Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-12-01

| Mahnka site that Mr.s'TaylOr. the fol.
lowing morning. March IA. 1907. called
upon the Warehouse Trust Co.. repre-.
senting the Mahuka site interests. and
stated to them that If they would
reduce their original bid, which was
$14S,500, to Sl0i,125, and agree to ex.
tend Bishop street from King to Mer.
chant street, that he would recon-.
mend this site to the Secretary of the
Treasury.
This was agreed to and written
tender was made to Mr.. Taylor, q
copy of which was sent to the Score.
tary, together with letter from him
recommending this site.
! About April 10. 1907, letter was
received from Hon. George b. Cortel.
you, Secretary of the Treasury, dated
April 2, 1907, accepting the proposition
made by the Warehouse Trust Com.
pany, stating what requirements the
trust company would have to fulRll in
order to close the transaction,
| The Waterhouse Trust Company had
considerable difficulty In getting the
prOperty.owners to agree, to sell at the
figure required by Mr.. Taylor, as the,
considered II less than the property
was actually worth and taxed for. but
their consent was finally obtained be
cause Of the expected enhancement
which would accrue to other adjacent
holdings of the owners and their asso.
ciates interested.
| The Warehouse Trust Company. in
putting in this original bid of slI7 800
took into consideration the fact that Il
would have to purchase the property
that was to be dedicated for the exten
sion OF Bishop street, which contained
about $4,000 square feet. and for which
II would have to allow $4,000. When
Mr., Taylor insisted on the price being
reduced to $l0i,125, the Watcrhouse
Trust Company felt justified In max.
ing this reduction, believing that the
Government of the Territory of Ha
wall could be induced to purchase the
necessary land for the street and open
the same to public use. As the gov
eminent declined to purchase the prop
erty for the street, the only WHY the
trust company could comply with the
Secretary's requirement was to secure
the amount necessary tn open the
street. namely, $4,000. by vOluntar,
subscriptions on the part of those in
terested and from public.spirited cit
liens. One.half of this amount wai
directly obtained from the vendors o
the property, thus further reducing the
price to be obtained for their land. The
money raised for the opening of the
street was with the distinct under
standing that Federal building SHOULD
be placed upon the Mahuka site al
joining the street.
In addition to the emphatic expires
sion of public sentiment as to the 10
cation of the proposed building. which
was made knoSH.to Mr.. Taylor at the
Young Hotel pavilion meeting on
March 10, 1907. resolutions favoring
the Mahuka site were subsequent,
passed by the principal organizations
Of Honolulu and forwarded to the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury. A petition
from the business community general
ly signed was also sent forward.
After the close of all preliminaries
all conditions made by the United
States Government having been met
and all requirements complied with. SO
that the owners offered to complete the
transaction by the delivery of deeds
In fee for the property. the United
States Government decided to settle
all possibility Of question as to title
ETC., by regular condemnation proceed
ings. before taking the property foI
the purpose of erecting the Federal
building thereon.
These proceedings were had In the
District Court Of the United States 70!
the Territory of Hawaii, and were con