
by comfy with the Navy
department. But the coal feet of the
avy, and the expected increased use
Y naval vessels of the naval wharves,
ave made it desirable that the War
department. should have another wharf
or its transports, and the Channel
'harf is entirely suitable for this pur-
ose, and there is abundant room ma
al of the Immigrant Station for any
lpplies of coal the War Department
lay bring here.
The wharf is worth in round num-
ers about $4,000.